Three Down, One to Go.

Gees, this year for school flew by fast. I'm not here to be a billboard for online schooling, but, if you are in the same boat as me, (work full-time, have kids), this is the best option available for those who want to go to school, but don't have the time to sit in a classroom every week for four hours straight. I got those estimates from my kid sister, who is only taking a math class to make up some credits that she needs to get accepted in the UW system. *UW stands for University Wisconsin.*

I'm proud to say that I have three more years of school to go. I graduate in November 2010. Last time that I checked my degree plan, the estimated graduation date was September 2017. That seemed hard to believe, since I am going for my Bachelor's in Accounting, and was told that this would be a four-year program. I called my Academic Advisor, and he was quick to get back to my concerns, as well as update me on the correct graduation date.

You would also think that the online school environment would be a scam, as I had debated if their degree would be valid in the workplace. Those rumors are laid to rest. In the beginning of it all, I was walked through all the financial information within an hour, and was helped to fill out all applications needed to move on to the next step. Then, I let them know what I wanted to pursue, and soon enough, I was assigned an Academic Advisor that calls me every ten weeks to see how I am doing, and to sign me up for the next set of classes. I'm sure that each online school differs, but for Kaplan University, students take two classes every ten weeks, and then have one week off. After that week, the next sets of classes resume. Some classes have online textbooks, while others are delivered at your door. After your classes are done, you re-send the books back to the college using the mail or FedEx. Piece of cake.

Into some more news about my personal life, I was asked to join an honor society, as my current grade point average of 3.46 was considered well enough for them. It's amazing to look back at when I realized that I would need a college degree to better myself, and to ensure that our financial situation is better than it is right now. I currently work for a contract employer, sorting mail for a large limited liability partnership (CNH). After being here for almost two years, my job is like clockwork. When I signed up for college, one of my main reasons for doing so was that I knew that I could be doing better, challenging myself and setting small goals. I'm glad that I made the decision that I did, and I'm ready for the challenges that are still ahead for me for my degree to be a reality.