Friday, August 31, 2007

The "120 S.H Requirement" Woes

Here's a tale of a senior college student who now greatly appreciates the nagging of a mother. Really.

It was a normal first-week Thursday. Nothing special, besides the first ever "one-class-only-not-on-Friday" for me. It should have been bliss-my one and only Thursday class was at 4:00. What, sleep in, relax and eat some scones & tea until then, right?
Wrong!

Ok, so I finally got ahold my mom after much phone-tag. It's a good thing too. What was the constant nag again? Oh yeah, "Anna, can you please find out how many semester hours you have accumulated...right now."
"Come on mom, all I have left this whole YEAR is electives...my advisor told me I was right on schedule....plus having to do my "senior seminar" (that 'ol Thesis paper) requirement. Anyways, I've been taking 15-ish hours every semester...I'm FINE. But oh well, i'll go online and check for you."

"Holy ****." Was my response as I glanced at my undergraduate requirement analysis online. What was that in RED, among all that other confusing crap? "You are currently at 48 S.H out of 50 S.H that will count toward your 120 S.H requirement." Normally, that would be blessing...but not for me. What was my schedule?? Um, FOUR 3 S.H classes that have been undergoing for a week already. So, in layman's term, they would only take 2 hours from that 12 hours of courses. The rest would be "one that house" on my part.
Frick.

Ok, so to put it lightly, I "panicked." The only class that would really count is my Intro to Botany class. Even my Senior Seminar wouldn't completely count toward my 120 total, and that was required! Who would have known that you can only take 50 S.H of courses in YOUR MAJOR??? Not me!

During what should be my "tea and crumpets" time, I headed straight towards the office of the College of Liberal Arts, a 7 minute walk. Who would have known that I would be waiting anxiously for 30 minutes waiting to talk to one of those councilors. Stupid mass lunch breaks.

Basically, here's the verdict. I'm SOL, unless I do this (which I am doing):
I've got only 2 S.H to burn on my major's courses. (48 accumulated already.)
At the end of your senior year, you can head toward the graduate analysis office and have them "cross-list" up to 6 S.H of courses. Ok, so that's two courses that I can keep from my schedule so far. I found two courses that they can "drop" and reenter them as "history" or something related. However, not all classes are "cross-listed." I was lucky to have two of them that don't interfer with S.H's required for my major. (I took a lot of extra courses in my major, which is "rare," supposedly. Weird, huh?)
Anyways, I'm still up to 48 S.H's since I did the "swapperoo." I have 2 courses to hash out still.
Well, I have to take my senior seminar still...so I'll burn that 1 S.H (since I went over to 51 S.H's total, when then only count 50 S.H's.) However, I went to a convention a couple summers ago and earned 1 S.H that I haven't turned in yet (procrastination of ordering a transcript from them). Now I've just earned 50 S.H's without wasting any.
But what about that fourth class? I'll drop it. It didn't seem that good anyways. How can I do this? Well, I only have 28 more hours that I need to graduate. I can take 13 hours this semester and 15 hours on my final semester.

Pheuf.... confusing huh?
What's the moral of the story???
1.) Listen to the nagging of your mama... she knows her crap.
2.) Don't listen to your advisor! Go through your S.H evaluation YOURSELF online with a "fine-tooth comb."

**********************************************************
UPDATE: ha ha-- this was later Thursday!!
...Basically, here's your sock designer & yarn vendor for the sock club!

...only just slightly intoxicated.
No more worries. "Acuna Matata."

1 comment:

Ilix said...

slightly intoxicated is a good place to be after a day like that! I don't get much of what you said but I did understand the panic and upset state!
Feel better!(or get more intoxicated)