Work/life follow-up
The person who called me earlier today to tell me the results of my work/life application also wondered if I was interested in signing up for the fall semester. I've been waiting thus far to see what the results of my application were before committing, but now that I knew, I gave her a call back.
Me: "Hi. I talked with you earlier about the results of my work/life application. I wanted to sign up for classes."
Her: "Oh, yes. What would you like to take?"
Me: "Java programming and Building internet applications I."
Her: "You can't take those classes. You haven't completed the prerequisite yet."
This is the same person who, earlier today, told me that the application for credit was accepted and that she only had to enter the results into the system. Now I can't sign up for those classes because the prerequisite isn't showing in the system as "satisfied."
We went back and forth a little since she should know that I more than qualify to take the classes. Finally, she said she would leave it up to the dean, who by the way isn't in the office at the moment.
/sigh
Labels: school
Work/life
My college allows students to submit an application for work/life experience. Basically, pick a class and send the faculty three pages on how you already learned the subject matter outside the classroom.
As a professional software engineer working on a computer information systems degree, I submitted an application for consideration in nine classes. I just heard the results today. Of the nine classes, I was approved for credit in six classes. Sounds like good news, right? Well, it is, but read on.
Of the six classes I got credit in, three were essentially "introduction" level classes - computer program design, object oriented programming, and relational databases. The other three were all about database programming. As a software engineer where I work now, I design and use databases a lot, and I was a database consultant from 1992 to 2000.
What's really remarkable is what I didn't get credit for: Java Programming I, and Building Internet Applications I & II. HUH?!?
So let me get this straight. I work for a dot com. Not just any dot com, but the dot com that YOUR SCHOOL RUNS ON, and yes, some of the system was written by me. For fun, I built a database-driven, interactive fantasy sports web site. To help out IFGS, I'm building their online registry. I've written computer programs professionally since 1986, and have written web-based code in HTML, XML, Java, C-sharp, PHP and VB since 1995. But you won't give me credit in Building Internet Applications?!?
I guess I still got lucky on the other classes, and my last couple semesters should be pretty damn easy.
Labels: school
Use some of my tuition to pay better people!
I got a letter from my school saying I owe them the full balance of my tuition from spring semester, which is odd, because I am supposed to be getting financial aid. I called them about the letter and talked immediately to Dustin, the guy who was handling my account.
Dustin says, "Oh, I don't work in that department any more. Let me transfer you." I really have to wonder if it was a disciplinary transfer. Read on.
He transfers me to Melissa, who has the attention span of a rabbit. I ask her, "Could you note the account that this was mishandled by Dustin and that I called attempting to resolve the account as soon as I recevied the letter?"
"Sure," she says. Moments pass in silence. She asks, "What did you want me to say on your account again?" I am eventually able to get her to note the account saying that this was mishandled by Dustin and that I contacted them immediately. I also get her to send me an email that tells me the next steps I need to take to get this resolved.
After we get that out of the way, I ask her to put me in touch with her supervisor. She answers, "Our managers are all on a retreat right now to talk about numbers or something. They won't be back until Monday." Well, it's certainly good to know that my past tuition money has been put to good use.
I reply: "Could you please send an email introduction to both your manager and me so that I can open a dialog regarding this issue?"
She says: "Well, she's really just *my* manager."
I say, "Yes. Could you please send an email introduction to both *your manager* and *me* so that I can open a dialog regarding this issue?"
She says, "Oh. I could put you through to her voice mail."
I answer, "Yes, but please also send the email to both your manager and me."
She says, "Okay."
I say, "Thank you."
She hangs up, obviously not putting me through to her manager's voice mail. As of now, a couple hours later, I haven't received any email from her to connect me with her supervisor. I did receive the email from her outlining the next steps I need to take to get my financial aid ready again. The first step (FAFSA) is what I did for Dustin a couple months ago. It's done. It's been done. I can't do anything more with it. The second step is on their server, and the response I get when I log in now, which is the same as the response I got before when dealing with Dustin, is: "Your application is complete. Someone will contact you."
By the way - according to the letter, the overdue tuition is due next Wednesday.
Labels: school
School's out for summer! Plus bonus coverage of my life
I just finished my last final exam for spring, and I'm not planning on taking any classes over the summer. I already have too much to do! With my trip (1), the trial (2) and my other projects (3), I was still able to keep my 4.0 average, which I'm pretty happy about. Now I need to get finished with my work/life experience evaluation so that I don't actually have to take all the classes that are still left on my degree program. The first submission was approved. The second submission is almost done being written. The third submission is not even started yet.
(1) My trip. I took a trip to Alabama a couple weeks back. Aside from the shocking transition from 50-degree sweatshirt-and-long-pants weather to 90-degree-in-the-shade-and-lots-of-humidity weather, it was really a pleasant trip for me. I got to see the place Ray called home once upon a time, and got to meet several of her friends. I got along pretty well with all of them, as well as her parents. I would have to say it was fun! (Though it was only a four-day trip.) The weather didn't cooperate on the way back, and we ended up having a loooong layover in a place we weren't expecting to be. Then when the plane left for Colorado, it had to fly from Chicago over Texas to avoid the next storm system. Sheesh.
(2) The trial. Short version: After an emotional and stressful several days, the scumbag was found guilty of two out of five charges, including a third-degree felony. Sentencing is in August. Go Justice!
(3) Yeah, I have a bunch of other projects going on that I need to rein in a bit. I got a few things off my plate this week, but there's so much more to do. Wish me luck!
Labels: school
Stop it!
For about as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in doing some serious stop-motion video stuff. I finally had a chance last weekend when I went with Ray to her college for a video class. She had missed class earlier that week, and during that class, the professor had the other students do a stop-motion project. To make up for it, the prof, Ray and I all went down to the prof’s office and he set her up with a camera, a tripod, a computer and an orange cow.
As I’m sure you can tell by the subject of the film -- an orange cow -- this wasn’t the most serious thing ever, but hey! I got to help out with a stop-motion project! It was fun! It was about everything I thought it would be! Okay, maybe not quite that much, but it did give me an itch to do more. Now I just need a digital video camera and some insipiration. But mostly a digital video camera.
Brother, could you spare a digital video camera?
Labels: school
My report card
My final grades for the quarter are in:
History and Methods of Science: A
Intro to Psychology: A
This keeps my 4.0 average after 14 classes so far. Woohoo! I still have to re-submit my work/life experience evaluation to see what credit I can get for my professional experience. Once that's in, I'll know how many other classes I'll need to graduate. Best case scenario is 1 more class, which means I'll be done after spring 2008. Worst case, if they don't accept any of my professional experience, would be another 13 classes, meaning I would likely be done after spring 2010. Big difference. Wish me luck!
Labels: school
Midterms done
Midterms are done. Got a 96% on the second one (yay!). Now I can breathe!
Oh, wait... I still have to read another 4 chapters for next week. Ugh.
Labels: school
Dumbest science class ever
As part of my degree program, I am taking the dumbest science class ever. This is a basic overview of science, barely scratching the surface of any particular discipline. Yet this is a 300-level class? How?
Anyway, in this dumb science class, I just took the midterm exam. I got an 84% on it, but I have no idea what I might have done so wrong. This brings my grade-to-date down to an 88% because the mid-term was pretty heavily weighted. Crap.
Now I actually have to start caring about this class for no other reason than to protect my GPA. I hate this.
Labels: school
