Classes at Columbia College have been absolutely fantastic, as I work to earn the science credits lacked by my Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Science. I’ve now taken Pre-chem and Clinical Microbiology with lab in-seat in the evenings and have achieved solid A’s in both.
Alas, neither A counts towards the Science GPA that will be evaluated in conjunction with my eventual performance on the ATI TEAS VI exam, but they are good indicator, that, with the proper accommodations, as well as increased maturity, I can perform well in academic pursuits.
This session I am reluctantly taking a 3 hr course in Medical Terminology that won’t count towards either the Associates in Nursing or BSN in order to meet minimum enrollment hours for my financial aid package. I have hopes that it at least will be beneficial in future courses, though a great deal of it is review.
Following this course my progress will be at a standstill until I can figure out a way to pay for school. I’ve exactly one year of coursework remaining (course schedule permitting) before I would be ready to apply to the Nursing program. I’ve reached the aggregate limit for subsidized federal loans (and I had hoped not to accrue more debt for this). My attempts to find full-time employment with Columbia College which would yield the benefits of a full tuition waiver have so far proven unsuccessful, but thankfully my existing employment, due to end July 31, has been extended for another full year, so I am secure… if not able to advance my degree pursuit.
I am deciding to treat this as an opportunity to try to get creative and to be careful with my budget to see if I cannot manufacture a way to continue… likely not in the fall, but perhaps in the spring semester.
Praying and trusting God. Very grateful for what I’ve been given so far and for the provisions and opportunities. So aware of how blessed I am.