get an associate's degree

i just went to see my school counselor. he’s a nice guy, but he has been doing what he’s doing for way too long. i wanted to leave, but he wanted to go over this entire lengthy explanation. he sounded a bit like a telemarketer. well, i sat and let my eyes glaze over while thinking about other things. i got out to the car and looked over all of my paperwork. as long as i stick with the original plan (8 credits in spring, 4 credits in summer, 8 credits in winter), i should be able to have my degree by the end of 2010.

if i take 8 credits during spring semester, 4 credits during summer semester and 8 credits during fall semester 2010, i can graduate by december 2010.

i have been going to school after high school for longer than i care to admit. i only have 24 credits left. i am currently enrolled for 4 credits, so after this semester, i will only need 20 credits. so close.

I’m starting for Psychology online soon :)

I have 34 credit hours. 3 of those hours were from a remedial class that I was required to take to get off of Probation II, which was really lame (but I still did it somehow) so I really only have 31 transferable credits. And by RE-taking biology this summer, that will still leave me at 31 hours. If I register for Biology 1407, I could have 35 hours. There are times when it seems like I want to fast-forward through all the daily stuff and get to the real meat of life, but I guess like Adam Sandler learned in “Click,” the real point of life is glued together by mindless moments that very often seem pointless and tiresome. If all is well, I should get an Associate’s by next summer just before Michael comes home. Got to start somewhere I guess.

It’s going to take one more year to finish my prerequisite courses to get into the program I want. I’m frustrated.

I did it… I got my associates degree in biology at a small junior college in california in 1990. I did work study (financial aid)and finished in 3 years instead of two because I switched from gen. ed. to biology in my second year. One of the things I learned about myself was that I could easily be a professional student. I wasnt super great at math and biology but I loved it and love it still. Go for it!

I was still paying off my student loan for a bachelor’s in fine art when I took a leap of faith and registered to get an associate’s in Theology. After the first year was completed, we had our summer practicum to do. I still didn’t know where the money for this current education was going to come from, but I was told not to worry about it. I did my summer practicum on Biblical financial management- it was “The Treasure Principal”, put out by Crown Financial Miniatries. I had $5 in the bank when I committed to do this and the workshop was $100. By the time I bought it, God had blessed me with $40 in my account, so I gladly took the $100 to sow back into His kingdom. 2 days after I taught the workshop, I expressed my concern about not being able to pay my tuition. But I was told that my tuition was paid- all except for $200. Well, I am paying the last $100 off tomorrow. What do you know about that!? Plus, there is some anonymous person who has been making extra payments on my first loan, which was on deferrment for 6 years following a debilitating injury. Again, it is true that God redeems the time- and everything else!

We just had midterms this past week, and if I stay on course, I’ll be graduating in December!

Most people get all hung up on going straight for a Bachlor degree only to find out they are not up to the challenge of gutting it out, mentally or financially, for the 4-5 years it takes to do it.

An associates degree has many advantages over just simply getting credits towards a bachlor degree and dropping out.

It is a degree and will improve your income! Not much mind you but it’s the difference between flipping burgers and working in an entry position for a company.

Once you have it they can’t take it away. Colleges like to play the “we won’t accept your credits” game for continuing your education, but an degree makes it harder for them to do so.

It is an accomplishment to be proud of. Even though you didn’t make it to a bachlor degree you still succeeded. Much more plesent than beating yourself up over all the time and money spent plus all the guilt from the parents of going just as far if not farther than that required for an associates but in the end not getting any sort of degree. It becomes a stepping stone to future success.

Finally once you have one it’s that much easier to get other associates and those future bachlor and master degrees. An associates degree while give you a taste of your future course of study to be positive that is what you want to do.