When we left our intrepid wannabe collegiate (aka: Me), he had been advised by the college’s “Welcome Center Adviser” to contact the head of the Social Sciences Department to get advised on his course work. The question needing answered was: Is Geography an AA or AS degree?
This went on for two days until the SS Dept. head finally stated that he didn’t know either and was at a loss to advise me. On the plus side, I did get invited to meet with him in person to go over course possibilities. Even better, he was finally able to contact the Geography instructor and get him to exchange a few emails with me.
After a couple days of emails I finally got my answer: I was unknowingly asking a trick question. Geography can be both an “Art” and a “Science”. The key to the decision is how much physical geography you study. Anything involving physical geography would involve a fair amount of courses in Geological science.
Now that I know where I’m going with this and have a plan of attack: Make a major assault on my prerequisites over the next three quarters so that I can hit some electives involving GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and Geology courses whilst cramming as much physical geology down my mental gullet as possible and transfer to the University of Washington with my AS degree and need less than 30 of the expensive UW credits, instead of the normal 45-50 to attain my Bachelor’s degree.
But the bureaucracy has stalled me once again.
I cannot register for classes until Thursday the 12th of November. I cannot register in the system to get my PIN (Personal Identification Number) which I need to be able to register for classes until I go through their orientation program for students taking their first quarter of classes. And I cannot attend this program until Tuesday the 17th of November.
After discovering this, I tossed a minor fit and was able to wheedle out of the Admin office that the SOAR program would be available in an online session at 8AM on the 12th, the same time as the scheduling computer opens for class registration. So, depending on how quickly I can thumb through the SOAR program, I might even get the classes I want.
But still, the bureaucracy was standing in my way.
Before I can take the online Cliff Notes version of the SOAR program, I needed to sign up for a school email address. I will need it and my Student ID number to log in to the SOAR program. I now have my fourth email addy that I will never give to anyone and will need to remind myself to check periodically.
So now I wait. Selected classes in my mind. Hoping beyond hope that I don’t have to slip to Plans B or C, or especially D.
I’ll report back here that morning to let you all know how it went.
GUFFAW!
Please issue a full coffee cup warning with info like this in future, Phil…….
The image of the email addy: [email protected] was just to much for my overloaded sense of comedy.
What gets Nestle coffee mods off a screen and keyboard?
RTFM. Get the catalog and read it.Know what you need to do to get your degree. register 1 to 2 days before classes start. this will give a sense of urgency to your adviser. Know that 6 credits is half time and 9 credits is 3/4 time.
Plus, you get to buy educationally priced software when you get your addy.
Nothing gets Nestle out of a keyboard, RD.
Sorry Vinnie, but read what fucking manual exactly? The Quarterly guide only lists classes. The school’s official course guide doesn’t have anything about Geography degrees in it. Sure, it lists AA, AAT-1 & AAT-2, AAS, AASS, AST-1 & AST-2 degrees in it, but where does Geography fit in to those degree guidelines? It doesn’t say anything other than to consult an adviser.
Get a sense of urgency out of a civil servant? Really? What planet were you born on? If I’d have waited until the end of December to start all this, as you suggest, they’d have told me that I’d have to wait for spring quarter.
Also, I’m not sure which state you went to school in, but 10 credits is half-time, 15 is 3/4 here in WA. It directly corresponds to how many hours a week you spend in a classroom.
Vin, I’m being honest when I state that that really was one of the most ass-ignorant comments I’ve ever had here. First you claim that I didn’t do any research when, in fact, I’d spent two weeks preparing to wrangle with the bureaucracy. Then you chart a course of action that would cause me to have to put all my plans on hold for three more months, and you follow it up with incorrect information.
Epic Fail for you. You were so wrong that you should be made to forfeit your internets.
Ahh, finally! Chris hits at the one minor win in this whole fiasco.
When I took a course at the local Community College (CC), they didn’t even tell me I had to do any kind of orientation, anywhere on their website.
First night of class, I parked in the prominently labeled visitors lot, since I didn’t have a parking sticker.
I got a ticket, for being in the visitors lot too long without even a temporary parking pass.
It was nice of them to have small signs regarding the requirement for temporary parking passes, but not on the light poles, since it was night time when the class started.
Took them 9 months to email me back about the disputed parking ticket, too.
The moral of my story is: find out about parking stickers/passes BEFORE your first class day.
Have fun in school!