A while ago, I decided that this would be the year that I started taking advantage of our university's tuition benefit for faculty and staff, according to which we can take up to 6 hours of coursework per semester at a drastically reduced rate. I wanted to take a year of Italian, which would help me in my research, and would prepare me for a possible yoga retreat in southern Italy this summer. I had visions of taking courses in the future on Art History, photography, etc. Lifelong learning and all that.
I assumed that, as a professor, I would be given last priority in enrollment: I go to class on the first day, along with all the other non-matriculated students, and see if there are seats available. So two days ago, I went down to enrollment services to get the ball rolling, and it turns out that all my assumptions were wrong.
I need to actually be accepted to the university as a student matriculated in a degree program.
Well, the deadline is passed for that. But I thought it might be fun to try to get accepted as an undergraduate in my own university. The irony is that I may not meet the requirements for admission. I've apparently got to, like any other student, get high school transcripts, and my high school GPA was a whopping 2.81.
This should be interesting, no?
13 comments:
I... wait, what? you have to... be accepted as a degree student? That's utterly bizarre.
At my previous institution I had to do the same thing... AND get proof of my shot records which was even harder... just to take a couple of undergraduate courses for fun...
I've been thinking about taking a graduate class, and would also have to be accepted by the graduate school (though as a nondegree student, but, same process).
Mercifully, they would waive my taking the GRE since I have another masters' degree.
In spite of my having a PhD in history, I had to retake the GRE to get into library school. The essay I was assigned to write was supposed to be a defense of the value of studying history. A weird moment: who's my target audience for an essay like that??
We don't get any tuition benefits at our R1. So in addition to having to apply, I would also have to pay.
sophylou - retaking the GRE is the most evil thing ever, IMO... I was so thankful when the the masters program I was interested in at my own institution (yay tuition waiver) for a second masters (my first is my MLIS) didn't require the GRE (I think because I have a Master's degree, or because my GPA was good enough)... I keep getting visiting profs trying to talk me into going on for the PhD, and beyond the money and location issues (because I don't actually intend to leave my t-t librarian position I'm happy in to do such a thing), a school that doesn't require me to re-take the GRE will be high on my list if I ever do decide to go on for the PhD!
De-lurking here to comment that if all you're after is learning something, and not earning credit, then you can often ask the instructor to let you audit it, either formally (if your uni has an official "audit" status for some students) or more informally, just sitting in on the class. Many of your colleagues will let you do that as a professional courtesy, as long as you don't add to their piles of grading. I've taken two years of Russian at my uni, with an arrangement like that.
*Snort*
The idea of getting my HS transcripts makes me cringe!
I would try going to the professor for the course and being all like, "Dude, how about letting me informally audit your course because professional courtesy and I'll buy you sushi after the semester?"
All these "informal audit" things are a good idea, except that the course is being taught by a lecturer getting paid approximately diddly-squat (and that's *before* taxes), so I don't want to add any extra uncompensated work.
Definitely sushi, a drink, whatever. Tell the lecturer you feel guilty, giver her/him the chance to say no. But really. You know Latin, Blarg, and several other languages - I doubt you will be that great a burden in Italian I. It's not as if you'll be writing 30 page papers!
This whole situation just sounds surreal.
I wonder what would possibly go through the minds of the admissions people when they read, say, letters of reference from your colleagues. Or their reactions to your own letter, where you tell them "I have no intention of pursuing a degree. I just want to learn some Italian so I can better pursue the research I do for this university."
Sounds fun.
That's crazy! I will say I recently learned how easy it is to apply to some universities. I had my husband take advantage of the spousal tuition benefit, and he needed to apply for admission. It took us five minutes--no exaggeration--to apply, 10 minutes to figure out how to pay the application fee, and 15 minutes to puzzle though requesting a high school transcript. And this is at the most selective public institution in our state (that's a low bar, I assure you).
This made me smile. I just came upon your blog. Great site you've got here.
Post a Comment