College

[kaiser83]

Not a single job so far have I needed college for, but looking at police they tend to start about 2k a year higher. It is just going to be painful going from this job to one stateside eventually. Right now I am going to keep up the college and take what the GI Bill gives me to buy a lathe I think.

 

[Growley]

Congrats! May you do much better in College than I did!

 

[Sean68]

Hoo-rah!

Intellectual pursuit is always good, regardless the goal. Once you enter into higher level classes the instructors will become more seasoned and professional. No worries there.

My highest grade completed was the 7th when I started at Eastern Kentucky University at age 31. I worked full time and attended class full time for six years, earning a Bachelor's and a Master's. I loved it! And I am still in the same job you are. Hehehehe...

As I look at GS level positions, the Master's will automatically put me to the head of the line and qualify me for a two step increase in grade. The disabled vet thing just pushes the door open a little wider... I hope these qualifications finally get me to a position that requires me to wear a tie. I will look damn sexy in a tie!

 

[kaiser83]

Heck yeah you will brother. You are an inspiration....or maybe that is from your Nukem stature lol.

 

[Sean68]

Darrell, I am very impressed with your pursuit of education now. It is always hard to start later in life. I have a great fear of the online programs. I loved sitting in the classroom and the debates and discussions that occurred there. It was also motivating to have my work ready before the next class. I am afraid I would not have the same motivation or get the same pleasure from an online class. I had actually applied with Embry Riddle for a second Master's degree, but I backed out at the last minute because I was unsure of how successful I would be. It takes a special level of dedication to succeed in the online classroom. I wish you the best!!!

 

[kaiser83]

Thanks brother, as I type this I am sitting in my criminal justice class. I am going to Kaplan Online and they finally converted my military credit and I have 18 credits before any of the classes I am taking now. That bump is nice and will definitely cut out a little bit of time in my pursuit of a degree. I am certain that if you went for another Master's you would be successful,especially from out here brother.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Not a single job so far have I needed college for, but looking at police they tend to start about 2k a year higher.

Kaiser on the Police Force. If you give him any crap, he have Sean call in an air strike on your house. :mrgreen:



Speaking of which, if I give you guys the exact GPS Coordinates, think one of you guys could do me a favor? :twisted:
If it helps, I'll be using a Trimble GeoExplorer 2008 with 4-inch Realtime Accuracy, so you won't have to worry about collateral damage or missed targets. :twisted:

 

[kaiser83]

Hmmm a man who knows his GPSr unit, do we now have geocaching in common as well Rob? I will be sure to at some point be a officer in MO so I can ticket you for....uh.....rear ending my cruiser....when I see a squirrel.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Hmmm a man who knows his GPSr unit, do we now have geocaching in common as well Rob?

Sure do, Brother! I usually take my Garmin E-Trex for Geocaching. My daughter is hooked, and usually has the GPS unit in her hands when we're out Geocaching.

Taking a Trimble unit would be a waste of time, since most of them are at least 10x more accurate (even before post-processing) than what the Geocache location was originally marked with.

 

[kaiser83]

I have my Garmin 60CSX over here with me, I take it everywhere I go. Same username over there as here for me.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

I have my Garmin 60CSX over here with me

Cool! Did you load any extra maps on the MicroSD Card?

 

[kaiser83]

Heck no, those cost money and I am cheap unless it is PAD/TAD. I just load the coords and follow the arrow in a straight line, makes it interesting that way.

 

[kaiser83]

I am so pissed right now. I want to drop the stupid English class and just test out of it in the future, but because I am beyond 7 days of being in school there I am 100% responsible for the cost of the class if I stay in the school at all. The course is geared towards kids with talk of heroes with their special elixirs and potions, and it drives me up a flipping wall feeling like I am 12 years old. So, since apparently they do not change the class ever I can either tough it out (which will piss me off), drop the class (which I will have to pay for anyhow out of pocket), or drop the school as a whole (which is looking like the right direction for me). They give a 5 week period for new students to decide if the school is "right" for them or not and I am seriously thinking this is not the school for me. That said, do all colleges make you feel like a fricking kid with their teaching strategies?

 

[DrT999]

That said, do all colleges make you feel like a fricking kid with their teaching strategies?

To be honest, more and more the pressures are to teach 'skills' rather than information in the first two years, the same nonsense which has (IMO) devastated elementary/secondary education, and to create new courses which students will find 'interesting' even if the content is no more than that.

If I were 30 years younger, I would not want to become a college professor in the environment which is forming now.

 

[kaiser83]

I have decided to drop Kaplan and go to another online school.

Okay so now I can't freaking drop them because other schools take WAY longer concerning the GI Bill. Grrr.... :evil: :x I hate KAPLAN

 

[Sean68]

I wish you had the opportunity to attend classes in person at a brick and mortar Universtiy. I think you would appreciate the experience so much more.

 

[kaiser83]

I wish you had the opportunity to attend classes in person at a brick and mortar Universtiy. I think you would appreciate the experience so much more.

Oh most definitely.

Headmaster-Monbla
Teacher-Blackhorse
Guidance Counselor-Yak
Dentention Attendant- Duke Nukem
Class Clown-Kyle Weiss
Cohort in all crimes- Rob
Teachers Pet-Only if we are in Catholic B&M

 

[idbowman]

If I were 30 years younger, I would not want to become a college professor in the environment which is forming now.

Ugh...don't say that. I'm working toward a career fairly similar to your own (I think). Surely it's not all turning for the worse?

 

[fungunner]

Holy crap!!!! My English teacher can't form a sentence verbally without at least putting "um, k" or "uh" into the sentence at least 3 times. She is talking right now and it is absolutely driving me insane to listen to her talk. There is a chat box and I am restraining myself from typing UM into it about 50 freaking times. Someone please choke me NOW!!!

You just described my old English department. The upside is that most of the teachers that have shortcomings in public speaking are generally really tough on grammar, syntax, and punctuation. You should have mastered that in high school (not that many do in this day and age).

One tip for passing the Comp class. Give the teachers what they want. I use to code a lot of expository papers for my HVAC students for their general education classes. Time and time again, the grammar, syntax, and punctuation of a paper would be spot on, but the content was way off. If the teacher wants you to write a compare and contrast essay on Communist Manifesto verses The US Constitution, then that is the content you must write about whether you agree or not.

Welcome to higher education. Where the students are snowflakes and the teachers drink like fish.

 

[fungunner]

That said, do all colleges make you feel like a fricking kid with their teaching strategies?

To be honest, more and more the pressures are to teach 'skills' rather than information in the first two years, the same nonsense which has (IMO) devastated elementary/secondary education, and to create new courses which students will find 'interesting' even if the content is no more than that.

If I were 30 years younger, I would not want to become a college professor in the environment which is forming now.

I was there man, after years in trenches my reward was a swift kick in the butt on the way out the door. If you want a glimpse into the other side visit HERE