I'm terrible at thread titles

[closetgeek]

I am having a hard time concentrating at the moment, though I should be working on my assignment. I just want to say something, somewhere...

I got accepted into the Astronomy and Astrophysics program at Florida Institute of Technology. I can't even believe it because ten years ago, I thought I was too stupid to hold down a decent job. Ever since my head injury, I've had trouble retaining information so I just figured higher education was out of the question. Who knew I just needed to learn a new way to learn? I've had this stupid smile stuck on my face for a while now. Maybe it will fade soon, like how much it is going to cost to get this degree but for now, I'm just basking in the moment.

[LookingSkyward]

I am having a hard time concentrating at the moment, though I should be working on my assignment. I just want to say something, somewhere...

I got accepted into the Astronomy and Astrophysics program at Florida Institute of Technology. I can't even believe it because ten years ago, I thought I was too stupid to hold down a decent job. Ever since my head injury, I've had trouble retaining information so I just figured higher education was out of the question. Who knew I just needed to learn a new way to learn? I've had this stupid smile stuck on my face for a while now. Maybe it will fade soon, like how much it is going to cost to get this degree but for now, I'm just basking in the moment.

Congratulations, closetgeek! Fantastic news, and a tribute to your tenacity!!

[Swift]

Awesome.

I've had this stupid smile stuck on my face for a while now. Maybe it will fade soon, like how much it is going to cost to get this degree but for now, I'm just basking in the moment.

I hope you keep the smile for a very long time.

Proposal for new thread title: "Closetgeek soon to be officially a geek".

[CJSF]

Yay! FIT is just along the road from my work, and not far from home. So we'll be sort-of neighbors!

Great news!

CJSF

[profloater]

I am having a hard time concentrating at the moment, though I should be working on my assignment. I just want to say something, somewhere...

I got accepted into the Astronomy and Astrophysics program at Florida Institute of Technology. I can't even believe it because ten years ago, I thought I was too stupid to hold down a decent job. Ever since my head injury, I've had trouble retaining information so I just figured higher education was out of the question. Who knew I just needed to learn a new way to learn? I've had this stupid smile stuck on my face for a while now. Maybe it will fade soon, like how much it is going to cost to get this degree but for now, I'm just basking in the moment.

Yea congratulations, and keep smiling, smiling improves brain function!

[Noisy Rhysling]

Awesome.


I hope you keep the smile for a very long time.

Proposal for new thread title: "Closetgeek soon to be officially a geek".

Or "Closetgeek found in ISS closet?"

[slang]

Happy for you (and only a little jealous )! Congrats.

[astrotimer]

congrats.

[Canis Lupus]

I am having a hard time concentrating at the moment, though I should be working on my assignment. I just want to say something, somewhere...

I got accepted into the Astronomy and Astrophysics program at Florida Institute of Technology. I can't even believe it because ten years ago, I thought I was too stupid to hold down a decent job. Ever since my head injury, I've had trouble retaining information so I just figured higher education was out of the question. Who knew I just needed to learn a new way to learn? I've had this stupid smile stuck on my face for a while now. Maybe it will fade soon, like how much it is going to cost to get this degree but for now, I'm just basking in the moment.

Very pleasant surprise to come here fisrt thing in the morning and read your positive post. Keep it up and all the best to you. Keep smiling as long as possible.

[Spacedude]

That's Great! Smile and the World smiles with you! I remember the feeling of my first acceptance many, uh-hum, many years ago., Enjoy it Closetgeek and Happy Congratulations!

[closetgeek]

Thank you all. Still smiling...

Yay! FIT is just along the road from my work, and not far from home. So we'll be sort-of neighbors!

Great news!

CJSF

I live in Palm Bay so we are already practically neighbors. Do you ever go to the astronomy lectures? Tomorrow night's lecture is going to be on habitable planets... how fitting. There's a big group of us nerds going. We meet at the cafeteria at 6:30 for dinner (because their food is amazing), and then stroll on over for the lecture at 8. You should join us.

[Noclevername]

I am having a hard time concentrating at the moment, though I should be working on my assignment. I just want to say something, somewhere...

I got accepted into the Astronomy and Astrophysics program at Florida Institute of Technology. I can't even believe it because ten years ago, I thought I was too stupid to hold down a decent job. Ever since my head injury, I've had trouble retaining information so I just figured higher education was out of the question. Who knew I just needed to learn a new way to learn? I've had this stupid smile stuck on my face for a while now. Maybe it will fade soon, like how much it is going to cost to get this degree but for now, I'm just basking in the moment.

Congratulations both on the acceptance, and on learning a new way to learn.

[DaveC426913]

Something to keep in mind as you continue to recover.

You're doing great right now, but if you're struggling, don't despair. It can take a while to fully recover - months or more. Your brain function will continue to improve over time.

Well done!

[CJSF]

Thank you all. Still smiling...



I live in Palm Bay so we are already practically neighbors. Do you ever go to the astronomy lectures? Tomorrow night's lecture is going to be on habitable planets... how fitting. There's a big group of us nerds going. We meet at the cafeteria at 6:30 for dinner (because their food is amazing), and then stroll on over for the lecture at 8. You should join us.

That sounds cool. I may have a prior commitment, but I'll check to be sure. We can take this to PM to fill in any details if necessary. Thanks!

CJSF

[closetgeek]

Something to keep in mind as you continue to recover.

You're doing great right now, but if you're struggling, don't despair. It can take a while to fully recover - months or more. Your brain function will continue to improve over time.

Well done!

Thank you DaveC. The accident was back in 1990. I just spent the next 20+ years assuming I can't do it because it wasn't as easy as it used to be.

[Jim]

Well, everyone's already said everything I was thinking, so I'll just add ..

Ni-i-i-i-ice!

[Cougar]

I got accepted into the Astronomy and Astrophysics program at Florida Institute of Technology.

Wow! That deserves big-time major congratulations! Cue the (now obligatory) part of the movie where the whole crowd of people come together and applaud the hero... I always thought that was so formulaic, but in this case it's appropriate!

Ever since my head injury so I just figured higher education was out of the question. Who knew I just needed to learn a new way to learn?

Didn't know that. I have some experience helping to represent brain injured people in personal injury lawsuits. Such injuries can have tremendous impacts on people's lives, but defending attorneys point to the CT scans and ask "where's the damage?" Serious brain injuries don't always show up significantly on CT scans or MRIs. (When there is significant evidence on such scans, the person is usually dead.) So they're difficult cases to get what the victim deserves.

But all that aside, beating the brain injury to some degree and learning a new way to learn is much more of an accomplishment than getting into the Astronomy and Astrophysics program at Florida Institute of Technology. That is beyond big-time major.

I've had this stupid smile stuck on my face for a while now. Maybe it will fade soon....

Yeah, you've got a lot of work ahead of you. But it's the kind of work and goal to look forward to....

[publiusr]

Be sure to have fun along the way.

[closetgeek]

What would you do?
Currently, I am attending community college. I have three classes to go before I complete my AA. It should be 1 but the local college requires Composition 1 and 2. They did not accept the writing courses I took some years earlier. I had planned on taking Precalculus for my last elective and taking a combined, half semester each, Comp 1 and Comp 2 over the summer along with precalculus to complete that degree. I also have the option to read the book and Clep out, which would save me money and a lot of needless work. FIT, however, is accepting the old writing classes, so I would not be relying on the composition classes from my current college. Would you take the classes or clep out, just for the sake of completing the degree, being that close or would you just say, "to heck with it," and move on? It's a small honor in a much larger goal and I would only be doing it for the sake of completing it. Providing I don't blow it in precalculus, I would be graduating with honors but I can't decide if it's worth it or not.

[Noclevername]

Yes, it would be worth it.

[CJSF]

I would definitely complete the AA, so at a minimum if something should happen, you have it. Never underestimate the value of good writing, so if you can, take the comp classes. You may hate it now, but I can tell you first hand, that skill will only benefit you in a tech/science career.

CJSF

Sent from my LGL22C using Tapatalk

[Trebuchet]

That's a tough one. Is the AA degree a requisite for moving on to four-year college? If so, it's a no-brainer, take the courses and get the degree. If not, it's less clear. If it's not going to delay you moving on, I'd probably suggest taking the courses. If it is, and you can go on anyhow, skip them.

A cautionary tale from my college days: My roommate was VERY bright. In his last quarter, basically just killing time because he had all his graduation requirements done, he signed up for Art Appreciation. Near the end of the course, the prof announced that if you just took the final, the best you could do was a B. If you wanted an A, you had to write a paper as well. He said to heck with it, and took the B. He missed being valedictorian by something like .002 grade point. He wasn't happy about that.

[Solfe]

What would you do?
Currently, I am attending community college. I have three classes to go before I complete my AA. It should be 1 but the local college requires Composition 1 and 2. They did not accept the writing courses I took some years earlier. I had planned on taking Precalculus for my last elective and taking a combined, half semester each, Comp 1 and Comp 2 over the summer along with precalculus to complete that degree. I also have the option to read the book and Clep out, which would save me money and a lot of needless work. FIT, however, is accepting the old writing classes, so I would not be relying on the composition classes from my current college. Would you take the classes or clep out, just for the sake of completing the degree, being that close or would you just say, "to heck with it," and move on? It's a small honor in a much larger goal and I would only be doing it for the sake of completing it. Providing I don't blow it in precalculus, I would be graduating with honors but I can't decide if it's worth it or not.

My suggestion is to take the AA degree. One, its an item for the resume. Two, you aren't going to play the game of "Transferring Credits". Barring some sort of strange rules, the AA will make you a first semester junior at a 4 year school. There is an interesting twist for entering a four year school with an AA. Some institutions or curriculum do not allow you to bring your GPA if you graduate with an AA. If you don't graduate and transfer directly, the GPA applies. You might have to spend one semester in a different program to get the prerequisite GPA for the program of your choice.

If you find that a clep works, then run with it. Its a money, time and sanity saver. One thing to ask first is does a clepped class count as credit and a class or just one or the other. Many places require 60+ credits of class study plus Y number of classes and a clep may not count for one or the other.

If you have the option of "looking ahead", see if you college allows "double banging". For example, you might need 4 math classes for a total of 12 credits for your next degree. The precalc might count for one math if you actually take it instead of clepping. While it is more expensive for your AA, it might be cheaper to take it at your current college instead a different math class at a 4 year school.

I have two unofficial advisers and mentors at school. One of them has a doctorate in Education and a second Ph.D in Spanish Lit. The other has a doctorate in Chemistry and another in education. They are double doctors. In class, they only mention their Ph.d's. However, privately they both advised me to get the AA degree because both of them felt that if they hadn't had an early accomplishment in the form of an associates degree, they would have never progressed to Ph.D, let alone two of them.

[closetgeek]

My suggestion is to take the AA degree. One, its an item for the resume. Two, you aren't going to play the game of "Transferring Credits". Barring some sort of strange rules, the AA will make you a first semester junior at a 4 year school. There is an interesting twist for entering a four year school with an AA. Some institutions or curriculum do not allow you to bring your GPA if you graduate with an AA. If you don't graduate and transfer directly, the GPA applies. You might have to spend one semester in a different program to get the prerequisite GPA for the program of your choice.

If you find that a clep works, then run with it. Its a money, time and sanity saver. One thing to ask first is does a clepped class count as credit and a class or just one or the other. Many places require 60+ credits of class study plus Y number of classes and a clep may not count for one or the other.

If you have the option of "looking ahead", see if you college allows "double banging". For example, you might need 4 math classes for a total of 12 credits for your next degree. The precalc might count for one math if you actually take it instead of clepping. While it is more expensive for your AA, it might be cheaper to take it at your current college instead a different math class at a 4 year school.

I have two unofficial advisers and mentors at school. One of them has a doctorate in Education and a second Ph.D in Spanish Lit. The other has a doctorate in Chemistry and another in education. They are double doctors. In class, they only mention their Ph.d's. However, privately they both advised me to get the AA degree because both of them felt that if they hadn't had an early accomplishment in the form of an associates degree, they would have never progressed to Ph.D, let alone two of them.

I would not clep out of pre-calc. It is not even a requirement nor will it count towards the degree program. I am using my last elective because I believe it will be helpful in setting a strong foundation for the required calculus classes. My only concern is the writing classes. It's not that I don't enjoy writing--it's something I actually enjoy a bit too much and have a tendency to forsake everything else to write a solid paper. I know I am sloppy in informal writing but academically, it has always been a strong point. I asked the same question of two friends, at brunch yesterday. One said don't bother and I was inclined to agree with him but the other raised a much more practical point. If, for any reason, this does not work out, I still have my AA. If and when I get my **, the AA is completely irrelevant, but if money/time/personal issues get in my way at all, I still have the AA that could help me in another potential undergrad study.

If I understood the advisor correctly, the clep exam would count for class and credit hours, the only thing it doesn't do is affect the GPA. It's also a single exam that would give me credit for both Comp 1 and 2.

[closetgeek]

Sorry, thank you all for your input. I have decided that I am going to just finish the AA. I am still tossing around the idea of the clep exam vs the two classes but I will, at least finish.

[grapes]

I'm terrible at thread titles

Just let us know, it can be anything, I see some good suggestions already.

Closetgeek soon to be officially a geek - Swift
Closetgeek found in ISS closet - Noisy Rhysling

Maybe:
Closetgeek coming out party!
Out of the closet, into the fire
Closetgeek goes to College

[closetgeek]

The name actually has a funny origin. I didn't come up with it, an old boyfriend asked me if I was some kind of closeted geek. When I picked the name, I was sorted of making fun of myself. I always saw a geek as someone who nerds out but they're not quite as smart. I had no idea that a few years later, geek would be the new chic, making me feel a bit obnoxious for taking on the name.