get my bachelor's degree

I finished my bachelor’s program back in June, but won’t get the actual diploma until December. (The college only gives them out twice a year.) I have already started my Master’s program at Capella University where I’m seeking a Human Services-Mental Health Counseling degree. I finish up my first class this week (with an A) and have just started the second quarter taking Mental Health Counseling and Theories of Personality. It looks to be a daunting yet exciting endeavor. I am going to try to go full time and earn my Master’s in 3 years.

I am 58 y/o and if I can do this at my age, I would encourage anyone of any age to do it. The key is to keep the goal in sight when you are feeling overwhelmed or discouraged. Take it one day at a time and don’t get bogged down looking at the big picture. Stay organized and do your assignments ahead of time so you’re not rushed at the last minute or if an emergency occurs. If you don’t understand a class, get help; that’s what tutors are there for and some colleges offer them gratis.

Good luck to those of you still working on your Bachelor’s. It is a worthy endeavor!

Teresa

Well, I mailed in my ISP thesis this past week. It looked awesome bound! I only had 3 corrections to make, so I’m assuming I’ll get an A on it and the module. I’ve kind of been at a loss all week since we are no longer meeting as a class. I keep thinking I need to go post, but there is no longer a need.

I all but have my bachelor’s degree now. I have to take a math or science class this summer, so I decided on a Biology class called Nutritiion and Health offered at the local community college. Once that is done, I simply have to wait until December and receive my diploma.

I’m going to go update my resume and also update my portfolio. Although I can’t apply for a full-time job until after I take that summer class, I might be able to find some part-time work in the mental-health care field in the meantime. I also need to apply for graduate study. I haven’t decided yet where, but I had better get with it and get my application in a few places. I’d like to start in the fall. Walden says they will take a letter from Corban College once I’ve completed the biology class so I could get started by September. I can hardly wait!

That’s all for now. I probably won’t post here again until I’ve finished my biology class.

...are all I lack in finishing my degree program in Psychology-Family Studies. I have 2 more weeks in the psychology coursework and, since I didn’t pass the CLEP for algebra, I’ll have to take a 2 wk. FastTrak math class this summer…and I’ll have completed the required coursework. Corban College only mails out the diplomas in May and December, so I’ll have to wait until December to get it. But what a relief it is to know it’s almost over! So far, I have a 3.93 grade point average; I hope I can keep it that high when I take the math, as I’m verbally skilled but mathematically challenged. I’ll be so glad when I can mark this particular goal as one that has been completed.

Unfortunately, I didn’t pass the algebra CLEP test, so I’ll have to take a math class in summer school. Other than that, I will be finished with my major coursework on March 17. So far I have a 3.93 grade point, and hopefully will make an A in the Ethics class I’m taking now (which is our last class in the program). Although I won’t graduate in May, as I had hoped, I should have all work done by the end of May so that I can receive my diploma in December. I will be so glad to finally be getting my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology-Family Studies. It’s been a long hard road.

The head of my department said he would write reference letters to both future employers and any graduate school I want to attend; he volunteered to do it…I didn’t even have to ask! He said that I could sail through a master’s program “standing on my head”.:) That really made me feel good. Well, my next post here will be when I have finally achieved my goal.

Well, our last day will be March 17, so it’s 4 more months to go. I am taking a 4-wk. intensive in Genetics and don’t have a clue what I’m doing! So far, I’ve not had less than an A- since I got my Associate’s Degree, but I’m fearful that Genetics is going to bring my grade point down. Anybody out there willing to help me with my homework? I’m also taking Music Appreciation which will be done in December plus my regular full load at Corban College. After December, I’m going to immerse myself in Algebra so I can CLEP out on that. If all goes as planned, I’ll be done in March and graduate with my Bachelor’s of Science in Family Life Education-Psychology in May…40 years since I graduated from high school. I’m excited and very proud of myself; in the past, I never finished anything I started. Now I will!

I only have 6 months to go before, hopefully, I graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology – Family Studies. I still have to do my online full load of classes, plus I’m taking my music appreciation prereq at the local community college, plus the next 4 weeks I take a math prereq 4-week intensive, then the next day another 4-week prereq science intensive starts, and then I will lack another math prereq which I have to get in via CLEP before February 1…if I want to graduate in May. I’m just finishing up an internship of 110 hours; I only have 12 hours to go now and I’m done with that, thank the Lord. Along with my regular classwork, I also have to write a thesis. I know most colleges don’t require a thesis for a Bachelor’s, but this one does. I operate from a position of tiredness all the time these days. I normally have a one-track mind, but right now there’s 10 trains on that track!

What I’m afraid of is that I’m becoming really cantankerous, and where before I would watch what I said to others online I’m getting to where I address stupidity directly while I’m posting. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but some opinions are more brainless than others. I’ve become mean and hateful and I don’t watch what I say any more. I know alot of it is all the stress I’m under. I’m afraid that my instructor is going to read it and tell me to get the heck out of his class. I’m too close to the end of school for that to happen. It has also been stressful for me that I am the only Biblical Feminist in a class full of complementarians, so I’m definitely outnumbered. “Groupthink” is definitely alive and well in that class!

OK, well, now I’ve vented. Maybe now I can get back to doing my schoolwork with a more focused mind.

Teresa

P.S. Please no comments “correcting” my biblical feminist stance. I have enough of that in class!

At the end of June, my junior year will be over and I’ll be starting my senior year…yes! I started back to school 2 years ago and graduated with my associate’s degree May of last year. I’m attending college online and the time has pretty much flown by, as they keep us busy writing essays and on a service project (internship). I am pretty excited about being in the “home stretch”, so to speak. This next few months should be pretty intense and very busy, but that’s good in that it makes the time fly by. I’ll be getting my bachelor’s in Psychology and then will go on to get my master’s in Theology, hopefully before I turn 60…at least that’s my goal. I want to become a Pastoral Counselor. I hope my doing this will inspire my adult kids to never give up on their dreams. You’re never too old to have dreams and set goals.

Teresa