Going back to school
July 30th, 2002
I think I may have mentioned this before, but as it happens I'm going to be returning to school this fall. I'll be taking classes at Austin Community College since I came to the decision too late to apply for readmitance to UT and get the tuition loans and all that.
The plan is that I take a fulltime load at ACC this fall while working 30 hours (so that I can maintain my benefits, cover my bills, etc.). If this goes well and I can handle the load (I'll be taking 14 hours of classes) without losing my mind, I'll transfer back to UT. In theory, I could continue taking classes full time at ACC and still get lots of credits that would be transferable back to UT. The problem is that I've already exhausted the classes in my chosen major math. I haven't actually changed it officially with UT and still need to go talk to an advisor about this decision, but I'm setting my sites in that general direction anyway.
So the dilemma is, how do I continue to work productively towards this degree plan without wasting too much time. Ideally I'd like to try and finish within two years. I've got about 60 hours completed (I believe the degree I'm seeking actually requires around 125 hours), so I'm halfway there. But most of what I'm going to need to finish is in the actual math department.
So my options are either to transfer into UT this spring. That's all fine and well, but a couple of the courses I'm taking have a second semester that I'd like to finish up at ACC (chemistry I and engineering physics I). So I could be part time at both schools, but I believe that would make it difficult to get financial aid of any reasonable sort.
The other option is to continue taking the classes at ACC and sign up for whatever applicable math courses I can get through UTs extension program. The problem with this approach is that, first of all, they're really pricey (about $500 a piece on average) and it's questionable whether they will even offer the courses I need (last time I signed up for one of these it got cancelled at the last minute).
Suggestions?
The plan is that I take a fulltime load at ACC this fall while working 30 hours (so that I can maintain my benefits, cover my bills, etc.). If this goes well and I can handle the load (I'll be taking 14 hours of classes) without losing my mind, I'll transfer back to UT. In theory, I could continue taking classes full time at ACC and still get lots of credits that would be transferable back to UT. The problem is that I've already exhausted the classes in my chosen major math. I haven't actually changed it officially with UT and still need to go talk to an advisor about this decision, but I'm setting my sites in that general direction anyway.
So the dilemma is, how do I continue to work productively towards this degree plan without wasting too much time. Ideally I'd like to try and finish within two years. I've got about 60 hours completed (I believe the degree I'm seeking actually requires around 125 hours), so I'm halfway there. But most of what I'm going to need to finish is in the actual math department.
So my options are either to transfer into UT this spring. That's all fine and well, but a couple of the courses I'm taking have a second semester that I'd like to finish up at ACC (chemistry I and engineering physics I). So I could be part time at both schools, but I believe that would make it difficult to get financial aid of any reasonable sort.
The other option is to continue taking the classes at ACC and sign up for whatever applicable math courses I can get through UTs extension program. The problem with this approach is that, first of all, they're really pricey (about $500 a piece on average) and it's questionable whether they will even offer the courses I need (last time I signed up for one of these it got cancelled at the last minute).
Suggestions?
