I regret to inform you...

204. That was the lowest score accepted into the program this fall. My 201 just wasn't good enough. That's what I get for having two B's (B+'s). If I had really understood this process earlier, I would have known two B's would keep me out of the program and I would have retaken one of the classes earlier. I guess I need to get out of Regretland and figure out my next step. If I want in to the program in the spring, I need to reapply by September 1. That means any class I want to retake needs to be taken this summer. I had already registered for English 111 just in case I didn't get in. I printed off the syllabus and realized this class I had registered for was more like torture than English. My summer would have been spent entirely at the computer doing one assignment after another, and these were complicated assignments. I've taken a lot of English classes and not one has required this much work. I don't need that so I dropped it and picked up Psychology 101. I would much rather read, study and take tests. Also, I think the subject matter will be vastly more interesting and relevant to my future career. It's all online, of course. If I get an A, that will put my total points at 211.

Now I have all summer to recollect all of the paperwork for my application. I didn't request enough transcripts from USI last time, so I think that will be first on my list. Then I need to get another copy of my TEAS score. The rest should be easy.

I will have the fall semester free to do what I want. So I'm thinking ahead. I know that someday I will want to join USI's bachelors and masters program. They require a certain nutrition class that I did not take while getting my BS there last time. So I may look into a transferable nutrition class at Ivy Tech.

Microbiology is in the books...pun intended.

I just finished up Microbiology. I got 101 on my final leaving me with 826.75 out of 815. I'm happy with that. I really enjoyed the content of this class. I learned a lot about bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms and the problems they can cause. It's really fascinating stuff. I'm already forgetting a lot, though, and that frustrates me.

Now I just wait for my letter. Ivy Tech says they will mail the letters on or before May 30th. After that, I have no idea.

Almost done...or am I?

I haven't posted much. Not much has happened, but I think I should have stayed in the habit. I apologize. Biology lecture hasn't gotten much better. The slides are still practically useless. The content has become more interesting as we have focused on specific body systems and the microorganisms that affect each. Labs have been interesting. We've done skin samples, throat swabs, urine samples and anal swabs. You read that correctly.

I've really enjoyed learning the diseases. There are so many that I forget them. I hate that I forget.

I have my lab final tomorrow and my lecture final next Friday.

I find out the first week of June if I made it into the nursing program. If you've read my blog before, you know that I have lost 20 points because of the two B+'s I transferred in from USI. If I don't make it in, it is because of those grades. If I retook one of those courses and earned the 10 points back, I would get into the program easily. I was told by someone on the inside that my score was most likely enough and to not worry about the two bad grades. However, in case I don't get in, I will need to retake a class this summer. If I wait until fall it will be too late to get in to the program in spring. It would have to be this summer. So I already registered for an online English class. I just wanted to make sure that if I needed to, I would be in an online course in time for the semester to start, which is June 7th. I can always drop the class last minute if I get an acceptance letter just before.

I'll let you know my final grade when I get it.

Time to play catch up.

I think I am 5 weeks into Microbiology and I haven't posted about it. Oops.

So, Microbiology...well, first off, the teacher is very nice. He's younger than me and very soft spoken...too soft. I have a hard time hearing him in the back row with the air on. He basically reads through the power point slides, filling in the occasional blank. We weren't given our syllabus until the day before class so I'm always a week's reading behind. That means I'm totally lost by the power points. They are vague and confusing. So I sit through lecture overwhelmed, filling in blanks and hoping that things will make more sense when I read it.

Our lab book is ridiculous. It's filled with cheesy jokes and cartoons that make no sense. The directions for the labs aren't too confusing, but I'm usually confused for the first 20 minutes anyway. We've done some pretty cool stuff growing and testing bacteria. We take lab quizzes everyday. I stunk up one because I had no idea what we were supposed to study. Since then I've gotten better.

We have taken one lecture exam and one lab exam. I got 103 out of 100 on the lecture and 48 out of 50 on the lab. I didn't see that one section was a two parter and those were the points I missed. So despite the good grades, I'm still totally confused by this class. I have a test this week as well. Three tests in February, the longest month of the year (for me anyway).

Good Enough

I panicked a bit last night. I was and am a bit nervous that 201 is not going to be good enough. I thought if I hurried up and took an English or Psychology class this semester, an A would give me the 10 point boost I need. I saw that there are several online classes for each that are not full but the registration date has passed. I called the school of nursing to see what could be done. I explained my situation with the two B's. When I mentioned the 98 on my TEAS, she interrupted me. She said I should be doing back-flips because she's never heard of anyone getting that high of a score. I believe she used the word "phenomenal". I certainly don't say this to brag, because there is still a good chance it won't be good enough. I mean, if I'm so stinking smart, why do I have two B's? I'm just a good test taker and I mention it because it is all I have to encourage me at this point. I was told that there was no way I could enroll in an online course and it would be difficult just getting into an on-campus course at this time (courses have already started). She really thought that the extra 10 points would not be worth all the trouble because 201 is usually good enough. It all depends from semester to semester. Some semesters, people with C's get in and sometimes it takes all A's. She said most people have 10 less points on their TEAS test. She really thought I would be okay but said if I didn't make, take a class in the summer to get the 10 points. That was the plan.

All that to say, not much has changed. I tried to make a difference but it seems I was a bit late and possibly overreacting. I'm still in just Microbiology that starts this Friday. I'm still going to turn in my application and wait until May like everybody else. I'm just going hope that my TEAS score is good enough. Man, I hate "good enough".

A Big Bubble

I don't believe I could have done any better than I did on the TEAS. Yet, I don't think it was good enough. Another quick explanation:

30 points for each A
20 points for each B
100 points possible for TEAS
3 points for being local

A total of 223 points possible.

I have:

60 points for the 2 A's at Ivy Tech
40 points for the 2 B's at USI when I was 18 and stupid
98 points on the TEAS
3 points for living in Warrick County

A total of 201 points.

There's no set cut-off. Only around 30 students will be accepted and those will be the ones with the most points. I'm under the impression that the students getting in all have over 200. That puts me right on the bubble.

March 1st - April 1st

I turn in my application.

May 30

Acceptance/rejection letters are mailed.

If I am rejected, I will retake psychology this summer and apply for the spring.

TEAS tomorrow

I am taking my TEAS test tomorrow. That's the entrance exam I've mentioned earlier. I will be heading to the Admissions office to pay the whopping $35 and then running to the Workforce Development Center by 9am to start the 3 and half hour test.

I also once mentioned that I was going to get 100 points on this test. I think I need to lower my goals a tad. After studying I see that I have some glaring weaknesses. I should do okay on the reading comprehension part, although I have a tendency to argue with and over-think the given choices. I also think I will do alright on the spelling, but, thanks to spell check, my spelling skills are rusting and I question myself more often. My weakness is vocabulary. There is always one or two words I've never heard of and nothing I can do but guess. It's not something I can study for.

I also think I will do alright on the math, but there's a chance I will run into something I just don't remember how to do and the odds of making at least one mistake are relatively high. As for the science portion, I'm scared out of my mind. The practice tests I have been studying touch on every science class I've ever taken and the questions are very specific and complicated. I'm trying to relearn biology, physics formulas, laws, electricity formulas, ecology, anatomy, chemistry, etc. This is crazy and sort of irrelevant to tell you the truth.

I am confident I will get a good score. I am not confident it will be good enough. I could get all 100 points and it still not be good enough if my overall score (TEAS plus class grades) is not in the top 30 or so applications.

I will let you know how I think I did later this week. Please pray.