Something I regret about my final semester in school.

[Tobin S.]

There was this young woman in my speech class who was starting her college career very ambitiously. She was working two part-time jobs and taking six classes her first semester in school. When she told me that, I didn't know how she was going to do it. I'd been taking three classes a semester and working about fifty hours a week on average and that was all I could handle. She was 17 years old and was bright enough to have skipped a grade in elementary school. She lived in a small town seventeen miles away from campus and did not have a driver's license. She was dependent on someone else for a ride.

How was she going to handle that work load with those circumstances? Well, evidently, she couldn't. We didn't see her again after Thanksgiving break, but she had attended classes until well after the cut-off to drop with a W. I suppose there could have been other circumstances involved, but I think she just bit off more than she could chew.

Early in the semester, I was paired with her for group work in class a few times. I could tell she was bright, but she was often unprepared for class. The workload was just too heavy.

When people get into those circumstances at school, I think they have a tendency to think in an all-or-nothing kind of way. They want to be able to carry an abnormally heavy workload, and when they can't do it they drop out of school totally. However, it doesn't have to be that way. The workload can be cut down and they can still stay in school if they recognize that they are in too deep early enough. I wish I could have told that to that young woman in my class.

[mackerel]

1. It would have been sage advice, you

would think a counselor would tell her

[Tobin S.]

2. Yes, especially seeing as how it was her first semester in school.

I had to do academic counseling before every semester. I know she had to have talked to a counselor when she was coming into school and I think her classes would have had to have been approved by a counselor. It's possible she may not have been honest about her work schedule. Six classes is a heavy load without working a job at all, though. We're talking 18 credit hours.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. She might not have wanted to hear it, my dear Tobin...

She might be learning it the hard way. It wasn't up to you...

People have to be ready to take that kind of advice.

[Tobin S.]

4. She'll wish she could have hung in there some day.

I started wishing I could go back to school when I was about 30. It took me almost ten years after starting to want to go back to get there and another 2.5 to finish my degree.

The thing is that I'm probably lucky. When you are in the middle of life most people probably find it impossible to get back to school.

[murielm99]

5. I can identify with your post.

When I went back to school for my master's degree, I knew I had to score well on the pre-admission tests, like the GRE. I had not had any math classes in thirty years, so I went back and took some basic algebra and geometry classes. I took college algebra, too.

I met a young mother who was very enthusiastic about enrolling for a degree. She had quit her job to be a full-time student. She got a "D" on her first math test. She quit school.

I did not know how to find her, and I wish I could have done that. The community college had a learning center. I would have recommended it to her. People could go there for free tutoring and help with their homework. I went there often.

It is sad, isn't it? And doing things a bit at a time, as you say, can often be best and produce better results.

[nirvana555]

6. I completely agree with CA Peggy. She probably wouldn't have listened anyway because

she most likely wanted to do it her way. I was fortunate enough that Cal. State had a program for full -time working adults and I graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills with my Bachelor's Degree in '98 at the age of 41. My college degree is my Oscar. I know the DU family is so very proud of you! And try not to worry about the girl. At some point she'll realize what is realistically going to work for her.

[Worried senior]

7. My granddaugther

was not ready for college after high school. It took a few years and she started at a community college, finally got her associates and went for her BS. All in all it took her about 11 years but with working full time, taking a couple of breaks and hanging in there she made it this last November.

She is the first in our family to get a degree and we are very proud of her. She was a little ticked off though because after putting herself in debt as well as employee reimbursement it will take a couple of months for the actual diploma and she needs to pay an additional $40.00 for it.

[rug]

8. My son has just taken a leave of absence after his first semester.

We'll see how it goes.

You have a very humane streak in you, Tobin.

[Tobin S.]

9. Thanks, rug.

All the best to your son. I hope he can work it out.