“Success is dependent on effort.”
Wow, I cannot believe I haven’t blogged in so long. I was actually about to knock out because I have to wake up early, but decided to write a post.
Is it honestly November already? I don’t know what happened in October, I feel like it was all a blur. School started getting crazier, I started working with BullsTV, along with other personal things. Although I feel like my life is all in a jumble right now, I’d have to say school and graduation are the main things on my mind. Here’s the situation:
I graduated from high school in 2008, and my anticipated graduation date from Columbia was for May 2012; however, that just isn’t happening. Ever since I was in high school I felt the need to graduate a year early. I don’t know why, but it was just something that I always felt in my gut and well, I am graduating a year early.
Starting my technically junior year at Columbia, I walked in with only 68 credits. If you are just recently reading my posts, I talked about Clep Testing, and how that is what I am doing to save money and graduate early. It’s basically crash courses – you read a book, take a 120 question test and need to finish in 90 minutes. You need a certain score for it to count as a “transfer credit” and most of them count as three credits. This was my plan all along, until the Journalism advisor e-mailed me my graduation application. I told her how I was planning to graduate a year early and I was doing it by testing out of my gen-eds. I got an e-mail that said, “I am glad you told me, because you missed the deadline for transfer/clep credits.” I stared at my computer screen for the longest time, and long story short – Columbia’s policy is that you need to register your credits at Sophomore standing at the latest. I was eight credits over the limit.
I am completely aware that it is my fault for not reading the fine print, but I kept thinking, “there is no way I worked this hard to graduate in 2012. If I don’t then I basically wasted all this time because I could have spread out my classes and been less stressed.” The advisor explained how the only way for this to happen is for me to write a petition for this board to see, and they determined whether or not they will grant me an exception. She told me to do this as soon as possible, and well – I turned that in within 24 hours.
She said it would take two weeks to get an answer back and to check back later, which was a complete bummer because I have been studying for one of the history tests, and was planning to take it the following week. Sidenote: whenever there is something I know that needs to be done, it is the only thing on my mind. This petition consumed my mind the minute she e-mailed saying I missed the deadline. I remember sitting on the red line thinking, “it’s going to be okay, they’re going to grant me the exception.” I just had so much faith that it was all going to work out. Everything has already worked out for me, so why would it all work out all those times, and not this time? So I stopped thinking about it. Literally probably two minutes later, I got a call from an unknown number. I never usually answer these because they’re usually telemarketers, but I answered and could barely hear. It was the advisor and she said, “jennifer?” this is ______ the Journalism advisor. I am calling you in regards to your petition….” my heart dropped because I was so scared lol, and I said, “yes, I just turned that in yesterday, was I missing something in the packet?” I was waiting for a “i’m sorry it was denied,” her voice was scaring me and then she said “it’s been granted! as long as you submit them before graduation day we will accept it, congratulations, you’re graduating in May!”
This was a relief, but it made me want to just get on top of it now, which is what I am trying to focus most of my attention on. I want to turn them all in before the start of Spring semester.. so that is pretty much why I haven’t been able to blog so much. I am trying so hard to get everything out of the way in my other classes such as projects, so I can be done with those classes early, on top of reading these books that are 150-200 pages long each, studying and taking all those tests. It’s honestly a mission, but this is what I wanted and will do.
Clep testing does not work at all colleges and universities, but it does work for most. I’d have to say about 90%, so if you want to get out of school for whatever reason, CLEP! Each book is not more than $35.00, the test is $100.00 so you’re spending $135.00 for three credits, saves you a ton of money, and you’re not on a deadline. You get to study and take the test whenever you want, just make sure you read the fine print at your school so you don’t miss their policy!
This fall I walked in with 68 of the 120 needed credits. Come May 2011, I will be a 20-year-old graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Let the countdown begin!