Thursday, May 22, 2014

Semester Review: Winter, 2014

So I figured it is time for my review of last semester. However, the oven just went off signaling that my taquitos are fully cooked. I'm going to go eat now. Alright. I'm back. So as I was saying, it is time to review my 2014 Winter semester.

Class: Interpersonal Communications (Honors)
Professor: Gene Andrews
Credits: 3
Final Grade: A-
So I really enjoyed the class itself. The professor was funny when he was lecturing. The class organization was fantastic. We were allotted 500 extra credit points to use as we please. The final class project was to make an informative speech about anything we want, I chose the Treaty of Versailles and how it effected Germany. Because I did an honors contract, I did an additional informative speech about the career of academic advising. Now, I put a lot of effort into this class. While I didn't fulfil all the extra credit, I think I ended up with 160, I still worked really hard. The quizzes were the hardest part. So while I am disappointed in my grade, at least I know I did my best. I would recommend this professor. The only problem I had with him was discussing my grade. He is very difficult to talk to, however, he is great at lecturing.

Class: Freshmen Composition II
Professor: Ron Davis
Credits: 3
Final Grade: A
This class was very helpful in the sense that I can use the techniques I learned to write every paper in the future. However, my class started with 30some students. At the end, we had 13. This is because the first month of class was filled with tedious homework. It was seriously the worst homework ever. Now I realize that those assignments taught me how to write in APA format. So they were helpful, but really crummy. I even thought about dropping the class. After that month we wrote three papers. Our final paper had to have a power point presentation with it. So I chose to research how World War One and World War Two could really just be considered as one war. I ended with an A in the class. However, I do not recommend this professor if you don't work hard. This is NOT an easy A.

Class: Modern American History
Professor: Michelle Wright
Credits: 3
Final Grade: A
I love love loved this class. I love history though, so it really isn't that much of a shock. The professor grades you on 5 quizzes, 5 activities, 3 unit exams, a midterm, and a final. You can also drop the two lowest quiz/activity scores. I just didn't take the last two quizzes because I had Aced everything else. The unit exams are pretty simple. The mid term and the final were kinda like short essays to three different questions. You also get to pick the questions. So I don't really need to go on. This class was very easy. I would recommend this professor because this is, unfortunately, an easy A. The professor is great because she makes sure you are on track to pass and prepares you very well for the exams and papers. You do need to read the chapters, but only parts of them.

Class: Modern American Literature
Professor: Lin Marklin
Credits: 3
Final Grade: A-
I am not going to talk about this for long. The professor was unorganized and had a rotten attitude. She would not work with you on how to improve your grade. She did not grade fairly. I hate to say stiff like this, but I deserved an A in this class. I worked hard and my papers were better than my peers who had As. But they were graded on "improvement" which is a really crummy excuse. This professor very clearly did not like me. We have all had one of these teachers. I do not recommend this  professor. Not one bit.

Class: Intermediate Algebra
Professor: Marcus Anderson
Credits: 4
Final Grade: A
I was NEVER a good math student. I was very average- VERY average. Okay, maybe slightly below average. But the professors at KCC have a spectacular system. I have now gotten through beginning and intermediate algebra with high As. This professor is willing to do ANYTHING to get you to pass. He puts his lectures on YouTube and is willing to answer any question you may have. This professor also claims to have the highest success rates among the math professors at KCC. Whether that's true or not, I'm not sure. However, I wouldn't doubt it. I would recommend this professor over any other math professor at KCC. I am very excited to take statistics with him over the Summer!!

Sunday, May 18, 2014

And The Excitement Grows...

I'm sitting in the living room, a Bar Rescue marathon is playing in the background, I am looking at Michigan university websites (U of M, MSU, CMU, NMU, EMU, etc.) at their job openings. I am specifically looking at their advisor openings. Why am I doing this? Because the qualifications, both required and desired, are listed! I am learning now what I need to do to prepare for the future. I suggest everyone does the same. Go look for open positions in the field you want to go into and look at the requirements, both required and desired!

The other day I was poking around the Eastern website and found myself, again, on the honors page. Every time I look at it I want to do it more and more. I did something I hadn't done before and read the whole honors student handbook. I may be obsessing. What stopped me from applying before was just the laziness. I didn't want to write an essay and I thought I would have to take more classes, extending the length of my bachelor's studying. Luckily, that isn't the case and the essay prompt was not even an actual essay. I just had to talk about myself. How hard is that? So the essay is written. If anyone would like to be a proof reader, let me know! I will gladly send it to you. It's fairly short- about 800 words.  All I am looking for now are letters of recommendation, references, and I'm waiting for my transcript to fully update. I'd like to get the application, letters, and essay sent out to Eastern in two weeks. This is contingent on my transcript being updated and sent out within a week. 

So I'm excited to work as an advisor, I'm exited to be a member of the honors college. I'm excited to start my Eastern Michigan experience!