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+--- Thread: I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! (/Thread-I-DID-IT-EC-Grad-Requirements-Officially-Complete)
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - SuZQ2 - 11-16-2016
Hello All,
Itâs been many, many months since my last post, as I vowed not to return to the forum until I reached what seemed to be The Impossible Dream â finally completing my Bachelorâs Degree at EC. Wellâ¦cue up the âMan of La Manchaâ theme song, because I can now definitively say, âIâve done it!â I successfully completed the much feared Capstone in October, and just received my official congratulatory graduation letter from EC - with my degree conferral set for December
.Five+ years ago, IC members took time out of their busy lives to evaluate my hodgepodge of college credits, answer my questions, and guide me toward a plethora of study resources and testing opportunities I never knew existed. The kind and generous folks here played an invaluable role in helping me move one step closer toward finally being able to check off a life-long goal â earning my Bachelorâs Degree. I want to thank Jennifer (cookderosa), rebel100, and every hero here at IC who offered me their unending knowledge and advice - words alone can never express my gratitude â without YOU I would not be posting this message today.
My 30-year educational odyssey began in the mid-1980s with a late night infomercial advertising John Bearâs Guide to Non-Traditional College Degrees. It changed my life. I was facing a host of family and health crises, had dropped in and out of CC four times, and saw no chance of completing a degree through the traditional B & M pathway. Bearâs book led me to USNY Regents, and in 1991 after a credit evaluation and two additional CC classes, I finally received my AA degree. Door closed/Job done.
However, 20 years later, I was still educationally unfulfilled, unhappy, and unsatisfied â not having a BA/BS degree constantly gnawed at me. Everyone in my immediate family/friend circle has multiple degrees, and I wanted the piece of paper â the proof that I too was âworthyâ of a scholarly title. New Yearâs Eve 2010 I found the golden ticketâ¦an online forum called InstantCert dedicated to adult students seeking non-traditional degrees.
After posting here on IC, I could not wait to begin studying. As a perfectionist with a horrible fear of failure, I studied over 4 months in preparation for my first CLEP test â Intro to Psychology. Success led to success, and while my pace was incredibly slow, I continued to study, overcome obstacles, and test, test, testâ¦A one-year detour into SLâs Comp I & II writing âboot campâ (courses I actually did not need but consider the best preparatory training for the EC Capstone), then back to testing. Testing completed in 2015, I then moved on to my biggest terror â the EC Capstone.
I worked for months on the LA 498 syllabus â I taught myself APA style, how to set up an APA paper on my computer, how to create a formal APA outline, and how to post notes to a Discussion board; then spent one month teaching myself PowerPoint via a fantastic âteacherâ on YouTube. I preplanned ideas as set forth in the syllabus, and then when I thought I was ready, signed up.
Eight weeks and many 2:00AM nights later, success - an âAâ for the Capstone course, and GRADUATION!!!! A true miracle!
Unfortunately, I have discovered one downside - I think I am addicted to studying! The second I was through with the Capstone I was in shock â no more studying??? I actually felt more lost than relievedâ¦so weâll see what the future holds as far as possibly continuing onâ¦
On a final note - to those out there intimidated by the speed in which many here test and complete courses â do not be disheartened; you CAN achieve your dream! Like me, your pace may be slower, your journey may take years, not months, but with perseverance, it CAN HAPPEN!
December 16, 2016 - BSLA Magna Cum Laude - Excelsior College
eeya:Suzanne
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - jsd - 11-16-2016
:hurray::hurray::hurray:
congrats!
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - davewill - 11-16-2016
[video=youtube;RfHnzYEHAow]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHnzYEHAow[/video]
Not so impossible, after all!!!!!
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - topdog98 - 11-16-2016
Yay! Congratulations on achieving your dream!
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - OakLakeNC - 11-16-2016
Congratulations. I always love when I come on here and someone is sharing their graduation story!
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - bjcheung77 - 11-16-2016
SuZQ2 Wrote:Unfortunately, I have discovered one downside - I think I am addicted to studying! The second I was through with the Capstone I was in shock â no more studying??? I actually felt more lost than relievedâ¦so weâll see what the future holds as far as possibly continuing onâ¦
On a final note - to those out there intimidated by the speed in which many here test and complete courses â do not be disheartened; you CAN achieve your dream! Like me, your pace may be slower, your journey may take years, not months, but with perseverance, it CAN HAPPEN!
December 16, 2016 - BSLA Magna Cum Laude - Excelsior College
Suzanne
LOL, addiction to studying eh? Is there such a thing? Well, the cure obviously is to do more studying!
Anyways, congrats to getting this done! It's awesome isn't it? Wonderful news... keep on trucking...
Thanks for the words of advice, it's greatly appreciated. Cheers! Go and celebrate!
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - ajs1976 - 11-16-2016
Congrats! cheersmatecheersmate
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - Synicaal - 11-16-2016
Congrats!!! I hope to be able to post mine mid year 2017!!
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - Life Long Learning - 11-16-2016
Congrats!:hurray: I think folks like you are why this forum is the best. I agree John Bear changed my life 35-years ago also.
Can you tell us more about the LA 498 capstone?
How did you teach yourself APA style?
How to create a formal APA outline?
Post notes to a Discussion board?
PowerPoint via a fantastic âteacherâ on YouTube............LINK?
SuZQ2 Wrote:Hello All,
I then moved on to my biggest terror â the EC Capstone.
I worked for months on the LA 498 syllabus â I taught myself APA style, how to set up an APA paper on my computer, how to create a formal APA outline, and how to post notes to a Discussion board; then spent one month teaching myself PowerPoint via a fantastic âteacherâ on YouTube. I preplanned ideas as set forth in the syllabus, and then when I thought I was ready, signed up.
Eight weeks and many 2:00AM nights later, success - an âAâ for the Capstone course, and GRADUATION!!!! A true miracle!
December 16, 2016 - BSLA Magna Cum Laude - Excelsior College
Suzanne
I DID IT!!! EC Grad Requirements Officially Complete! - Lindagerr - 11-16-2016
Congratulations!! cheersmate Always nice to see these I'm done post. I'm glad you didn't give up and came back to tell us.