Essay 1

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=145 BGCOLOR="#3366CC" TEXT="#080000" background="03fff483.gif"> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Lost Pupil</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>By Donna Bellah</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="040ff483.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#6666FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>HIGHTIMES</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#663399" FACE="Times New Roman" >    </FONT> |    <B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HIGHTIMES"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contents"><U>Contents</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Editorial Letter"><U>Editorial Letter</U></A>   |   <B>Essay 1</B>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Essay 2"><U>Essay 2</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Essay 3"><U>Essay 3</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Essay 4"><U>Essay 4</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Essay 5"><U>Essay 5</U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="041f0050.gif" border=0 width="496" height="5" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Essay 1</div> <bR> <div>    I was so excited when I knew I finally had the opportunity to go to school.  It was something I had looked into three times before over the years, but it just never panned out for various reasons.  This time around though, things were finally going to work out.  Highline was offering a field I was interested in that they hadn't offered previously - Human Services.  As they say, "Timing is everything."  There is no doubt that some of my experiences here at Highline have been positives ones.  I have made new friends -and one, I know, will be a life-long friend.  Each one of my teachers has offered their own unique teaching style, and all have been very helpful.  Overall, I feel like I am headed in the right direction as far as college goes, but it was a struggle getting the help I needed to find that direction.  Highline is a good school, but it could be a great school if some changes concerning student advising and communication between departments were implemented.</div> <div>      </div> <div>      After I figured out what I wanted to do for a career, I sat down with a student advisor to register for the fall quarter of 2001 and picked out some classes.  I was totally naïve at this point and had no idea how things in college operated.  I mean, here I was, a ninth grade drop out!  I'm just playing "follow the leader" at this point.  I didn't even know that I had a student advisor assigned specifically for my field of study.</div> <bR> <div>      One of the first things I learned at Highline was that if you don't ask, nobody will tell you.  Let me explain.  After the student advisor got me registered, I knew that I would be working toward an Associated of Applied Science (AAS) degree from the classes he picked on the side of the brochure.  Mistakenly, I went with it.  After all, I was new to this and trusted that I was in good hands.  I thought I was headed in the right direction.  It wasn't until the middle of the winter quarter that I found out through fellow classmates that an AAS degree is transferable only through an upside down degree at Evergreen College in Olympia.  There is as branch in Tacoma, but I don't even know if you are able to attend that location for this particular program.</div> <bR> <div>      I then found out through a very upset classmate that the Human Services pamphlet was printed incorrectly and didn't have the right classes listed in it.  This really screwed up this classmate's life!  Her husband was in the military and she had her classes scheduled just so that when they had to move in June 2002, she would have her degree.  It turned out that she didn't have enough credits in a particular subject area because of this mistake.  Had I not heard about her story, I would have been headed in that same direction, making the same mistake and all because of a misprint!</div> <bR> <div>      I immediately called my student advisor (it was from this particular classmate that I found out there was one specifically for Human Services) and told her what I'd heard about the misprint.  We scheduled an appointment to review my class schedule and to do an overview of the whole situation…or so I thought!  I met with her and we looked over my schedule of upcoming classes.  I asked what the difference was between an Associated of Arts (AA) degree and an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree.  She said that an AAS degree prepared you to go to work as soon as the degree is earned.  She didn't elaborate on the AA degree or anything else.  That was the long and short of it.  I thought, "Okay, well at least I'm on the right track there."  We set about to make a schedule that was sure to work for me.</div> <bR> <div>      It wasn't until this spring quarter, that I heard from other classmates that you really don't make a descent living in this field until you earn a bachelor's degree.  I already knew that in the back of my mind, but I thought, "No big deal.  I'll just go to Evergreen and earn my bachelor's degree."  That all sounded fine and dandy, but…..surprise, surprise!  I then found out that you're going to have to take the classes that are listed for an AA degree anyway if you decide to go on to earn a bachelor's degree.  In addition, you should take them at a community college because it's more inexpensive.  At this point, I'm thinking "Oh my God!  Where is the guidance I needed in the first place?  I feel lost!" </div> <bR> <div>      I called my student advisor immediately and left her a message telling her that I was adamant about changing my course of action from an AAS to an AA.  We have an appointment scheduled for a week from now.  My big question - "Why wasn't I given this guidance in the first damn place!"  The answer from fellow classmates, "If you don't ask, they don't tell you."  I did ask and I still wasn't told everything I needed to know.  This whole situation makes me very angry!  College is very expensive, and I don't know about - but I don't have the money to waste on an unnecessary course schedule because someone wasn't there, who should have been, to give me the proper guidance in the first place!</div> <bR> <div>      I also have personally experienced that the financial aid department has no idea about what goes on with the worker-retraining department and has no idea what goes on with the registration department, etc.  It is not only frustrating, but also disheartening, and something has to give.  I really don't see how this has gone on for so long.  Going to college is a big decision.  For people right out of high school, but also for those of us who not only are older now and want to further our education.  We could all stand to be steered in the right direction and I feel that I have at least gotten that from my teachers.</div> <div>      My teachers have been awesome!  One of the, Lexor Green, said to the class during the first week of winter quarter, "I won't let you fail."  It is for more reasons than just this that I consider her not only a teacher, but a mentor as well.  I have learned, and continue to learn something wonderful and unique from each and every one of my teachers.  Some are harder than others are, but I can't deny the invaluable lessons each of them shows me everyday.  This has all made the frustration I feel worth every bit.  That and the friends I have made too!</div> <bR> <div>      The lesson here - educate yourself about the college you want to go to and the path you want to take before you get there.  This way, it won't be such a frustrating experience, and you will have more time to focus on the positive things.  I'll get my schedule on the right track here at Highline, and make the most of what this school has to offer, even if I have to find out for myself.  I think that Highline could use an overhaul on organization and communication between departments, as well as some prioritizing.  Either way, I plan to strive to be the absolute best that I can be in my field of study.  I know that sounds corny, but in my field of study I have to do my best for the sake of others.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>