Back to School

I think I've finally made the decision that I'm going to go back to school!  My deep, dark secret is I never graduated from college, I was one class shy of finishing.  I took my final class the summer before I moved to Texas, I had already moved when my grade came in and showed I didn't pass.  I had run out of steam, and hadn't tried very hard, and it showed.  I begged and pleaded with the teacher to no avail, he refused to allow me to do anything but retake the class.  I did try to go to UT but it was just too daunting at the time.  I wasn't a resident and hadn't taken any classes in Texas, so it was more work then I wanted to deal with.  Then I got a good job, met Matt, and it just always sat on the back burner, but it's always bothered me that I didn't finish.  I tried again last summer to go to Blinn, but it was still just an overwhelming process, and with 2 young kids at home and us starting our own business, it was just not a good time.  Then I went back to work.  I always wondered why this particular job came along when it did.  It doesn't pay great, the hours are good, but it's in a field that I have little interest in, dentistry.  But, I think now I see why it was this job, at this time.  The hours are not full time, but I have to pay for full time daycare because 6 days a month the kids have to stay until 5:30.  And, the girl I work in the office with, is my age and going to the University of Phoenix, so she's been sharing her experiences with me.  Matt and I talked it over and we thought it might just work.  Since I do get out at 2 most days and I can't pick the kids up since Payton is napping, I would have the perfect opportunity to study from 2:30-5 or 5:30, when I pick the kids up.  I first just looked at schools that offered online classes, and nothing really sparked my interest, there was accounting and HR, but A&M offers both of those and I figured the market was already pretty flooded with those.  Then I realized what I really wanted is what I've done since college, Nutrition!  It's always interested me, I worked as a personal trainer for for a few years, I worked in a health club for a lot of years, and nutrition has always been important to me.  I also have a very close friend who is an RD and I love that her job is fairly flexible.  I do realize that A&M offers a Nutrition program, and I'm hoping that won't affect my chances to get a job when I'm done.  So, I googled online Nutrition degrees and found that Kaplan offers a program.  I called and spoke to an advisor who was SO extremely encouraging and helpful.  It felt like she wanted me to go back to school, vs the other times I tried where it seemed so hard.  It was a matter of days and she had me hooked, I got approved for a scholarship and we reviewed my transcripts and while I do need to retake a number of classes, it will be about 2 years for me to graduate.  And as she pointed out.  It may be hard to take a 300 or 400 level science class when the last time I took a science class was more then 15 years ago.  Then, I found out that the ACEND does not recognize a degree from Kaplan and I wouldn't be approved to sit and take the exam to be an RD, which is what I really want to do.  I was very depressed.  Then my advisor and I realized a couple of things.  1)Kaplan is in the process of being accredited, so in 2 years who knows if they would be recognized, 2)I will need, and I want, to get my masters, so I can get my bachelors from Kaplan and then can look at another school for my masters, that is recognized and then take the exam.  So, I sent out a lot of emails and found out that that is perfectly acceptable and has been done.  I am not guaranteed admittance to any of the masters programs, but they all do accept a BS from Kaplan, so it would be no different then if I went to their school full time.  So, I was feeling encouraged again!  So, after some back and forth, we decided I would just try it.  Kaplan has a 5 week trial program, you are considered a full time, fully enrolled student, and if it's not working for you, you can drop out and you are only out the enrollment fee.  The great thing is, the enrollment fee was waived the week I enrolled, so if it doesn't work, I've lost nothing.  Seems silly not to try!!  So, on July 5, I'll take my first class, wish me luck!!