So in the previous post I talked about how I am not able to go to Penn State anymore and my goals. So now my plan is in shambles. However, I feel that with my advising passion, I am doing a good job at figuring out what's best for me and how I can piece it all back together.
To go along with goal one, academic advising, I have to do a few things. Before I tell you my oober cliché major, I want to explain that this is the major suggested to me by other advisors, as long as I continue my education. So I am going to get my bachelors in psychology. Along with this major, I am minoring in history. I have thought about double minoring in German studies. This is not for certain yet. Anyways! After I get my bachelors, no matter where I study, I have to go back to Eastern and get the Masters Certificate in Academic Advising. On top of that, I am going to get a Masters of Arts in Higher Education. All three of those educational tools will aid me in getting into academic advising. With my Masters of Arts in Higher Education I could use that to become a professor. I will probably take some extra administration classes while I am going through that portion of graduate school. My big goal, becoming an important, decision making, role in University administration. To do this, I want my PhD in educational leadership. Working at a university it is common for administrators to get "discounts" or even pay for classes. So I am going to pay my dues as professor/advisor and take some classes in politics and business while working on my PhD in educational leadership. Then I start working my way up, hopefully. I'd like to complete my final goal by at least age 43. I would be happy. Or at least by the time my own children are about to head off to college.
My biggest issue is where to get these degrees. I could get a bachelors in psychology at almost any university. It just depends on what area of psychology I want to learn. I know Western focuses on behavioral. I can't tell what Eastern focuses on. But I like their program when it comes to what classes I can take. With the history minor, I actually get to take BETTER classes than at Penn State. I can take "the first world war", "Europe since 1919", "Nazi Germany", "American history from 1917-1941", and even "Model UN" so I am very excited. I love love love the world wars and German history. Love. And I could potentially be double minoring in German language. Can I just go there?
For the Masters Certificate in Academic Advising I already know I'm going to Eastern. From my research, I can't find it at another university in Michigan. For the Masters in Higher Education, the only universities I can find it at is the University of Michigan and Central Michigan. Either I would be fine with, however I would prefer UofM because it is in Ann Arbor. Then the final piece of the puzzle: PhD in Educational Leadership. I think Michigan State is pretty much my only choice. It is offered at CMU, but again, don't want to go there.
So as you can see, my plan is in shambles and could change any minute. It depends on job opportunities and costs and place and just so much. It makes me nervous. Like, extremely nervous. But I think I can do it. I have goals. I have an outline of a plan. And I'm determined.
Friday, March 28, 2014
A Big Loss to A New Beginning Pt. One - Goals
So here is the big announcement. I had a difficult evening a couple days ago. I got my "financial aid" package from Penn State. I put "financial aid" in quotation marks because there was little to no aid at all. I gave myself a 10 minute pity party then applied to Western and Eastern (special thanks to my mom for paying for my Western App) and sent out my KCC transcript. While it still baffles me that they wouldn't give aid to a high honors student, I am not upset anymore. I still have my dreams and they are still the number one most important thing in my life.
I still don't think I have made my dreams and my plan very clear. Logan asked me the other night what I was majoring. I give him the benefit of the doubt though because I have changed it often. It was extremely solid, but that was when Penn State was the plan. Now I have a block of ice in my stomach. It never melts. It is just a huge cold chunk of uncertainty in my future. It is probably the scariest feeling I've known to feel.
So while the plan is still uncertain, the dream has been solid for months and it has been growing in passion for years. There are many steps to achieving my dreams. They are like mini goals to an ultimate goal.
So goal number one is to be an academic advisor. I have many people to thank for helping me realize this goal. My mother, she has helped me realize many a thing. Now if only she would let me help her get back into school to get a degree (wink wink). Kyle Mason, for letting me help him when he first started going to Kellogg Community College. Junior VanValkenburg for challenging me. Darci VanValkenburg for letting me help her son, a junior in high school, start thinking about college and about future career paths. Also for her helpful critical eye. Also for helping me come to the realization that I would be a great advisor. Also for her support in everything. She is basically a very important person in all of this. Another thank you to all of the people that come up to me in the student center asking me for help in regards to advisable questions. I really want to be an academic advisor, even just for a little bit. A few years, and I will be happy; however, a longer period of time is more likely and preferred.
Goal number two is to be a professor. Now, doing this alongside advising would be wonderful. Both of these goals could be goal number one. It really just depends on which I am able to get a job in first. Kind of a foot in the door. I see academic advising being more likely, though. When I get to professor status, I would love to teach history. More specifically, world wars or Germanic history. They are my bigger passions when it comes to history.
Goal number three is to work my way up to some leadership roles in a university. I just feel, as a student, that the big guns making the decisions don't make decisions for their students, but for what will make them look good. I am basing this on articles I've read and how I've personally felt. Having the opportunity to be in those decision making roles would mean the world to me. So that's the long term goal.
So when Penn State crapped out on me, I was devastated. That was where my opportunity was. They do so much in-hiring. It was going to be perfect. I am still trying to find the blessing in disguise. After some looking around at Michigan colleges.... Side story: My cardiologist was freaking out about me going out of state... I think I found it. I have pretty much decided I want to go to Eastern or Western. Preferably Eastern, but now it is whichever gives me the better financial aid package.
So I'm on Eastern's website, looking around at all their stuff, and I find an Academic Advising Masters Certificate. It is only 15-17 credits. I'm not going to lie, I was crying. I got this overwhelming feeling of everything happens for a reason. But why do I have to pay for so much failure before something good happens, ya know? Starting to pay off Northern with monthly payments, I paid probably a total of $700 for Penn State's various fees and the trip down there, and now I have to throw my trust and money at other places. Kinda nervous about that. But it will be good. I just really want it to be good.
I still don't think I have made my dreams and my plan very clear. Logan asked me the other night what I was majoring. I give him the benefit of the doubt though because I have changed it often. It was extremely solid, but that was when Penn State was the plan. Now I have a block of ice in my stomach. It never melts. It is just a huge cold chunk of uncertainty in my future. It is probably the scariest feeling I've known to feel.
So while the plan is still uncertain, the dream has been solid for months and it has been growing in passion for years. There are many steps to achieving my dreams. They are like mini goals to an ultimate goal.
So goal number one is to be an academic advisor. I have many people to thank for helping me realize this goal. My mother, she has helped me realize many a thing. Now if only she would let me help her get back into school to get a degree (wink wink). Kyle Mason, for letting me help him when he first started going to Kellogg Community College. Junior VanValkenburg for challenging me. Darci VanValkenburg for letting me help her son, a junior in high school, start thinking about college and about future career paths. Also for her helpful critical eye. Also for helping me come to the realization that I would be a great advisor. Also for her support in everything. She is basically a very important person in all of this. Another thank you to all of the people that come up to me in the student center asking me for help in regards to advisable questions. I really want to be an academic advisor, even just for a little bit. A few years, and I will be happy; however, a longer period of time is more likely and preferred.
Goal number two is to be a professor. Now, doing this alongside advising would be wonderful. Both of these goals could be goal number one. It really just depends on which I am able to get a job in first. Kind of a foot in the door. I see academic advising being more likely, though. When I get to professor status, I would love to teach history. More specifically, world wars or Germanic history. They are my bigger passions when it comes to history.
Goal number three is to work my way up to some leadership roles in a university. I just feel, as a student, that the big guns making the decisions don't make decisions for their students, but for what will make them look good. I am basing this on articles I've read and how I've personally felt. Having the opportunity to be in those decision making roles would mean the world to me. So that's the long term goal.
So when Penn State crapped out on me, I was devastated. That was where my opportunity was. They do so much in-hiring. It was going to be perfect. I am still trying to find the blessing in disguise. After some looking around at Michigan colleges.... Side story: My cardiologist was freaking out about me going out of state... I think I found it. I have pretty much decided I want to go to Eastern or Western. Preferably Eastern, but now it is whichever gives me the better financial aid package.
So I'm on Eastern's website, looking around at all their stuff, and I find an Academic Advising Masters Certificate. It is only 15-17 credits. I'm not going to lie, I was crying. I got this overwhelming feeling of everything happens for a reason. But why do I have to pay for so much failure before something good happens, ya know? Starting to pay off Northern with monthly payments, I paid probably a total of $700 for Penn State's various fees and the trip down there, and now I have to throw my trust and money at other places. Kinda nervous about that. But it will be good. I just really want it to be good.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Overveiw of Semester Two
So Fall (2013) semester ended with a bang. I was really shooting for a 3.9 but I guess I had to settle for a 3.882. My goal is to improve. A 3.9 would be nice, but as long as it is over a 3.882, I will be happy. And I am talking cumulative- not just for the semester. So! Spring semester 2014...
Communications- This class is a direct required transfer class for Penn State. Huge bonus!! It is really a fun class. I would recommend Andrews to anyone who wants to laugh. This is also my honors class... but it really isn't any harder. I just have to prepare one extra speech. No biggie. I currently have 139% in this class. Not too worried about this grade.
Intermediate Algebra- This class doesn't really transfer. It is just a general math credit, however, taking this class prepares me to take the required maths at Penn. I have to take college algebra and elementary statistics for psychology at Penn and I can't do that unless I am already efficient in Algebra. So it is working pretty well. Andrews is an excellent teacher. Oh my gosh. I wish he could just teach me all the math. I have been really lucky with math teachers at KCC. My grade isn't what I want it to be. It is only 94%. I need to get my ass in gear and stay up after I get home from Rite Aid and work on homework. I would love to take his Summer statistics class to prepare me for Penn, but that is only if $500 magically appears. Such a bummer.
Modern American History- I love history. I love it. A lot. This is my other honors class. It transfers to Penn. Woo! This is probably- No. This is my favorite class this semester. It is challenging. It is fun. I retain a lot of the lectures. It is just those darn exams that kill me. I believe my grade is around a 90%. But I am improving. I have noticed my favorite classes are the ones I get my worst grade in. Like last semester, my favorite class was psychology and I only got a 89%. Still stings because that class put me from highest honors to high honors. But it was the class I learned the most from. ANYWAYS- history. I love it. If you have to take a history class at KCC, take it with Wright. She has such a passion and she is so interesting.
English II- Required to graduate from Penn! Woohoo! But it is such a taxing class. I would not recommend this professor if you like to be organized. Or if you want an easy class with a low work load. Some days I feel like I am in a 300 level online class because he doesn't instruct. He just tells us what is due then we learn how to do in online through Moodle. We turn everything in online, too. To turn in a paper you have to turn in an extensive annotated bib, a detailed source analysis, a statement of research, an outline, another outline, a rough draft, a semi-final draft, then a final draft... It gets a bit ridiculous. AND you don't get much choice in topic. I know when I get in higher level classes it will be like that, but come on. It is freshmen English. I complain, but I do appreciate these skills because I feel it will make me a better writer. Oh. The professor is Davis, by the way. I have about a 96% in this class.
Modern Literature- Uggghhhhhhhhhhhhh. Dumb. I have a 92% because the professor is... A hassle. She is very unorganized. It is too damn easy. I don't feel challenged at all because she is so... Ugh. No one in my class likes the class. It only transfers as an elective. AND there is a really rude, sexist, racist older (like 40) guy in my class that is too damn handsy. I moved to the other side of the class because he was so sexist. So this class, I am going to keep the grade up, but it is so hard when a class feels like a chore.
So in the Summer I am definitely taking sociology. I HAVE to take it. I should take developmental psych but I have reservations about the professor. I would LOVE to take history because I own the book, but it isn't needed and I don't want to waste money. I should take statistics, but you know that from above.
Communications- This class is a direct required transfer class for Penn State. Huge bonus!! It is really a fun class. I would recommend Andrews to anyone who wants to laugh. This is also my honors class... but it really isn't any harder. I just have to prepare one extra speech. No biggie. I currently have 139% in this class. Not too worried about this grade.
Intermediate Algebra- This class doesn't really transfer. It is just a general math credit, however, taking this class prepares me to take the required maths at Penn. I have to take college algebra and elementary statistics for psychology at Penn and I can't do that unless I am already efficient in Algebra. So it is working pretty well. Andrews is an excellent teacher. Oh my gosh. I wish he could just teach me all the math. I have been really lucky with math teachers at KCC. My grade isn't what I want it to be. It is only 94%. I need to get my ass in gear and stay up after I get home from Rite Aid and work on homework. I would love to take his Summer statistics class to prepare me for Penn, but that is only if $500 magically appears. Such a bummer.
Modern American History- I love history. I love it. A lot. This is my other honors class. It transfers to Penn. Woo! This is probably- No. This is my favorite class this semester. It is challenging. It is fun. I retain a lot of the lectures. It is just those darn exams that kill me. I believe my grade is around a 90%. But I am improving. I have noticed my favorite classes are the ones I get my worst grade in. Like last semester, my favorite class was psychology and I only got a 89%. Still stings because that class put me from highest honors to high honors. But it was the class I learned the most from. ANYWAYS- history. I love it. If you have to take a history class at KCC, take it with Wright. She has such a passion and she is so interesting.
English II- Required to graduate from Penn! Woohoo! But it is such a taxing class. I would not recommend this professor if you like to be organized. Or if you want an easy class with a low work load. Some days I feel like I am in a 300 level online class because he doesn't instruct. He just tells us what is due then we learn how to do in online through Moodle. We turn everything in online, too. To turn in a paper you have to turn in an extensive annotated bib, a detailed source analysis, a statement of research, an outline, another outline, a rough draft, a semi-final draft, then a final draft... It gets a bit ridiculous. AND you don't get much choice in topic. I know when I get in higher level classes it will be like that, but come on. It is freshmen English. I complain, but I do appreciate these skills because I feel it will make me a better writer. Oh. The professor is Davis, by the way. I have about a 96% in this class.
Modern Literature- Uggghhhhhhhhhhhhh. Dumb. I have a 92% because the professor is... A hassle. She is very unorganized. It is too damn easy. I don't feel challenged at all because she is so... Ugh. No one in my class likes the class. It only transfers as an elective. AND there is a really rude, sexist, racist older (like 40) guy in my class that is too damn handsy. I moved to the other side of the class because he was so sexist. So this class, I am going to keep the grade up, but it is so hard when a class feels like a chore.
So in the Summer I am definitely taking sociology. I HAVE to take it. I should take developmental psych but I have reservations about the professor. I would LOVE to take history because I own the book, but it isn't needed and I don't want to waste money. I should take statistics, but you know that from above.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
That Moment When Others Truly Discover Your Passion Pt. 2
Today, I made an appointment with an academic advisor. I still cannot remember why I did it. So two hours later I go in and he asks me what I want to do. I tell him I want to be an academic advisor at a university. He is shocked. I tell him my whole plan and he asks me to hold on a minute and leaves the room. About a minute goes by and he brings four other advisors in the room with him and tells me to repeat everything I just said. So I tell them my story and plan. For the next 45 minutes all these advisors are giving me advice, pointers, words of wisdom, tips, secrets, and basically fighting over me. They wanted me to chose them to help me transition over to PSU. unfortunately, I didn't really nee anyone's help with transferring from KCC. So I thanked them all for their advice and an appointment that was scheduled for ten minutes lasted an hour. I appreciated everything I got from them and I am for sure going to use a lot of the advice!
Early this morning I asked my psychology professor from last semester about the Summer developmental psych professor (a class I need to take) and he said it depends on where I am going and what I want to do. So I told him Penn State and Education/Advising/Psych minor. He freaked out. He didn't even answer my question, but we scheduled a meeting for Thursday morning... He said he has never known anyone from KCC to transfer to Penn State and he wants to help me. So I don't know what I am going to get out of this meeting, but I am really excited because this man is INTELLIGENT. He taught at WMU for a long time too. Really great professor.
ON TOP OF ALL THIS, I got officially accepted into KCC's honors society. Induction ceremony next Thursday! Very excited... if I don't have to work.
Today was just a great ego boost. Amazing. Loved it.
Early this morning I asked my psychology professor from last semester about the Summer developmental psych professor (a class I need to take) and he said it depends on where I am going and what I want to do. So I told him Penn State and Education/Advising/Psych minor. He freaked out. He didn't even answer my question, but we scheduled a meeting for Thursday morning... He said he has never known anyone from KCC to transfer to Penn State and he wants to help me. So I don't know what I am going to get out of this meeting, but I am really excited because this man is INTELLIGENT. He taught at WMU for a long time too. Really great professor.
ON TOP OF ALL THIS, I got officially accepted into KCC's honors society. Induction ceremony next Thursday! Very excited... if I don't have to work.
Today was just a great ego boost. Amazing. Loved it.
That Moment When Others Truly Discover Your Passion Pt. 1
Alright. So a lot of my close friends and family know this already, but I am totally scary when someone puts me in front of a person who either isn't sure what to do with their life, doesn't know how to get started in school, what classes to take, how to get a degree, what universities are right for them, the list goes on and on. I will sit down with someone for hours and make someone really think.
EVERYONE- okay not everyone, but A LOT of people have told me they don't see me teaching kids. They don' see me teaching elementary, middle school, or high school. And I can understand how they see that. To me it just made sense. I want to help people. I want to make a difference in people's lives. I want to do that without being involved in the medical field. I love social studies. So teaching social studies just made the most sense in my head- not so much in anyone else's.
Last Summer, I sat down with two of my best friends from high school, who also go to KCC, separately and helped them develop plans. During Winter break, I helped one of them make a plan to graduate with a degree and we brainstormed ideas on what he could do with the degree. Last month, I was sitting in a car riding home after helping a high school junior think about college, the importance of ACTs, and a bunch of other common knowledge, but also universities, future planning, made him a comparison chart, and had him take career quizzes, and other fun stuff. The student's mother turned to me and said "Why are you going for education when you were BORN to do what you just did with my son?" Okay. Maybe not EXACTLY those words, but pretty darn close. And I sat there. And I thought. And I thought some more. And I went online. Then I put it aside. Last week, a girl came up to me at KCC and said "Help me, PLEASE." So I sat down with her and she now has a serious plan. The motivation I saw in her eyes was an amazing feeling for me. I did that. And a few days later a new plan was developed.
Most everyone on the planet knows this already, but just for the fun of saying it again, I am going to The Pennsylvania State University in the Fall of 2014. Original Plan: Go. Get my secondary education social studies degree. Go teach secondary education. New Plan: Go. Major in secondary education social studies. Minor in communications. Get my bachelors. Go back. Get a masters degree in higher education with a minor in psychology (NOTE: Psychology and communications may be switched around). Graduate with masters. Have a job lined up in an advising office or as a professor (dream would be both) and go to said job. Study, slowly, for doctorate in leadership in education. Graduate with doctorate. Be department head. Live my dream of advising and also be a professor, hopefully in History, because I love history.
I know a lot of you are thinking that I am crazy. There is no way I could ever possibly do that. If you are thinking that, then you haven't been around me when either A. I am helping a student, B. I am talking about helping a student, or C. talking about history. Words cannot explain the feeling I got when "what about becoming an academic advisor?" entered my brain. It was seriously just so... eye opening. I am more driven than I have ever been before. I am more passionate than I have ever been before.
EVERYONE- okay not everyone, but A LOT of people have told me they don't see me teaching kids. They don' see me teaching elementary, middle school, or high school. And I can understand how they see that. To me it just made sense. I want to help people. I want to make a difference in people's lives. I want to do that without being involved in the medical field. I love social studies. So teaching social studies just made the most sense in my head- not so much in anyone else's.
Last Summer, I sat down with two of my best friends from high school, who also go to KCC, separately and helped them develop plans. During Winter break, I helped one of them make a plan to graduate with a degree and we brainstormed ideas on what he could do with the degree. Last month, I was sitting in a car riding home after helping a high school junior think about college, the importance of ACTs, and a bunch of other common knowledge, but also universities, future planning, made him a comparison chart, and had him take career quizzes, and other fun stuff. The student's mother turned to me and said "Why are you going for education when you were BORN to do what you just did with my son?" Okay. Maybe not EXACTLY those words, but pretty darn close. And I sat there. And I thought. And I thought some more. And I went online. Then I put it aside. Last week, a girl came up to me at KCC and said "Help me, PLEASE." So I sat down with her and she now has a serious plan. The motivation I saw in her eyes was an amazing feeling for me. I did that. And a few days later a new plan was developed.
Most everyone on the planet knows this already, but just for the fun of saying it again, I am going to The Pennsylvania State University in the Fall of 2014. Original Plan: Go. Get my secondary education social studies degree. Go teach secondary education. New Plan: Go. Major in secondary education social studies. Minor in communications. Get my bachelors. Go back. Get a masters degree in higher education with a minor in psychology (NOTE: Psychology and communications may be switched around). Graduate with masters. Have a job lined up in an advising office or as a professor (dream would be both) and go to said job. Study, slowly, for doctorate in leadership in education. Graduate with doctorate. Be department head. Live my dream of advising and also be a professor, hopefully in History, because I love history.
I know a lot of you are thinking that I am crazy. There is no way I could ever possibly do that. If you are thinking that, then you haven't been around me when either A. I am helping a student, B. I am talking about helping a student, or C. talking about history. Words cannot explain the feeling I got when "what about becoming an academic advisor?" entered my brain. It was seriously just so... eye opening. I am more driven than I have ever been before. I am more passionate than I have ever been before.
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