Registration

I really hate it when I wait PATIENTLY for my appointment time to register for classes and the pop-up window tells me, "Please allow up to 48 hours for the web site to update. If you have a fee-waiver, your adjusted total will not post immediately. Please check back later." So I do as they say and I WAIT. I WAIT longer. I WAIT even longer.

Now it's time to check to see if my waiver has been applied, and sure enough - it has. With that said, I now have 72 hours to pay for the remaining balance otherwise my classes may be dropped. Fine. I've done this before online, no worries. But when do they start counting the hours? AFTER my waiver has been posted? Or starting from the date and time I register?

Now a new problem has occured. Being laid-off from work (is no walk in the park, let me tell you), I no longer have the bank account tied into a direct deposit that isn't happening anymore because I am suddenly unemployed. Which ultimately means, I cannot pay for my fees online. Not yet, at least, until I can reopen another account some place else.

So, what do I do? Use my tapped out credit card? In a pig's eye! I don't dare ask my husband because he won't like the fee amount, even though I will try and convince him that is AFTER the tuition fee-waiver has been applied. So, I read further and search for details about paying by check or in person.

Paying in person is not available until the week prior to the start of the Fall session, which is August 14th when the school reopens. But remember, I have only 72 hours in which to pay for my fees or my classes will be dropped.

COME ON! This is just wrong!

Exam

After a few days of reading and taking online quizzes for two chapters, tired and late at night, I took the online exam for Political Science. I now know I should have waited until this morning to take the exam as I would have had some rest and been refreshed. Stupidly, I opted to take the exam late last night instead thinking the material was still "fresh" in my mind. Wrong! I didn't so well. It was a little disheartening. 11 out of 20 questions correct at 55% accuracy. Lame! I reviewed the answers and quite frankly I was thrown off by the many "all of the above" answers. There must have been, I kid you not, about 10 "all of the above" answers to choose from. I really hate those because I often believe they are trick questions. To be honest, I was torn between answering "all of the above" and choosing ONE answer. I could kick myself. I did VERY WELL on the online pre-tests, quizzes and summaries prior to taking the exam. How frustrating!

I guess the good thing is after calculating my scores against the total accumulative points, I ended up at 83% which translates to a "B". I am still awaiting my grade for an assignment I just submitted last week which has not yet been calculated into the total. There is one more online exam and then the FINAL in about 2 weeks. If I can ace (or do well, at least) on those two exams I should be able to maintain my "B". That's really all I care about. I CANNOT drop below a "C" - even that's unbearable.

Assist

One of the greatest tools to help in a student's path to a college transfer is the Assist web site at http://www.assist.org/web-assist/welcome.html. Choose the school you'll be transfering FROM and the school you'll be transfering TO. Another group of drop-down windows will appear. Choose your major and voila! You'll know first-hand what classes to take at the junior or community college level prior to your transfer to the four-year university of your choice. Of course, you'll want to check your university's web site for the department curriculum also.

Fall Registration

This morning I registered for the Fall 2006 semester. It was quite easy and I was able to get all the classes I wanted. These are the classes for which I have registered:

1. Math 015 - Pre Algebra
2. Geology 100 - study of the earth's structure and the forces that operate underneath the earth's surface
3. Journalism 101 - Reporting and Writing (pre-requisite for all Communication majors)

As I mentioned, that was the easy part. Now all I have to worry about is paying for the books!

My School

I thought I would share some pictures of Cypress College since it's gone through a makeover. I remember when the area where the Libary, Learning & Resource Center (LLRC) is located now was nothing but dirt and an open field. It is still going through a few more phases.

This is a view from inside the learning center - computers and study area. The small sign says, "No cell phone use". I tried to get a better picture of it but feared that I would get caught using my cell phone. My defense would have been, "I'm not using my CELL phone...I'm using my CAMERA!"





The architecture of the LLRC is quite beautiful. Here are several views of its exterior:





The LLRC is adjacent to the man-made pond. It's become a popular gathering spot for reading, meditating and talking loudly on your cell phone. The irony.

Update

Wow! It's been a while. I have been really busy with my other blog that I completely neglected maintaining this one. I intend to be more diligent in keeping this blog up-to-date with all the latest and greatest progressive-style blogs.

To bring you up to speed: It was a tough Spring 2006 semester for me only because I took on more than what I could originally handle. I was ignorant for thinking I could handle 19 units while working full time and maintaining a household. After much contemplating, rearranging and changing my major (yet again) I had to drop my Music Theory class with Dr. Reid and Political Science class with Amy Pritchett (again). I hated having to do that but it was the only way I could protect my GPA and not be fully condemned to Academic Probation, although I found out two days ago that by my dropping those two courses in the middle or towards the end of the semester; because of the way in which it was done, the "W's" that I receive very well could actually work against me in the near future. Because I dropped well after the deadline for "Last Day to Drop without a "W" (withdrawal), I resulted to dropping online and emailing my professors. Now, having called the Financial Aid office, I found out that because two courses were already dropped, I am on 1st and 2nd probation, meaning any other courses from this point on, if I were to drop again without a "W" or after the fact, could jeopardize or cause termination of my financial aid. OH NO!!!! I can't have that happen.

My grades for Spring 2006 were:

• Biology 101 - a "B"
• English 106 - a "B"
• Basic Math - an "A"

I ended up starting over with math simply to get myself reacquainted with some of the basics prior to going into pre-Algebra and Algebra. I will have to speak to my counselor to determine what college level math is specific to a Communications major and English minor.

So, tomorrow, Wednesday, July 26 (or is that today? Look what time it is - 2:50 AM)...I have my registration appointment at 10:00 AM. I have to wake up early and look over my choices before I get stumped in the middle of registration. That would not be fun!

I'll leave you with this tonight. During Summer school, I took English 102 with Dr. Marshall and I loved it, learned so much, and wrote a great deal, I received an "A" from her. I was ecstatic! She was very courteous and recognized my writing talent, too. I am now finishing up Political Science, and remember this is the second time around to take it. So far it's proven better than the first time taking it. I am at a high "B" - thankfully - compared to last semester's "D". Yes, can you believe it? I NEVER GET "D's". I was so upset as I did not have the time to dedicate myself to her class. This time around is better, and I am determined to make it work!

Okay...I'm off to bed! I hope I don't sleep past my appointment time. That would be detrimental to my health.