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A few semesters ago, I completed the requirements and obtained my paralegal certificate. I took some time off from school, and now I'm heading back to start the general ed classes to get my A.S. I'm attending community college online and the school is physically 200 miles from my home, so I'm grateful I've been able to handle everything online.
Since I can only go to school part-time, I need to test out of prerequisites and go straight to the required courses, or I won't finish school until after my kids do. The counselor told me I could take the placement classes through my local community college, then send them the placement information, which would save me the trip to my college. Yea!
I took the tests on a Saturday and got the results on Sunday online. More yea! I was approved for advanced English and Intermediate Algebra, much better than I thought.
Monday morning I call the counseling department and, following their instructions, I fax in my results; I also included a list of the courses so that they could compare the local college courses to theirs.
A little before 5, I get a call from my college. The woman identifies herself, and then it begins. The whining, the sighing, the bitching, the moaning. It all comes down to my expecting this poor employee to actually think. When I say *sigh* it was one of those heavy "harrumph" sighs. As follows:
SC: This is [lazy, whiny slug] from [your college]. You faxed in some papers. *sigh* I don't know what I'm supposed to do with this. All you sent was a list of courses.
Me: If you'll look at the first page, you'll find the test results with the list of course numbers that I'm approved to take. I included the list of courses in case the numbers were different.
SC: *sigh* *papers shuffling* Well, this isn't the same as ours.
Me: That's why I included the course lists.
SC: *sigh* What is your full name?
Me: [me]
SC: *sigh* Your student number.
Me: ########
SC: *sigh* The courses you want to take.
Me: Elementary Algebra and Freshman Composition. (All of these things were listed on the fax cover, as requested. This is how flippin' lazy this woman is.)
SC: *sigh*
(She's obviously flummoxed and put out by my ready answers. I'm sure she's managed to stonewall any number of teenagers with her attitude and questions.)
SC: Well, this won't work.
Me: Why not?
SC: This isn't how you're supposed to do it.
Me: This was exactly how I was told to do it.
SC: *sigh* You're supposed to take the test through our site.
Me: That's not what I was told. I've already cleared this.
SC: (completely intent on avoiding any type of work) You go to this page on the site, and you click on this link, and you take the test there.
Me: It says I have to have a proctor.
SC: *sigh* Yes, you have to have a proctor observe while you take the test.
Me: This is ridiculous. (The proctor requirements were involved and there was no way I could manage this.) This is not what I was told.
SC: *sigh* Well, you have to take our test. (I can hear the triumph in her voice.)
Me: It's the exact same test. It's the same company.
SC: *sigh* You have to take our test. When you pass you can take these classes.
Me: You're wrong. I don't. *hangs up phone*
I found the email from the counseling department that laid out what I had to do, replied to it, attaching all the fax information, and included SC's name and remarks. I then filled out the general counseling form and included SC's name and what she said. The next day I received an email confirming that I was approved to skip the prerequisites and to go ahead and sign up. Yea!
Of course, nothing will probably happen to SC over this, but I am tempted to call and annoy her with minutia several times this semester.
Since I can only go to school part-time, I need to test out of prerequisites and go straight to the required courses, or I won't finish school until after my kids do. The counselor told me I could take the placement classes through my local community college, then send them the placement information, which would save me the trip to my college. Yea!
I took the tests on a Saturday and got the results on Sunday online. More yea! I was approved for advanced English and Intermediate Algebra, much better than I thought.
Monday morning I call the counseling department and, following their instructions, I fax in my results; I also included a list of the courses so that they could compare the local college courses to theirs.
A little before 5, I get a call from my college. The woman identifies herself, and then it begins. The whining, the sighing, the bitching, the moaning. It all comes down to my expecting this poor employee to actually think. When I say *sigh* it was one of those heavy "harrumph" sighs. As follows:
SC: This is [lazy, whiny slug] from [your college]. You faxed in some papers. *sigh* I don't know what I'm supposed to do with this. All you sent was a list of courses.
Me: If you'll look at the first page, you'll find the test results with the list of course numbers that I'm approved to take. I included the list of courses in case the numbers were different.
SC: *sigh* *papers shuffling* Well, this isn't the same as ours.
Me: That's why I included the course lists.
SC: *sigh* What is your full name?
Me: [me]
SC: *sigh* Your student number.
Me: ########
SC: *sigh* The courses you want to take.
Me: Elementary Algebra and Freshman Composition. (All of these things were listed on the fax cover, as requested. This is how flippin' lazy this woman is.)
SC: *sigh*
(She's obviously flummoxed and put out by my ready answers. I'm sure she's managed to stonewall any number of teenagers with her attitude and questions.)
SC: Well, this won't work.
Me: Why not?
SC: This isn't how you're supposed to do it.
Me: This was exactly how I was told to do it.
SC: *sigh* You're supposed to take the test through our site.
Me: That's not what I was told. I've already cleared this.
SC: (completely intent on avoiding any type of work) You go to this page on the site, and you click on this link, and you take the test there.
Me: It says I have to have a proctor.
SC: *sigh* Yes, you have to have a proctor observe while you take the test.
Me: This is ridiculous. (The proctor requirements were involved and there was no way I could manage this.) This is not what I was told.
SC: *sigh* Well, you have to take our test. (I can hear the triumph in her voice.)
Me: It's the exact same test. It's the same company.
SC: *sigh* You have to take our test. When you pass you can take these classes.
Me: You're wrong. I don't. *hangs up phone*
I found the email from the counseling department that laid out what I had to do, replied to it, attaching all the fax information, and included SC's name and remarks. I then filled out the general counseling form and included SC's name and what she said. The next day I received an email confirming that I was approved to skip the prerequisites and to go ahead and sign up. Yea!
Of course, nothing will probably happen to SC over this, but I am tempted to call and annoy her with minutia several times this semester.