I had been wanting to get my college degree for some time now, but there always seemed to be something more important or demanding of my time and energy. 22 months ago, I finally embarked on the path to a lifelong dream: A college degree. Now, at 48 years of age, I completed my Associate program and plunged right into my bachelor program. My goal is a bachelor's degree by the time I reach my 50th birthday. So far, I’m on track.

February 2008 - Posts

• I must be crazy.

  Sometimes I wonder what the heck I’ve gotten myself into. Someone my age facing nearly $50,000.00 in student loan debt in the next two years is just plain out of her mind. How in the world am I going to pay that back? Not including interest accumulation, payments over a five-year period will exceed $800 per month (not to mention that I’ll be near retirement age by then). Honestly, until the past few days I had not given it much thought.   If I were a twenty-something college student facing the same debt, the prospects of paying it down over a longer period I suppose it would be as intimidating (I really do remember what I got paid when I was first starting out). A twenty-something has her whole career ahead to make the big bucks and pay all that money back, right?   I was chatting in instant message with a fellow classmate who is considering stopping her college education once she’s earned her Associate Degree. Stopping for a while, at least, she says, because the prospect of being $50K in debt is too scary for her. I asked her where she sees herself in five years (trying to do a little mentoring…help her think outside the box and consider everything before coming to a final decision). She had a really good answer, but the act of asking her made me ask myself the same thing.   I wondered to myself: If being $50K in debt is scary to someone who is barely a quarter of a century old, then being $50K in debt should absolutely terrify someone who is nearly a half a century old, right? Funny, it doesn’t terrify me. Probably because I’ve been in worse debt before. I owned a condo, two cars, and WAY too many credit cards once…definitely more than $50K in debt. Since then I’ve mended my ways, but I am not entirely debt-free, so adding $50K by the time I graduate remains a looming black cloud.   So, starting with my next block of classes (I hope...depends on if the dryer doesn’t conk out altogether…that’s another story), I am going to try to set aside a chunk of money per paycheck toward that ultimate storm unleashed by that black cloud.   In the meantime…I’ll keep sending in those scholarship applications.     Posted Feb 23 2008, 06:52 PM by 66bearess with no comments

• FAFSA, Cal Grant, Pell Grant...wha??

  It can be quite intimidating when the time comes to apply for or update an application for financial aid. I think I received no less than six email reminders this year to apply for the Cal Grant. (That made me wonder why I received no such reminders last year...and, as a result, did I miss out on something last year??) The first time I completed my FAFSA application, my enrollment counselor walked me through it. Lee Chance at the University of Phoenix was ssssooooo patient and so nice. I hope everyone enrolling at the UoP gets Lee as their counselor! The next two times, I was on my own. It wasn't so hard though...I completed the 2007/2008 FAFSA application late though (seems I need lots of reminders...I had no idea I was supposed to reapply and nobody told me-I've changed academic and financial counselors about a dozen times since I started my program, so that could be why I was in the dark). After completing my 2007/2008 FAFSA, I was again reminded about the Cal Grant and to make sure I completed it before the March 2nd deadline. Turns out, I also needed to first complete my 2008/2008 FAFSA application. Wait, didn't I just do the 2007/2008 one? Will they think me some sort of doofus if I send another application within a week of the first? No, my latest financial counselor assures me... I like the word ‘grant' because it means I don't have to pay it back. I would really like to not have to pay it back. I cannot emphasize enough how I do not want to have to pay it back. Since the beginning I have been told I do not qualify for the Pell Grant. To this day, nobody can explain to me what a Pell Grant is, but I guess since I don't qualify for it it doesn't matter. I still wonder what it is though. As for the Cal Grant...maybe...who knows. Honestly, I don't know what that is either or, for that matter, how much it is...but I hear cha-CHING with the word ‘grant' and so I'm applying. Maybe my 4.0 GPA will convince the powers that control the Cal Grant to award it to me. Maybe if that's the case they'd better get crackin' because I start my math classes in about 3 weeks after which my GPA won't look so great!!! (just kidding...I don't mean to be so pessimistic but all I'm hoping for in math is to PASS. If I get anything better than a C I'll be ecstatic.) Meantime, I keep tossing scholarship applications out there... Somewhere, there just has to be a philanthropic individual or organization who will find me worthy... Posted Feb 21 2008, 01:12 PM by 66bearess with no comments

• Speaking of intimidating...

  Prior to the conversation I had with my transition counselor whose job it is to transition me from my Associate Program to my Bachelor Program, I could look at my program schedule and see that I had just 12 credits to go before earning my degree. Just 12 credits...that meant just two blocks...that meant just 18 weeks (unless I CLEP which I still can but probably won't because it is math and by now we all know how I feel about math) or July of this year!! The half-way marker, milestone, accomplishment, whatever you want to call it was within sight and I was feeling so exhilarated and proud of myself and maybe even a little smug. After the conversation I had with my transition counselor, the schedule for my Bachelor Program appeared in my online account information. All of it. Every class. Every 5-week class for the next two years. So much for my exhilaration. Yes, I am still proud that I am nearly finished with the first two years. It has been a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice. And yes, I can still see the big picture. I just wish they'd have waited a while so I could revel in the empty to-do list... Sigh. Posted Feb 20 2008, 01:24 PM by 66bearess with no comments

• Week Six Already?

  I am completely amazed at how quickly my eighth block of classes is flying by. Today begins Week 6 of 9. I am concerned that my final project is due in three weeks and I don't really even know what it is. I read Appendix A five weeks ago, but right this minute...when Appendix A is not anywhere near me...I cannot recall what I am supposed to do in either of my two classes. Week 6 usually marks the beginning of the downhill run of these blocks of classes. It is typically spent collecting the rest of the important details needed to complete the final project. Mondays are reserved for breathing in and out as I recover from the marathon that usually is my Sunday because of the chronic procrastination that seems to be my M-O. Every week I tell myself I am not going to do it and every week I find myself still in my pajamas and yesterday's mascara at 7:30 PM with various food remains scattered on my desk and in the kitchen as I check and re-check my assignment due in a few hours. So, as I sit here wondering what the heck I am supposed to have done by now in order to be on track for my final projects (plural...I take two classes at a time), I realize that I have no idea. Well, I have some idea. My final project for my Human Resources Management class has something to do with a job description and hiring process for a position of my choosing. That was easy: I chose one that I've already held...thinking that I could use my experience in the job to help me do the project. So far so good. The nitty gritty details of the project, however, I don't remember. The final project for my Organizational Behavior class, however: I have no idea. Bizarre. I'm in week 6 and I am oblivious. Ok, ok...I know what you are thinking: Look in the syllabus, silly. Yes, I know. And I will. But my point is that this far into the class you'd think I'd know. You'd think I'd have that on my radar and be working toward it. You'd think I'd use the guidelines in Appendix A (you know, the one that suggests what should be done by week 1, week 3, etc.). Tonight when I get home from work (yes, I'm writing this on my break) I will look at the syllabus and appendix A and probably slap my forehead and say "oh yeah." But right now...I'm oblivious. Posted Feb 11 2008, 04:33 PM by 66bearess with no comments

• Tantrum

  Well it had to be done. I have officially registered for those dreaded math courses...the ones necessary to complete my associates program...the ones that I was going to try to skip by CLEP-ing them. Yeah, those. Yep...on March 10th I begin Basic Mathematics. They may as well call it We-Know-You-Suck-At-Math-And-Need-This-Course-To-Graduate-So-We're-Just-Trying-To-Help-Because-We-Know-You-Will-Never-Need-This-Level-Of-Math-Later-In-Life-In-Your-Career-Choice Mathematics. How pathetic (in an apathetic sort of way) is this? The dictionary defines the word pathetic as ‘contemptibly inadequate' and goes on to describe it as ‘so inadequate as to be laughable or contemptible'. (Wait...looking up ‘contemptibly'...break it down... ‘contempt'...let's see... ‘a powerful feeling of dislike toward something considered to be worthless, inferior, or undeserving of respect'...) DANGIT! I need a different word. Sigh. As much as I want to insist otherwise, math is by no means UNdeserving of respect. Anything that can kick my a** as well as math can most certainly deserves respect (well, mine anyway). Ok, enough ranting about the inevitable. Posted Feb 07 2008, 03:36 PM by 66bearess with no comments

• The value of printing it out...

  Have you ever needed the phone number for technical support because you are having trouble accessing the classroom due to website issues and, of course, the phone number for technical support is on the website that is having issues and thus you cannot retrieve the phone number to call for technical support? Enough said. Posted Feb 01 2008, 03:28 PM by 66bearess with no comments