We got the scores from our second test in biology today.... I scored above the adjustment which means I came away with 103% brining my grade to a 97.6%... aka a 4.0! I'm the second highest in my class and it feels great! I am prepared for my percentage to drop a little next week due to my lab partner issues. I'm basking in the glow while it's available. Now, if someone in my life would actually congratulate me instead of going, "oh, well, keep in mind that you are only 4 weeks in." Gee thanks, you are right, it must just be a fluke.

I'm contemplating my options for nursing programs right now. I wish there was a clear "this is the right path" answer. My plan has been to do my pre-reqs and apply to the Pierce ADN program next spring, to start the program for winter 2010. Though this option gets me where I want to be, it is placing a lot of pressure and taking a big risk. Pierce requires slightly different pre-reqs than Highline, which is the other close ADN program. Tacoma Community College is also an option, though I haven't spent too much time looking at their requirements. Pierce only accepts 20 students a year and it is very competitive.

Another option I have been giving a lot of consideration is taking the LPN program at Green River. The college is slightly further away than Pierce, but closer than Highline. The positives of this option would be that I could have my pre-reqs for this program done in one quarter and would for sure be eligble for the program that starts fall 09, they accept on a first come first served. Plus, they are contracted with the huge medical group in this area and a lot of the graduating LPN's are hired on with the medical group which then pays them to complete their ADN. I could complete this program and be working as an LNP while completing my schooling, which pays better than working as a CNA. The downside is that none of the pre-reqs for the LPN program are pre-reqs for the ADN and I would still have to complete all the ADN requirements to be eligible for the LPN-RN bridge. I know I will not be happy staying with just a LPN so getting the RN would be a must for me. Ugh. I'm flip flopping back and forth on this and I really need to make a decision. If I do the LPN program I loose my Opportunity Grant, it is only available at Pierce, though there may be a similar program at GRCC that I don't know about yet. It is much easier to get into the LPN-Rn bridge at Pierce than accepted to the ADN program.... Total time to get my RN would be longer if I did the LPN....

And back and forth I go. I think I'll email the nursing adviser and ask if I can apply for my LPN license after the first year of the RN program at Pierce.

I made it back to the bookstore today to get the rest of my text books. After showing the Opportunity Grant head the breakdown of cost on my texts, she added more money into my account. She even added enough for me to get the other incidental supplies I will need. So I headed in this afternoon and enjoyed the quiet campus. It's spring break so the bookstore was very quiet, just me and one other student for the whole staff to fuss over. I was able to get the rest of my books used... wahoo for saving money! Then I fugured out how much money was left in my account and spent part of it on some notebooks, pens, highlighters, note cards. All that's left is to get my part of the school armoire set up!

I believe the online classrooms open up on the 27th and instruction begins the 31st. EEEk! I'm getting more nervous by the day.

Mike and I went to the bookstore to pick up our texts for spring quarter. As luck would have it, Mike's books went over his bookstore account amount by $1... I was not so lucky. I need another $90 plus tax to be able to get mine... and that was with picking as many used books as I could. I think I will call the Opportunity Grant gal tomorrow to see what she wants me to do. My grant is supposed to cover the full amount of the books and the gal at the register did say a lot of people were telling her that the bookstore amount wasn't covering it all and she was adding more to their accounts....

On the other hand, we do have that particular text here since Mike took that class winter quarter. So, in theory, I could just use his text and not ask for the extra funds... But, we were planning on taking his books to the buy back and using the cash to get some study guides for this quarter.

It's starting to hit me that I will be back to school very soon. I'm getting a bit nervous. It all just sounds so overwhelming. I can do this... one day at a time.

I met with my guidance counselor/Opportunity Grant person today. For some reason I thought I signed up for my classes with her today... sadly not. I can't register for classes until tomorrow, so even though we sat there typing different classes in to the computer to see what was available and planning out my schedule, there is the chance that one or more of my classes will have filled today and tomorrow I'll be back at square one. Considering there was one seat available in the biology class I NEED to take this quarter, I'm a bit stressed about it all.

If all goes well I will be taking English 101, Psychology 110 and Biology 101. Even getting my best case classes I'm going to be putting myself in a bind. The biology class that has one seat available starts at 9 am. My kids get dropped off at school at 8:55, they can not be there earlier than 8:45 and their school is about 20 minutes away from mine. Monday's it wont be a problem since that is one of Mikes days off, but every other Wednesday and every Friday he will be at work. So... got to figure out some way to get them to school on those days, plus I need to figure out what I'm going to do with Cam during those times. I went to the daycare on campus to check it out today and even with grants I'm looking at $78 a week. Too much. Trying not to panic. I'm getting quite a bit of pressure to not take a on campus class this quarter, but dang it... I'm pushing myself back a full year if I don't get this science done this quarter and I'm being selfish. Maybe I'll hit a stroke of luck and one of the slightly later biology's will have a seat open when I go in for registration tomorrow.

Since I was at the college anyway I decided to stop by the bookstore to see what my books would cost me this quarter. Well, not really me, the opportunity grant opens up an account for me at the bookstore. I can't wait to go pick up my biology text and lab book! Maybe I can get a jump start on reading! My account with the bookstore doesn't open up until the 15th.....

Totally not bragging, but the opportunity grant lady needed to look over my COMPASS test scores. She was quite literally gushing about my math scores. Yeah, math and science seem to come to me naturally. Honestly, yeah I did well, but I guess I'm used to it so I wasn't feeling overly giddy.

Mike and I went to the college on Wednesday, I met with the Financial Aid adviser as well as a lady who is in charge of the schools opportunity grant. So far it looks good for both of us to receive a grant, and since they have money they need to use up they are going to try to back award Mike for his winter quarter also. I'm so excited!

Since I took the placement exam at a different local college I need to go take it again at Pierce. Not a big deal... hopefully I'll get to it next week. Registration for spring quarter is March 5th!