I have had many reactions to my degree. The main one involves first a blank stare, then an uncomprehending nod of assent as I regale my poor conversational partner with a rehearsed monologue, starting with, "I am in college. It's a program called Collegeplus! ONLINE. Yes, online..." and ending with a firm, "And I'm excited about it." They smile encouragingly as they edge away, eyes darting about for a normal college student to talk to.
The second one I enjoy even more. I had one guy nod politely, even encouragingly, through my spiel, interject a couple shrewd questions, then ask inquiringly, "So, I mean that's super cool. Saving money, doing the degree faster...awesome. But like...have you ever considered a real school?"
No. Way. Like, there's REAL schools out there? Homeschoolers really are sheltered. ;-)
The third one though...that's the one that really warms my heart. I will look into the warm eyes of someone who is genuinely interested and stumblingly begin my speech. I will be stopped mid-way through my half-defensive monologue by two brief words.
"How neat." In disbelief, I will look up, just to check to see if they really mean it, only to find:
They. Really. Do.
I will be the first to admit that my degree is sort of ...different. I might even go so far as to admit that it is slightly off-beat. However, Collegeplus! has given me the opportunity to do a 4 year degree in 2 years, for about one-fourth of the cost, and at a self-driven pace. It has allowed me to still live at home and enjoy my family for just a little bit longer. And it even offers cool opportunities like the one below:
http://www.collegeplus.org/blog/2012/08/06/is-a-25000-scholarship-worth-an-hour-of-your-time-if-not-dont-read-this
And best of all, I have the time to do what I love best of all: write. Please, if I have intrigued you at all (or merely made you laugh, cringe, or a random conglommeration of all three), check out the link, and just see if Collegeplus! suits your college needs at all. And hey...if you do enroll, take it from me.
You will never lack for interesting conversational partners.
Promise.
Online courses will only become more popular as people discover their convenience, lower cost, and other benefits. So Allison, you are on the "cutting edge." Don't ever be afraid or ashamed of being different; I admire people who march to the beat of a different drummer. Just put your whole heart into what you are doing, and prove the doubters wrong!
ReplyDeleteThanks. =) I think that is the crux of the matter..."putting my whole heart into what I am doing." I do enjoy it and feel I've learned a lot - even if the gist so far is essentially that I need to time-manage (which I am cruddy at). ;-) Appreciate the kind words!
DeleteToo funny (and cool). I've been going over a list of colleges, and right now, CollegePlus! is the most appealing to me - and for precisely the reasons you mentioned: 1) faster, 2) cheaper, and 3) allows me to study from home while pursuing other work. :)
ReplyDelete- Corey
Thanks, Corey! It is exciting to have other options, although I honestly have nothing against traditional college (though my bank account seems to harbor a slight grudge). ;-) Though I don't know what the future holds, I am happy with what Collegeplus! has allowed me to do, not least of which includes being able to be a major participant in my family. Not much beats that, honestly. =)Best wishes for your college future!
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