Tuesday, January 31, 2006

There Can Be No Testimony without a Test

First of all, let me start this blog off by providing my own personal eulogy commemorating the life of Coretta Scott King (1927-2006). Not only was she Dr. Martin Luther King’s wife but also stood in her own light by raising four children and advocating the Reagan Administration to recognize her husband’s birthday as a federal holiday. Her life is a textbook example of being selfless in an increasingly selfish society. When the Today show broadcasted her death, it motivated to solidify my plans of creating and endowing the book scholarship as part of my own M.A. Economics graduation gift to the university that would allow future students to attend college without increased financial burden (My textbooks cost $262!) This simple act of selflessness would immensely help any students defray the skyrocketing cost of higher education in Ohio.

Now back to my day. Fresh off of scoring 93% on last week’s quiz, I am beginning to exude the necessary confidence to achieve a 100% on the final exam. Also today, I learned the intake software, created a case from scratch, and scheduled my benefits appointment with the human resources representative for Thursday, February 2nd, Groundhog Day!  One of the training officer announced that the agency human resources rep did not have official appointments from the class regarding our benefits (I did bother to contact him because there were 40 people in the general orientation. But anyway.) Luckily, mine is during lunchtime thereby not seriously cutting into any orientation time.

Today’s training session concluded ten minutes earlier allowing me to travel to the community college to register for the Intermediate Algebra. I told the employee that I am a transient student who wants to enroll in Intermediate Algebra to which she responded that I needed to obtain departmental approval for the general 12-week. Okay. Walking to the math department and discussing my intention of enrolling the course she remarked that she wouldn’t enroll me because it was too late and that was standard. I quickly proclaimed that the professor gave me a syllabus and told me that I had one more week to enroll. Then she asked if I was already in the system to which I responded yes. After obtaining my student identification number, she asked me to log onto CSU’s CampusNet to view my current schedule. During this exchange she inquired whether I needed this class or was it for personal enrichment. “Personal enrichment because though my home institution cleared me to take any course from algebra to calculus, enrolling in the Intermediate Algebra course would serve as a refresher.” Her attitude changed and she emailed the professor and copied me on it. The subject shifted to the assessment exam. I said that I would take it to qualify for entry into the class. She said that the score would allow her to make a more informed decision regarding my case. Immediately after this meeting, I headed to the assessment center, where I took the test and placed into MATH 1200. Hooray!

Boarding the 247 bus back to CSU, I had to return to my room to get my micro homework because I did put the folder in my bag (Well, I did not know in the morning that I would be taking the assessment exam! However, this event made me a better planner for all future events!) The key stuck of course (with all of the pulling it is a little dented) making me later. Afterward I walked four flights of stairs to micro class (that’s my exercise for the night) only to be bombarded with economic theory that I hadn’t read. At the conclusion of tonight’s class, I wrote that I would always prepare for any uncertainty because my semester’s goal is to achieve a 4.0; and, I cannot accomplish this feat without studying and preparation.

Even though I did not get everything I wanted, something good did come out of this: first, I tested into Intermediate Algebra. The graduate economics secretary informed me that the university would accept the community college’s placement results! Second, I saved $105 by not purchasing the book prior towards being confirmed by the professor. What a waste of income if I has rushed out and bought the textbook immediately after Saturday’s class without approval. Third, if I can pass this measly test then Intermediate Algebra’s test should be nothing!

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