Great Opportunity

Just when I thought my Spring schedule was set, I got an interesting email from the course coordinator of the MIS department. Dr. Neuman explained that, since my work in MIS 111 placed me in the top 10% of the class, I have been offered an opportunity to be a preceptor for the same class this spring. What's a preceptor? Here's how the email explained it:

"The term preceptor dates back into the 1400's and means tutor or instructor. As a preceptor, you'll help develop exams for the course, assist in the grading of course materials, and work with the teaching faculty on other projects throughout the semester, such as FlexLabs and proctoring exams."

The payoff for me is twofold: an extra 3 credits that will count for general business lower division elective requirements, and also something useful to put on my academic resume when I apply for Eller College admission at the end of my sophomore year. As I understand it, they're looking for more than just GPA and I think this would be a good fit.

Every time I turned in an assignment in my MIS class - there were five projects times 1500 students! - I wondered how the heck they managed to grade them all. Now it appears I'll find out!

A Sophomore?

Well, the grades are in and... I'm a sophomore! I guess since several credits transferred from Pima Community College - classes I took in the early 1990s - they now say I have enough credits to be a sophomore. Not sure what that means, exactly, or what advantage it might give me... I'll have to figure that out as I go along. Kinda cool, though.

Anyway, as I said, the grades are in and I got all As! Even in math! I don't feel I deserved an A in the math class since I struggled immensely and still only understand or retain about half of what we covered. I did very poorly on tests and in-class quizzes, but fortunately the grade points are evenly distributed between homework assignments, an essay paper, in-class projects, and some other smaller assignments. I guess I made up enough of the difference to hit 90%. Yippee!

The important thing is I passed remedial math so now I can enroll in my first "college" math course which is a prerequisite for the "real" math courses that my major requires! I will have to take one during summer session in 2008 to get back on track so I don't have a bunch of math courses piling up towards the end. Maybe the sophomore designation even accelerates that urgency a bit more.

Of course I expect every accounting or economics course to have an element of math in it, but the true math courses I have to look forward to are:

- Spring 2008: Math 109 - College algebra course that emphasizes data analysis. Topics include functions, rates of change, linear functions, exponential & logarithmic functions, and systems of equations. Graphing calculators and spreadsheets will be used.

- Summer 2008: Math 115A, Business Mathematics I - Probability, conditional probability, Bayes' Theorem, random variables, random sampling, compound interest, expected value, computer simulation, and spreadsheet functions. The course is based on an electronic text, with extensive use of spreadsheets, downloaded data, and team reports on major business projects.

- Fall 2008: Math 115B, Business Mathematics II - Variance, normal distributions, distribution of the sample mean, integration, differentiation, advanced spreadsheet functions, and computer simulation. The course is based on an electronic text, with extensive use of spreadsheets, downloaded data, and team reports on major business projects.

And that's it for my "Foundation Mathematics" courses. They all sound interesting and I feel like if I can make it through them still standing, I'll be a lot smarter than I am right now! I love that feeling.

I also achieved the expected A in both English and MIS. I don't know how long I can keep up the good grades, but I'll certainly do my best to. I'm looking forward to getting started on my second semester!

Nearly Done!

Almost done! But a lot still to do. December 6th is officially "dead day" or, as they call it now, "reading day" (what the heck is that?!), and all the Final Exams come after. I only have one class period left in my two UA classes and two class periods left in Pima Math. The end sure has come fast!

Since Pima is on a different schedule, I'll actually take my math final on Dec 5th (please pray!). It will be cumulative over all the stuff we've learned since mid-Oct. Got a LOT of reviewing to do!

My English final is just a major rewrite of a paper we already turned in. They want to see how we do when analyzing and revising our own work. Piece of cake.

My MIS final is optional! It is used to replace a bad grade we may have gotten on a previous exam or project during the semester. I'm pretty sure I've done well enough on the other stuff I won't need to take the final. They haven't posted our grade from Project 4 and Project 5 is due tomorrow, but I'm confident those grades will be better than anything I could get on a final exam.

I anticipate getting an A in both MIS and English and probably a C in Math. The math grade won't count at the UA - since it's remedial, it transfers as pass/fail. I only need a C or better and right now I'm getting a B (yay!).

So, my To-Do list between now and dead day is as follows:

English -
1) Finish Essay 3 - Cultural Analysis
2) Revise Essay 2 for final - due Dec 7th

MIS -
3) Design simple web page for imaginary Bicycle Delivery business

Math -
4) Homework 11 consisting of 64 problems
5) Homework 12 consisting of 31 problems (logarithms!)
6) Two Reflective Journals
7) Study for final exam on Dec 5th

So I'd better stop wasting time and get busy!

Spring has sprung

Well, not really, but I'm mostly all set for the Spring 2008 semester. My first experience with online WebReg was a little nerve-wracking. One-fourth of the Freshman class were hitting the system at the exact same moment and for a while there I thought we must have broken it! But it just slowed way down and actually helped me find a technique I'll use in the future. My strategy was to identify the ONE course I HAD to get into and try for it first. For me it was English 102 and I knew there were only 3 spaces left in the class taught by my current English prof, Dr. Minnix. When the clock struck 7 a.m., I was logging in and bringing up the course. When I clicked ADD, the whole thing froze in place. What the heck...? Did my wireless network go down at the worst possible moment? So I grabbed my husband's laptop and by the time I logged in - probably less than a minute, at most - my English class was full! So I started looking up my alternates and had one ready to add when the system popped in and said I'd successfully added Dr. Minnix's class! Guess my laptop wasn't frozen after all.

Having two computers going is a technique that worked so well I'll certainly use it again. It allowed me to search in different sections on each one and I was able to add the courses I needed without much trouble. (The system never did speed up any.) I can't add my Math class until I pass the one I'm currently taking but I left a few gaps in my schedule to fit it in. Right now only the 8am class has space! Oh, well, I'm a morning person anyway. An alternative is to take the equivalent class at Pima Community College and transfer the credits, but I'll use that as a last resort.

So here are my classes - I think they sound interesting:

Justice and Virtue (TRAD 104)- This course will introduce you to some of the central and historically important questions and ideas in moral and political thought and philosophy through the works of some of the most important thinkers in the western tradition. Textbook: Classics of Political & Moral Philosophy

Modern Latin America (INDV 103)- An interdisciplinary introduction to Latin American societies from the 1820s to the present that gives special emphasis to diversity within Latin America and to dynamic and, hence, historical processes of social, political, cultural, and economic change over time. (No textbook details yet.)

English 102 and Math 110 will round out my 13 units. I think that's all I can handle, based on my experience this semester. If necessary I'll take summer and winter session classes to stay up with the program requirements as the semesters progress. I'm finding the homework is the "easy" part and keeping up is just a matter of scheduling and discipline - two of my strengths. But tests, quizzes and in-class participation are stretching me a bit. That's good, I guess. I used to be so good at tests but so far I'm only average. It's frustrating, but I can usually make up the points by being thorough with my assignments.

This is such fun!

Midway checkup

So, here I am about halfway through my first semester and have found a few things that may be useful to other students:

[] A lanyard is a great way to solve the where-the-heck-did-I-put-my-keys dilemma. No digging through all the pockets of my jeans & backpack, wondering if they fell out in the classroom, shuttle, or somewhere on campus. They're hanging around my neck! I also clip my jump drive on it so I'm ready to plop down at any computer and finish a paper or review a syllabus. I connected two of those eyeglass holder things together so it's a little more jewelry-like.

[] Speaking of backpacks, I haven't needed one for over a month. Maybe it's due to my current classes, but I've done just fine with an ordinary 1" 3-ring binder that contains only TODAY's stuff. Flylady (www.flylady.net) sells what she calls her Office-In-A-Bag (OIB) that works perfectly. Basically it's a zippered lightweight canvas binder cover with a couple pockets and a handle. I'm going to add some length and shoulder padding to the handle. And one of those nerdy zipper pocket thingy clips inside the binder and holds my wallet, PDA, clicker, and extra pens & pencils so I don't need a purse, either.

[] Haven't needed my laptop computer in class since I preprint the pdf MIS lectures before leaving home and scribble notes directly on them during class. Never used it in English and certainly won't need it for Math. Besides, there are hundreds of computers available all over campus with the latest software that I can use between classes. Finding an open one is occasionally difficult, but I'm discovering the less-frequented computer labs (got a map in my binder!).

[] I carry single-use packets of antibacterial wipes for computer mice/keyboards so I hopefully won't pick up any colds or viruses. (One of many good suggestions by my husband!)

[] Inside the front cover of my binder is a School-Day Checklist to avoid any "senior moments" (forgotten items). I make myself review it each time I leave the house, even if I think I remembered everything (I usually haven't!).

[] Typed or handwritten homework assignments get three-hole punched and go straight into the binder so when I unzip the OIB, nothing falls out!

[] I carry extra H&R Block business cards for the rare occasion that someone needs my name and phone number. Why not take the opportunity to advertise? First day of Math class the prof had us exchange numbers with two classmates (so we could call each other -- not her -- if we miss a class and need info!) so I was glad I had them handy.

[] I'm already walking a LOT more than I did before college, but also take the opportunity to climb any staircases between my car and classroom, at least until the weather changes.

[] And the best hint of all of them: Do all the extra credit available because you never know when it will make a difference between an A and a B. I've overheard a few classmates calculating how little work they can get away with doing and still pass the class. They're not the norm, of course, but what a waste! Makes me want to call their mothers!

No more "moseying!"

I've had a wonderful couple of weeks with just my two classes and a little homework to keep me on track. But this coming week I need to get down to business! I picked my retirement date intentionally knowing I was giving myself a two-week break before Math class, and boy it has been great! I admit I've been "moseying" a bit more than I probably should have, but sure needed the change of pace.

Someone warned me that after retirement I'd wonder how on earth I ever had time to work. I just didn't expect it to happen so soon! Tomorrow I have my first 3-hour math class (Mon/Wed) and I already know it's going to double (maybe triple?) the time I currently spend on homework. Pretty sure I can still get the extra stuff done around the house that I've enjoyed, I just need to get better organized and pick up the speed a bit.

I've been piecing together my schedule for the Spring 2008 semester and it looks even busier. I'll be in the second-to-last group to register (it stinks being a Freshman!) so who knows if the classes I want will even be available when I'm allowed on WebReg. I've got Plans B, C, and D at the ready, but even those might not work out. I'm aiming for the early morning classes knowing that these kiddies usually aren't early risers. However, I can't even register for Math until I have a final passing grade in the remedial class I've only just started. Yikes.

But it will all work out somehow. And I hope to be in the Honors College by the time I register for Fall 2008 and can register with the Juniors (yippee!). It's enough reason to want to keep my grades up.

Retired!

Whew, I made it! Unemployed for the first time in 28 years! It's a really weird feeling. No reports to run, no spreadsheets to format, no phones to answer, no decisions to make. No offense intended to my department, but it became increasingly more difficult to do a good job as the years went on. It was almost a constant battle to do the job the way I thought was "right" while running interference with some who wanted me to conform to arbitrary standards. When that happens, it's time to leave.

And leave I did! With enough life left in these old bones to do something different with the second half of my earthly pilgrimage. Maybe not so different, because I'll still carry the same skills and love of details with me. Just a change in focus, at least for now, with four years of college looming on the horizon. Now I'll have time to concentrate and give it my best effort.

And there are things I'm looking forward to putting in the column headed "Mundane" such as: a relatively clean house (for once!), grocery shopping at a time when I'm not tripping over fellow 9-5 housewives, stocking a pantry and freezer with good home cooking, putting in a small garden, actually keeping up with the paperwork associated with life in the 21st century, rearranging a guest bedroom and a closet or two and, of course, hitting the library whenever I need to rather than trying to fit it in between working hours and errands.

Routines with a twist... TIME! Yippee!

Slowly, and without haste

Well, I'm almost into week 5 already and there are a few things I'm amazed at:

In a class with a LOT of students, everything s_l_o_w_s down to a c_r_a_w_l. My MIS class is supposed to be an hour and 15 minutes long but we end up spending only about 20-30 minutes on "real" class stuff. The prof shows up with about 5 minutes to go and handles the 5 or so students waiting at the front podium to talk to him, then he puts the roll taker on the screen and we click in while he's putting on his wireless mic -- he has to change batteries nearly every time.

The first 10 or so slides are standard -- reminders to take the quiz (there's a new one every Tuesday and we have until Sunday midnight to take it), reminders to contact the TA if our clicker isn't working. It's class EIGHT and there are students that apparently haven't yet figured out how to register their clicker despite going over it in class every single time! You can tell because their clicker number shows at the end of the roll call screen without an assigned slot. Unbelievable. Each class you attend (click in) counts for 10 points so they're losing points every time. Then there's the reminders about available computer labs, how to contact the prof or TA, how to always use a subject line if you email either of them, and when their office hours are scheduled.

Halfway through the standard slides, the prof goes completely quiet while he waits for all 380 students to stop chatting. He has to interrupt class at least 5 more times throughout the hour to get everyone quieted down. Fortunately he has the patience of Job, although he's showing signs of real frustration lately. When he reaches his limit, he'll start throwing the whisperers out.

We'll complete a total of five major projects in this class this semester so we have at least 3 weeks or six class sessions before each is due for him to go over the requirements. And go over them, and go over them, and go over them again! By the time the project is due, he has practically spoon fed us everything we need to know to complete it successfully including major hints at the right answers! I guess that's good, but it really "dumbs down" the class to the lowest denominator (or ditziest student!). We're now into Project 2 so maybe things will speed up a little. Or not!

English class is better since we only have around 20 students, but I'm still a little surprised at how slowly the prof is getting into the meat of the class. Our first DRAFT of our first 3-4 page essay isn't due until Tuesday next week and then we have a couple more weeks to revise it before turning in a final paper. We've had readings and one-page response papers to turn in every week, but we're just now getting into how to create a good thesis and lay out our argument. Maybe they do that to bridge the time until the last drop/add date is past. We have lost a few students since the start of the semester.

I guess I expected the pace to be a little faster. Maybe that's due to the pace I experienced with my accelerated summer courses. There's certainly no reason to fall behind, and that's a relief while I'm still spending 40 hours a week winding things up at work. Soon after that's over, I kick in with an accelerated remedial math course that will keep my calendar fairly full, I imagine!

Week Two

Been to two classes in each subject now so things should start to get serious this week. It's going really well - so well I'm sort of waiting for the "hard part" to show up! I walk about a block and a half from my office to pick up the free inter-campus shuttle at 9am, it takes me across Speedway and within about half a block of my first class in about 12-15 minutes. It's so nice to not worry about driving through campus and trying to find parking.

My morning class (MIS) has over 350 students in a big auditorium, but the professor is really personable and funny. Starting this Thursday they'll take attendance with a clicker system. We each register our clicker (picture a tiny remote control) on a website and then click in at the beginning and end of class. It will also be used for in-class surveys and opinion polls. As a practice, last Thursday they had us pick our Major from a list and when done, it displayed a pie chart of the class and what majors were represented. Pretty interesting. (Yes, you could conceivably give your clicker to your buddy to click in for you, but if they catch you, you BOTH risk being expelled. Not exactly worth it!)

Assignments are turned in via a special website (www.turnitin.com) that immediately checks for plagiarism before the prof even sees it. If your work looks too much like a classmate's, or even too much like someone's from a previous semester, you get a personal invitation to visit the prof!

After class I pick up the shuttle again which drops me back at UMC, and walk back to the office. A lot of walking with a fairly heavy pack of books and my tiny laptop - I can already tell I'll be losing a little weight this semester! Love it!

My afternoon class (English) follows the same routine of shuttle ride at 3pm to within a block of my class building. This is a much smaller class with just 25 kids. The professor is really nice and I think I'll like the class a lot. He designed his own website for us - you can view it here:

http://web.mac.com/chrisminnix

According to the syllabus he'll soon be separating us into Writing Groups which should be fun. I'm the only "old goat" in the class, but that's okay; my classmates seem nice enough. I love reading and we'll likely learn different ways of dissecting passages and analyzing them. Our first informal "Response Paper" is due tomorrow in class so we'll see if I did it the way he wants it.

Rhythms

Rhythms are so important. Sometimes we don't realize they're there until they change. I'm about to make major rhythm changes in two areas: school and work. My first "real" class commences 9:30am next Tuesday morning. I also plan to retire in October from a place I've worked for 28 years.

My summer classes being web-delivered allowed me to get into a rhythm of studying every evening and nearly all day Saturdays. One class had a PowerPoint lecture and 10-question quiz every day (seven per week!). The other had lots of reading. Arriving back from my 5-day vacation last week it felt strange not to have ANY classwork that needed done. The rhythm had changed.

But I know that's nothing compared to what I'm about to face next week with MIS 111 and English 101. I'd better not lose any time getting into a rhythm with those. Fortunately the MIS class is during working hours (I'll use vacation time) and the Freshman Comp class is right after work. That will allow me to spend whole evenings on studying. I already know that uninterrupted kind of rhythm is vital to me. People who go home from work and then out again to take an evening class have it tough.

By the time I get into a rhythm with those classes, I'll be dropping my daily trip to the office. You'd think that would be a good thing and give me tons of time to study and just hang out at home - and it will - but I'm concerned it may take time to adjust my focus. After so many years of flipping the brain switch to ON when I sit down at my office desk in the morning, I'm wondering what exactly will trigger that switch at home...

I'm a big fan of Flylady (www.flylady.net) and she encourages her followers to "get dressed to shoes" every day (including hair and makeup). Even when you won't be leaving the house. Most of her subscribers are mothers with small children who can really use the "ready" focus that wearing decent clothes and shoes gives them. That, and a timer is probably what I'll try first to gear up my brain. If that doesn't work, I'll have to find something else.

Rhythms - can they be coerced? Probably.

What I've Learned

No, not about plants or money, but about school -- at least so far...

1) Don't turn in assignments too early. You won't get any "extra credit" and you might miss an opportunity to make a late correction. Certainly FINISH them early, and don't forget to turn them in ON TIME, but don't submit early. The prof won't grade them until after the due date anyway and what you learn from feedback on one GRADED assignment may help you on the next one.

2) When it says 100 words for an essay assignment, it doesn't mean 200. Or 150. I thought 100 was a minimum count so we would do adequate research, but got points deducted for being too wordy. Lesson learned.

3) The first moment you run into a term you're unfamiliar with, start your vocabulary list! And review it every time you sit down to study. Add to it daily.

4) Nothing beats really good notes along with a comprehensive vocabulary list.

5) Plants class is every bit as hard as a Chemistry class -- half the terms I've never even heard before, and more than half the concepts are entirely new to me. Sure makes a timed test difficult when you have to look up (again) so many terms you thought you had down. (Remind me NOT to take Chemistry! It's not required for my major, thank goodness!)

6) Being a solid "B" student isn't so bad. I hope I can find a course or two where I can sneak in a 4.0 or at least a 3.5, but it will probably be a while. As Popeye used to say, "I yam what I yam!"

Almost Through

Sorry for the prolonged silence on the blog! I've got just one week left before the end of this Summer Session. We're down to the last 7 quizzes in my PLANTS class and the last Discussion in my MONEY class. Then each has an online Final Exam which I will take on Sunday and Monday, respectively. Should be interesting!

The PLANTS class has been by far the harder of the two, but I've learned a great deal in both of them. Two great books in the MONEY class deal with the present economy and why the average middle-class American family is struggling financially. Major changes in how financial institutions do business has occurred in the past 20-30 years that make today's economy a very dangerous place for the average family. There are no longer any limits on loans like there used to be. A bank has the legal right to loan anyone any amount of money for any interest rate without repercussions. Bankruptcies have skyrocketed and foreclosures are commonplace.

In the first book, Two Income Trap, the authors (a mother-daughter combination) contend that the main reason families are struggling in today's economy isn't due to over-consumption or frivilous spending. In fact, they say that families have lost their "safety net" by having both parents in the workforce! The true value of a stay-at-home mom (or dad) is that when a crisis happens or the breadwinner is laid off, the non-working parent can take a temporary job to get the family through the crisis. With both parents working and the family relying on BOTH incomes to make ends meet, when crisis comes there's no fall back position. Their research is comprehensive and very well presented. Astonishing in today's climate to see someone -- anyone -- advocate for a stay-at-home parent! Yay!

Their second book All Your Worth, by the same authors, details a very sensible method to get your spending into balance between "Must-Haves" (the bills you have to pay each month), "Wants" (fun money), and Savings (to build a better tomorrow). No matter what your income, they recommend a 50/30/20 ratio with no more than 50% of your income to pay your bills, and a minimum of 20% of your take-home pay into Savings. The rest is fun money!

It is very heart-warming to read the positive feedback during the class "Discussions" from these twenty-something kids just starting out in life. This kind of wake-up call so early in their financial life is so essential. Being in college is great, but if they don't know how to manage their money after they graduate, what's the point? And it's positively amusing to see the young females visibly squirm with the concept of staying home to raise their kids! In actuality, the authors don't say one parent MUST stay home, they mostly recommend not relying on both incomes to pay the bills. Families who have both parents in the workforce are better off using mom's salary for FUN stuff like vacations and home remodels! Because if something happens to one income, or grandma needs year-round care, or divorce intrudes, there is some breathing room in the finances.

Well worth the read if you need to combat the summer brain drain!

Just me and Jessica

After bragging about my 100% score last week, I took a nose dive with the next two quizzes and only got 60% on each of them! Decided my study method wasn't working and revamped my whole system. Juan gave me some good advice on that. Meanwhile, I decided to find out a bit more about my 30 "classmates" in this Plants and Our World class. I thought it was a Tier One course geared towards incoming freshmen. Seems a little difficult for freshmen, so I looked up the the classlist in the UA online phonebook and, guess what? Fifty percent of them are SENIORS!

There are also quite a few juniors, several sophomores and one guy who doesn't show up anywhere. Freshmen? Just me and Jessica!

On the course grading page you can see a graph of how the rest of the class is doing (by percent, not by name, of course) on each quiz. The quizzes I struggled with were difficult for everyone else, too, although that's only minor comfort. I'll be graded on my own merit, not in relation to the other students. But I am curious about their experience. One of the seniors is a Plant Sciences major so she's probably the one getting most of the higher scores. But why the heck is she taking a freshman class in her senior year?

So my new study method has me back to 80%, 100% and 100% on quizzes 6, 7 and 8, so I'll stick with it. I'm even finishing with 1 or 2 minutes left on the 7-minute quiz clock. That gives me time to go back and reread a couple of answers I'm not sure about.

I'm learning new vocabulary about what's deep inside leaves, stems and roots. A lot on cell activity and plant structure and how it transports water from the soil to the topmost leaves, and how leaves photosynthesize sunlight into sugars and starches. Really fascinating stuff. Makes you appreciate how creative God is!

100 Percent!

Okay, it was just a 10-question quiz, and it was just one of 29 I'll eventually take in this class (Plants and Our World), and it only counts for maybe one-onehundredth of my grade but, hey, I'm allowed to celebrate a little!

Scored 90% on the first quiz and dropped to 70% on the second, so to achieve 100% on the third felt pretty good last night. It meant maybe I am starting to "get it" learning how to take good notes. It meant I can really do this if I focus.

I'm thankful it is a web-delivered class where I don't yet have to rely entirely on my memory. They fully expect you to have your notes and your book in front of you, even for the Final. But the quizzes are timed (and the Final will be, too), and you get ZERO PERCENT if you exceed the 7 minute allotment! Seven minutes go by FAST! It's barely enough time to read and digest the question, the four multiple choice answers, remember where to look in my notes (control F helps!), and select and save my answer. That's just 42 seconds per question. The prof said she found that formula somewhere on the web -- that 42 seconds per question is the right amount of time to test someone's knowledge of something.

I can't remember any of the questions I answered correctly, but here are the ones from Quiz 2 that I missed:

Which of the following best describes the fluid mosaic model of membrane structure?
O Cytoplasmic bridges move materials through microscopic hole in cell walls
O None of these
O Double layer of proteins with scattered phospholipids within the layer
O Double layer of phospholipids with scattered proteins embedded in or on the surface.
(Hint: "None of these" is the wrong answer!)

Small metabolites, such as sugar and ions, pass between plant cells via...
O plasmodesmata
O organelles
O middle lamella
O vacuoles
(I could have sworn "middle lamella" was accurate.)

Which of the following is generally absent from animal cells?
O organelles
O plasma membrane
O cytosol
O plastids
(I'll know which of the last three are correct by the end of today! Gotta keep up so my notes for the Final are in order.)

---------------
Being the organized person I (pretend I) am, I put all the assignments from both classes onto a spreadsheet/calendar so I could work out a plan to get everything done ahead of deadline. Adjusting for a one-week gap toward the end of July when I'll be away from internet access makes it a pretty agressive agenda.

In fact, I also worked out four different week-at-a-glance type calendars for the four stages of my life between now and December. From now to August 8th I will have work time and study time. Pretty simple stuff. From August 20 to October 20 I'll have work, two 3-hour classroom classes, and a minimum 12 hours of homework each week.

October 22 I will add in a six-hour Math class and 12 additional hours of homework! I'm gonna call the Arizona State Retirement System real soon to get an EXACT date in October when I can retire! Otherwise, it will be a very intense two weeks.

The fourth calendar is my favorite! The accelerated Math class will be doable because I won't be spending 40 hours a week at work! That calendar is the light at the end of my tunnel.

I think I can, I think I can...!

New Technology

RefWorks

Q. What is RefWorks?
A. RefWorks is web-based bibliographic software package that enables you to:
- Organize your research
- Include citations while you write your paper
- Build a bibliography in a variety of formats
- Import references from many data sources
- Create bibliographies in different document formats (Word, RTF, HTML, etc.)

While doing research, apparently I collect the reference data on each book into this online database that is free for students from the UA Main Library. Then, as long as I'm writing a paper in something like Microsoft Word and am connected to the internet at the same time, I can just "drop" my references by number right onto my paper without typing them all again! It will also create my bibliography from the works I've cited.

This technology age is amazing!

Pima Math - What could it hurt?

I'm having second thoughts about my approach to Math. Until this morning I've been resisting the thought of taking the Pima Math course and wanted instead to retake the UA Math Placement Exam, but maybe that's the wrong approach. While I dislike taking a semester-long math class that won't really count towards my degree, what's the harm in getting Math off to a really solid start?

As I may have said before, I'm enrolled in two courses for the Fall semester: English 101, and MIS 111. And I'm still working full time. And it will take some time to get into the "college groove". In other words, it's already going to be a very busy five months and adding Intermediate Algebra on top of everything isn't my idea of a day at the beach.

But -- think through this with me -- I only need a "C" to get credit. I think I can manage a "B" but, since that grade won't count against my GPA at the UA, I won't have to kill myself with homework, if it comes to that. Plus, I'll have a classroom setting and a real prof (not just a book) to help me with any struggles I might encounter. And Juan might want to take it with me (for "fun"! ).

I found two accelerated Pima classes that could work very nicely. One meets 6-8:30p two nights a week out near our house. Starts late August and ends mid-October. The second possibility meets 4-7p two nights a week on the UA campus and doesn't start until mid-October. It ends in December. The second choice would mostly be after I have retired so maybe that's the best choice. I'll talk it over with Juan and see.

That's a LOT of information!

New Student Orientation was fun! But it was long and they crammed a whole lot of information into just a day and a half! I admire the parents who came in from out of town and stuck with it to the end. I was familiar with a lot of the info from being an employee, so I can only imagine it's a bit overwhelming for someone brand new to campus. I didn't hear a count, but there were likely around 500 students plus their parents -- a big crowd which was, of course, divided into smaller groups most of the time.

While us students were doing our thing, they had separate sessions for the parents. In retrospect, I should have signed Juan up as my "parent" because then I could have found out what they were telling the other group. A lot of the parents seemed younger than me, and most of the students, of course, looked like 12-year-olds!

As I anticipated, Math Placement didn't go well! The test was a bit easier than the practice ones online, but I still didn't score high enough to get placed into Math 110 (entry level at UA). Right now my placement is Pima Math 122 which I would take at our local community college. They said it would count as elective credit when I pass, but I'm not thrilled about using an elective on an additional Math course. So I plan to retake the exam on August 13 and try to get better placement.

What DID go well was my Language Proficiency Exam. I took mine in French and placed high enough that I don't have to take a single semester in foreign language! I tested straight into French 202 which is higher than my major requires. So, unless I choose to minor in French, or decide to do it as an elective for kicks, I don't ever have to write a five-page double spaced paper in French! Whew! That's more of a relief than you know. When I learned French, it was the speaking kind; I can't write worth a dilly.

While I was very impressed with how efficiently orientation was run, I still have some bureaucratic snags to clear up. My Student ID was supposed to be converted from my SSN -- and it was -- just not to the number I was told it would be! And it turns out while I was ACCEPTED into the summer session, I wasn't actually REGISTERED in it so I have to visit the Admissions office tomorrow in person as they don't do that stuff over the phone or by email.

But by 4pm tomorrow I should be all set with my two summer session courses which I will take on the web, and two classroom courses for the Fall. With a Winter and/or Summer session or two in the future, I'll be right back on track with the rest of the kiddies!

I think I'm gonna need Plan B

Well, I've been studying College Algebra nearly every day for three weeks but I don't think it's going to be enough to pass the Math Readiness Test tomorrow. I haven't totally given up, but I need to be ready with Plan B as it's likely to be needed.

I just took the practice test and scored 32%! That's 13 correct out of 40. And I was "sure" about more than 13 answers, so I'm still not "getting it" on some of them. In the book I haven't begun logarithms, radicals, or much geometry, and I only started with graphs last night, so it makes sense those are my weakest topics, but I'll need to brush up on polynomials, quadratic equations, and all the linear stuff, too, before tomorrow.

Here's the test link if you want to try your hand:

California Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project

It's free and I don't think they send anyone to your house with a ruler to rap your knuckles if you fail!

So Plan A is still to scrape by and get placed in Math 101 (or whatever the equivalent is these days). But if I score below that threshold, I can retake the test in November for a better placement. That will give me almost 5 months to keep plugging at the book. I'm genuinely enjoying it, for the most part, and want to get it nailed down. I'd relish the opportunity to take some time to do that before jumping on the math roller coaster. I'll be behind soon enough!

However, I'm REALLY looking forward to tomorrow's all-day orientation (and Wednesday's). I even get a tour of the campus! I know practically every building inside and out, but this time it will be from a student's perspective so that will be fun. Plus I know nothing of the academic side of the bursar's office and other departments we'll visit. Gonna need those comfortable walking shoes!

Interesting links

While browsing the internet today, I found some really important web links you might find interesting.

Here is a sample 4-year plan for someone with an accounting major:

Sample Four Year Plan

Mine will look slightly different, of course, since I will take a light load that first semester, but I hope to make up the gap by taking as many summer and winter sessions as I can find that fit within my major. From what I can tell, there are very few courses offered during those abbreviated sessions, but I'll do what I can.

I'm glad I found this before meeting with an advisor. Gives me a better idea what the whole picture is going to look like.

It looks like a l-o-n-g road, and one that will stretch me in ways I can't even imagine, but I'm up for it!

I also took a look at what it takes to be an Honors student. Turns out some incoming freshmen are automatically designated the Honors status based on their high school grades and other factors. I wasn't (go figure! :-), but I can apply for consideration after I've taken 12 units and IF I have achieved a 3.5 GPA (or above).

Being an Honors student is, of course, a very nice sounding accolade, but the main reason I hope to achieve it is to gain access to a bunch of good stuff including priority registration. If I can register for class earlier than the non-honor students, I'm more likely to get the classes I want when I want them.

Here's a link to the Honors College.

Waiting is the hard part

I'm sure other "hard parts" will surface forthwith, but right now I'm very anxious to get started. I can't register for classes until I attend orientation and that isn't until a week from Tuesday!

Scouring the class schedule, I plan to be prepared with a list of possible classes and can register in a flash when the time comes. Of course I'll meet with an academic advisor (already started a list of questions for him/her), but when you're just starting out, it looks pretty hard to go wrong with class selection.

"Tier One" subjects include Individuals & Societies (INDV), Natural Sciences (NATS), and Traditions & Cultures (TRAD). I've picked out two Web-Delivered courses I'd like to take concurrently during Summer Session II; Money, Consumers & the Family, and Plants and Our World. I'll eventually need two courses in each Tier One group.

Summer Session is an accelerated timeframe where a whole semester is crammed into around five weeks. If I took a traditional classroom course, I'd have to find one that meets after 3:30 pm (when I get off work) or get my boss's permission to cut work for a couple hours every day for over a month! (Hmmm, doesn't sound too bad!)

But there's another problem with that because Juan and I have been planning a week-long trip to Mexico and it falls smack dab in the middle of the summer semester. Missing five consecutive class sessions just won't work. With web-delivered, I can get the homework done early for that week. I'll be back in town to take the finals in the comfort of my own home.

Six units in an accelerated semester might be a lot when I'm still working full time, so I'll take the advice of my advisor on that, but I'd sure like to get those out of the way sooner rather than later. I've already bought the books for the Money class since I plan to take it -- now or in the Fall. I'm hoping to put off any Math classes until Spring 2008 when I don't have the full time job to contend with.

Those of you who can remember college (!), do you have any "must take" subjects to recommend? Any UA professors to suggest (or avoid!)?

10am Math Readiness Test... WHAT?!

That's what it says on the Orientation Schedule! (pdf)

Am I ready for this? Well, no. Algebra. Remember algebra???

Actually I remember less than I thought. I loved math in high school (yeah, I was one of the weird ones) but after 33 years, I don't recall a great deal. Fortunately my hubby has an old college book "Beginning Algebra" and I'm now elbow deep in Exponents and Polynomials (Chapter 3).

For the placement test, I don't want to do TOO well. I just want to avoid embarrassing myself! I wouldn't mind scoring poorly enough to be placed into a relatively easy class (can you use "easy" and "math" in the same sentence?). But I really want to avoid wasting a semester on remedial math for which I would receive no credit. For an accounting degree, math will figure prominently, I realize, but can we start slowly... please?

I also have to take a Writing Placement Assessment and a Language Proficiency Exam. I'm not too worried about the first, and with the second, my goal is the same as for Math -- don't embarrass myself, don't score too highly, and don't get stuck with remedial French!

I'll let you know how it goes, of course.

=---------------=
SOLVE: 3x(x + 1)(7x - 2) = 0

EXTRA CREDIT: In 2 minutes a conveyor belt moves 300 pounds of recyclable aluminum from the delivery truck to a storage area. A smaller belt moves the same quantity of cans the same distance in 6 minutes. If both belts are used, find how long it takes to move 1200 pounds of cans to the storage area.

"You're In!"

That's what the long-awaited envelope said. Very appropriate.

Let's back up a little. I knew I'd be retiring from my job as Administrative Assistant at the University of Arizona within a matter of months (most likely in October). I also knew I needed to focus on "the next thing" whatever that might be. Transitions are always easier when you can see and move towards the next thing and I needed to identify one.

Sometime in February 2007 Juan sat down at the dinner table and said, casually, "Why don't you go to college and get a degree?" We had, of course, talked about several options for me after retirement including sewing stuff and selling on eBay, doing accounting for small businesses part time, advertising as a "Virtual Assistant" and doing work from home, etc. All those seemed interesting enough, but when Juan said "college", it really clicked with me (not to mention the abject fear reaction!).

Since learning taxes through H&R Block some six years ago, I've found a real interest in accounting and numbers and how they impact people's lives. Working at the UA Grounds department I've done a lot of "number crunching" analyzing data for my various bosses to let them know their budget numbers and how certain aspects of the grounds business affect the bottom line. So it made sense to pursue accounting as the next thing.

If Juan and I are meant to have a small accounting business to keep us off the streets in our retirement years, the missing element in the equation is my education -- or lack thereof. Juan has his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (and may eventually pursue a Master's), but I only have a high school diploma and a couple years of bible college to my credit. Not very impressive to potential clients. Of course working for 28 years is an education in itself, but it's not a visible credential.

So in March, I submitted an online application to the UA and asked Snowflake Union High School to dredge through their dusty archives for my 1974 high school transcripts! (Did I mention that a nearly free education is one of my retirement benefits? Just a small part of the picture!)

And then I waited. And waited. And waited. Checking the online link for updates seemed fruitless until early May when the status finally changed to say "A decision has been mailed to the address on file." That's it? Gee whiz, leave me hanging like that? Not even a hint?!

So now I was checking the mail box every day instead of the online link. One week, no answer. Two weeks, nothing. Had it gotten lost in the mail? Was it going to be bad news so they mailed it last? I'd about given up hope, and then...

"You're in!"

Whew! I'm on my way.

Next stop, New Student Orientation (pdf) on June 19 and 20! Yikes!