Nice joke, I guess...

So, school. As I mentioned in here before (I think?), I am interested in going back to school to become a High School Math teacher. I've actually been thinking about this for a few years, now; it was just a matter of getting off my butt to find out what I need to do.

Well, a few months ago, I made an appointment to see one of the Councilors at my old school. She wasn't able to access my files, said it was the financial aid office blocking it, and told me to go see them about getting off of probation so she could access my file again.

I finally got around to heading back down to talk to the FA office, and the lady there told me, no, the Councilors are the ones you talk to about getting off of probation, and she had no idea why the Councilor I spoke to would have sent me to them.

So I went back to the Councilor office, and spoke to the lady at the desk. Lo and behold, I came in during walk-ins, and since there was no-one in front of me, she had me sign in and was able to look up my file with no problem. I now have a (unofficial) copy of my transcript, and a form to fill out for applying for an appeal to the financial aid probation.

Here's the funny part. The original reason I was on Financial Aid probation in the first place, is my old school was not part of the MNSCU system. I did not take classes Spring semester 2000, because the school's web site said that if I did not have my tuition paid in full by X date, I would be automatically dropped from all classes. Since I knew I wasn't going to have the full amount, I simply didn't sign up. (So naturally, I got a call from my adviser asking why I didn't sign up, and was told, "Oh, no! We wouldn't have dropped you! Where on Earth did you get that idea??" 9.9) Anyway, Fall semester 2000, I went to Japan as part of the St. Cloud State/Akita Daigaku partnership in the MNSCU system. MCTC is not part of MNSCU, so they did not count these credits at all. I was going to return for Spring semester, but alas could not afford the plane ticket to return, and since Akita Daigaku's Spring semester started about 4 weeks into MCTC's Spring semester, I didn't sign up for classes for MCTC Spring 2001 either. Which means I missed 3 semesters in a row, as far as MCTC was concerned.

Well, MCTC is part of the MNSCU system now, so they have those 16 credits in my file - not the specific classes, I'm sad to say, but my transcript does list the credits and where I got them. But, I'm still on Financial Aid Probation. Because MCTC is a two-year degree program school, and the programs all have 60 credits. A student is allowed up to 150% of these credits, or 90 credits. Those 16 credits from Akita? Yeah, those bring my total credits up to 105.

Yeesh.

On the plus side, since I did finish my previous degree, the Councilor I saw this last time figures that the appeals committee will most likely rule in favor of my appeal. I've the forms mostly filled out, I just need to write the letter stating why I'm over on my credits. :)