Is it too soon for the I'm Done post?!

[Lyanne]

I just submitted my capstone and am done with the work portion of my college experience!!!!! Now begins the waiting portion. Waiting for my grade, waiting for my last DSST to be applied to my academic evaluation, waiting for my conferral letter, waiting for my diploma, waiting to walk in September in NJ....

Thank you to all who have been patiently answering my questions since I arrived in 2010. I was referred to this site by a college counselor! She directed my (now ex) husband here to test out of Principles of Supervision since he'd been a supervisor/management for over 20 years. He was too afraid to test, but I had a look around and it changed the course of my college path. I had been taking 2-3 courses a semester at community college, but moving from NJ to California meant I had to wait 366 days to qualify for in-state tuition. I thought I'd knock out a few tests while I waited so as not to lose momentum. 20 tests and 75 credits later, I applied to TESC, took 2 courses to get in my last 9 credits and the dreaded capstone requirement, and am now calling myself a college grad! I (will soon) have a BA in History!

I did not go to college out of high school, but started taking classes a few years later, in 1989, while I was working full time. Soon I was making more money in an Atlantic City casino than I could ever hope to make as a travel agent, which was my chosen field. I always felt "less than" not having gone to college. So in 2006 I started taking classes again, and like I said earlier, in 2010 I found InstantCert. I really don't think I could have done the testing out route without you guys. Especially the Specific Exam Feedback forum that came with the paid membership.

In 2011 someone posted a picture of their TESC diploma with a strategically placed sharpie over their name. Whoever you are, seeing that brought tears to my eyes because I wanted it so badly. I printed it out and taped it to the wall over my desk. It motivated me to schedule my tests closer together instead of procrastinating or taking breaks after each test. And thanks so much to Westerner for showing me example chapters of his capstone when my mentor's instructions were so vague that I had no idea where to start.

If anyone needs the Keys For Writers and Writing The Winning Thesis or Dissertation, please say so and I will send them to you.

I can't believe this but I am thinking of either a second degree in Psychology or my Master's!

[AlbaTiVo]

Congratulations! Remember to submit your request for graduation right away - you might be able to graduate in December.

[Lyanne]

Thanks Alba. This may sound silly, but I don't like odd numbers, and my brother died suddenly this year so I don't want to see 2013 on my diploma. Ok, forget the *may*, it does sound silly, but these quirky little things are all a part of my charm, or so I keep reminding people, lol.
But thanks for the advice! I did consider applying right away so as not to have to wait until March for my diploma, but decided to wait for the 2014.

[Lindagerr]

Congrats on a job well done, your story made that wonderful feeling come back to me too.

I am sorry for your loss this year and I completely understand your not "silly" thing with numbers. My Mother, sister, brother and myself were born on dates of either 3, 13 or 23we have a history of either very good or very bad things happening on 3's I was hit by a car on Dec 3rd many many years ago, I was fired from my first real job on Friday the 13th, etc. So I thing your tassel and diploma saying 2014 will be a happier memory for you.

By the way it is not to early to say you are done, you don't sound like the kind of person who would let yourself not pass the Capstone, all of the work is done so you are done. Congrats again let us know when you get to take that sharpie printed diploma down and put up your real one.

[corpsole2]

Lyanne, with any luck I'll be graduating with you in March, also earning a B.A. in History! I am finishing up Module Two of the Capstone, so I am done now with the testing part of the degree. Just have to sweat out the capstone.

I share a similar education story as you. I graduated high school in 2002, but delayed going to college to help out my family, so I went to work. Going to college was always in my dreams, but between '02 and '10, I only had managed to scrape together 12 credits from two CLEP tests I took. I wasn't going anywhere with my career or job prospects, and the things I wanted to do with my life required a degree. But one good thing about the intervening years was I learned all about the distance learning route for higher education. When I finally started on my journey, I was ready to go for it. I subscribed to Straighterline and eventually completed 26 courses for the bulk of my degree, and all of them fit into my degree plan at TESC. I figure my B.A. will have cost me $11,000 total, with a student loan of $6700! People don't believe me when I tell them this statistic; then they want to know more (of course).

I know you will treasure this degree. I know I will treasure mine. It is a milestone and it is great to know that you can meet a long term goal. My problem is, the next things on my life list will have to be pursued soon, whereas when I wrote the list it was in some far off time.

Congrats on your degree, and may 2014 be as happy for you as 2013 was sad.