Looking for opinions

Good point Ted. Most local libraries will do proctoring on Saturdays. I have taken several proctored tests at my local city library on Saturday.

Mom of 5, I would suggest you contact your local library for proctoring information.


Good luck,


Abner

 

You might want to also check your local community college. There is one near my home which proctors tests for DL institutions, and they only charge $15.

 

opinions

Thanks for the advice everyone. Using my local library would be an option but I have a 2 year old and I would not dream of having my older children care for her during my time away. I should have mentioned that my husband is disabled with muscular dystrophy and is pretty much wheelchair bound. Another reason why I try I was looking for opinions. Taking my courses at work and exams during the day, means that I would not have to pay someone additional money to watch her. As it stands, I pay $100 a week for her child care and living off my income and my husbands social security income for a family of 7 isn't very easy.

Perhaps, I am just a little scared about taking my first finals. I don't know how other schools arrange their tests, this program I am in do not allow you to use any notes, books etc. I guess this is pretty much standard procedure.

Next week, when I take the finals will be the telling sign. I am anxiously waiting for my proctoring location to receive the finals. First, the school never received my request to take the finals and then it has been nearly a week and the proctoring location still has not received the exams. All this is adding more to my anxiety feeling. But I am bound and determined to get my bachelor's degree. Thanks again for all your opinions.

 

opinions

I also forgot to mention that I am the only driver in the family. So, weekends are also reserved for cleaning, washing, shopping and taking the children to their extracurricular activities. But then again, I could just be worried about finals. Only time will tell.

 

Re: opinions

It sounds like your best bet is to change programs. There is no shame in that option. You're simply taking advantage of technology to make your life---not the school work---easier and increase your chances of graduating. There's no good reason to make yours and your family's situation any harder than necessary.

A major difference between non-tradional and traditional students is priority. For your average 18-22 year old student school is their primary mission in life and everything else should come second. For adults with families and jobs school must take second or third place. I started college as a working adult with 2 children and my priorities were family first, job second and school when I could find the time. I started out in a regular, local college and that worked until my job had to come first several times. I transferred to Shorter College where we met only one night a week for class and still my work or family eventually forced me to miss class. At that point I learned about dl and finally ended up at Excelsior and graduated and quickly earned a master's degree. If I would have tried to gut it out in my original situation I would have failed or had to fail my family or lose my job. The choice you've described is perfectly sensible and morally superior because you are placing your family and work obligations in first place. You will likely graduate more quickly and place less burden on everyone else along the way.

 

Re: opinions

Mom of 5, taking exams at your local library, possibly in the evening or weekend, is a viable option. You have provided excuses as to why even this option is not perfect. As with all things in life compromises must be made; your older children are likely more than able to look after their younger siblings for a few hours a few times per semester. Even the wheelchair-bound are quite able to supervise children while the oldest child can help their father.

If a no proctored exams at all degree programme is better suited to your particular needs, there are schools such as Nations University that have absolutely no proctored exam according to others on this board.

The feelings of uncertainty you are feeling now are attributable primarily to the looming exams. We have all been there at one time or another; even on-line timed non-proctored exams can be stressful in terms of preparation and fear of the unknown. Take some time to think about the best path forward for you and your family. Good luck and keep the faith!

 

Re: opinions

You wouldn't trust your older kids to take care of a two-year-old or a disabled father? Why not? What ages are the other kids? If I'm guessing right if the fifth and youngest is two, the fourthborn is four or five, the thirdborn is six to eight, the secondborn is eight to eleven, and the fiestborn is maybe ten to fourteen. Mary Kay Ash, in her autobiography, tells of how she had to learn to take care of a disabled mother from the time she was seven. What I remember from my own childhood is this: when Mom goes to school, everybody has to learn how to pitch in. Good luck getting the rest of your team organized.

 

just do it

 

and you shall become a winged goddess of victory

 

Opinions

I agree.... It is not tht I don't trust my oldest, who is 13, but he will be starting high school next year and will be playing football. Currently, he and my second to the oldest are both in band, My older children are all boys and my youngest is 2. I checked the website for the school and they will not allow any tests to be performed at any place except for a college testing site. I am going to sign up for the next semester and just play it by ear. There are not too many colleges who offer a distance learning degree in liberal arts or even psychology. One is Liberty University that I previously looked at. So, only time will tell. Thanks everyone, I value each of your opinions.

 

Re: Re: opinions

This is poor thinking. In effect you're saying that because one other person did something then someone else should be able to do that same thing. This is poor thinking. What is more, it pushes someone toward a course of action that may not be wise.

Mom of 5 is clearly thinking of her family first. I admire her for that. I would suggest that she do more investigstions into the area of self-paced programs. That way she could let go of her studies without worry of missing assignments, etc. when life gets busy.

Mom - you can do it the way that works for you.
Jack

 

Re: Re: Re: opinions

Jack: I'm terribly sorry if I've irritated you. I merely pointed out the Mary Kay example as a potential source of inspiration. Now, it may not have been explicitly asked, but I certainly meant by my post to ask at what ages what levels of responsibility might be appropriate. I'm sorry, but I just don't know kids' potential at each age, as I have no kids at all, and so certainly not a batch of five kids, ages 13 on down to 2. Sorry. Didn't intend to offend.

 

Ted - It's not like I'm upset, I'm not. I just think that you have to listen to yourself a bit. She says that she's got five kids, one two years old and you are saying, "Just do it" like there are no repercussions. Let's not even think about all the study time. Let's just think of this: When Mom is taking her exams and that 2 year old is crying for 3 hours, would you say to the child, "Suck it up!" Is your life so streamlined that you can not imagine her situation?
Jack

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: opinions

It all depends on the kid. (Personal traits, maturity level, level of responsibility, etc.) Just like adults, all kids are individuals.

But generally speaking, most 13-yr. old boys are not responsible enough to be left in charge of a 2-yr. old. A 13-yr. old girl might work out better, since generally speaking most girls develop a stronger sense of responsibility earlier, and usually mature emotionally at a faster rate than boys. There are exceptions, but that's usually how it works.


You may not have children, but at one time you were a 13-yr. old boy. Would you have trusted your 13-yr. old self to be in charge of a 2- yr. old all day, as well as three other younger siblings at the same time? Additionally, Momof5 probably wouldn't be able to concentrate on her exams if she were worried about the kids, particularly how the 2-yr. old would fare with inadequate supervision.

Kit

 

Jack: Again, I do not have kids of my own. Though I do figure that persons with five children do have responsibilities that childless bachelors such as myself cannot even begin to imagine. I do remember from my own childhood that my own mom (of three) enlisted the help of hubby (sorry to hear her hubby's disabled) and the kids. I figured that, if her kids were the "average" two to three year spacing, they might be 14, 11, 8, 5, and 2 or 10, 8, 6, 4, and 2. (Mom of 5 confirms that the eldest is 13, so my guess was within range.) I was just musing about how much responsibility those kids could take. Of course, you don't tell a crying 2-year-old to suck it up. But can a 13-year-old comfort a crying 2-year-old. At any rate, I was simply trying to encourage Mom of 5 to finish her degree, regardless of whether she sticks with her current degree program (which I think might have been Texas Tech's BGS) or whether she transfers to Alabama or elsewhere.

 

My children are 13, 11, 10, 5 and 2. The first four are my sons and the youngest is my daughter. I called my proctoring location and they still have not received my final exams, so the wait continues.

While I wait, I am wondering not if I made the right decision in choosing to go to college but if I chose the right degree program and school. In the beginning, I wanted to obtain a Bachelors degree in Psychology. I really do not remember why I changed my plan and signed up for a Liberal Arts (at Texas Tech - External Bachelor of General Studies degree). I love children and helping children and others and eventually, I want to go into the public school system as a school counselor. Already, I am the person my co-workers and friends come to when they need advise or just someone to talk with. I know I should make up my mind before I get further along in my studies, but what to do and where to go.

 

Mom,
Look into my old haunt, if not mistaked they have degrees in liberal studies and psychology. As to the proctor thingy, maybe you can find an HR person, Supervisor, etc. at work. ( minimum bachelor's) I took both campus and online classes, most exams & testing was done online, but a few required a proctor.
www.limestone.edu
Good luck,
Gavin

 

Thanks Gavin,
I will check them out.

 

You might also want to check out Empire State College. Although their website is positively Australian in its opacity, they do look relatively cheap, they encourage cross-disciplinary programmes which would let you concentrate in psychology and childhood development and the vast bulk of their courses use a non-proctored approach. http://www.esc.edu/cdl

Angela

 

Ya gotta love this.