AnneOnCollege.net

Only one week left then break is over. I have been making the most of this break by spending quality time with my kids and baking lots of cookies. Sometimes doing both at the same time. I have finally cracked the code of delicious not burnt cookies. Trust me, for years I have struggled with either underdone or burnt on the bottom cookies. This causes me to want to bake bars instead of drop cookies. And you never get as many cookies with bars. Although they are good that way.

I know this is a bit off topic, but feel it a worthwhile post all the same. During these tough economic times, I know this is nothing new, we have to watch every penny. During my online, and offline, shopping I have come across several sites that are a "must see" before any shopping trip.

It is that time of year again. Those of you in school know exactly what I am talking about. Finals! Some of you may have already finished up your fall semester; congratulations to all of you. Many of you will finish the semester this week; I am among the latter. As the week winds down and the last day of class approaches take a moment to reflect on your courses taken over the past few months. Did anything particularly memorable happen this past fall? It does not matter if it was good or bad or neither. What matters is the experience and what you take from it.

I am finishing up my third statistics class of 2008. What I learned most is I have learned, or rather retained, very little from any of my statistics classes. I have opted to retake one of my tests in addition to my final for this week. And in between baking, dental appointments, and an attempt to re-engage my exercise schedule I have been studying.

Finals always seem harder given they are scheduled right before a break. Winter, spring, or summer, does not matter, we are ready to be done and get started on that all too welcoming break in classes. I get two glorious weeks free of tests and papers, free of thinking, free to spend the days with my children who are growing up way too fast.

Before the true festivities can start I must finish, thus final-ize, my class. I will be prepared. I will do well. I will pass. I will not let the holidays distract me from the task at hand. And my hope is no one else will either. Good luck on your finals and have a wonderfully happy holiday season!

This is something I asked myself on more than one occasion. After high school I enrolled at my local community college. I soon dropped out. After thirteen years of school my heart was not into it. Instead I got my first full time job as a bank teller and started a family, unexpectedly. I was 19.

Two kids later, I decided it was time to return to school. Again I went to my local community college and enrolled; this time I was ready. Deciding I like working with numbers Accounting was a logical choice for me. My mom's heart was set on my obtaining a Bachelor's and possibly becoming a CPA. My heart was set on making it through school and taking it one day at a time. After two and a half years I left school with my Associates and my third child.

Thirteen yeas later, in the summer of 2007, I decided once again it was time to finish what I started all those years ago. I now live in a rural area with the nearest school an hour away. This time going back to school was going to be a different kind of challenge.

The decision to return to school was not made lightly. There were certain criteria to be met: flexible schedule, accreditation (very important), and cost. Traditional college was not going to be an option for me. So I set my sights on online schools. This was not as simple as one might think.

I looked into University of Phoenix first, but never applied. Then Liberty University was mentioned to me. I am not religious but it is nearby, offers online courses, and I know it is a legitimate school. The only drawback was the number of biblical study courses I would have to take. I applied and was accepted. Then someone mentioned Keiser University out of Ft. Lauderdale. I checked them out. They are a brick and mortar school and offer online courses. But there was one twist; you take one course each month instead of multiple courses at the same time for several months at a time. This sounded perfect for me.

I had completed my FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) while deciding on my school. The FAFSA generates a number based on your income. The Financial Aid department uses this number to determine the type(s) of loans you are best suited for and if you qualify for any grants or scholarships. By having this completed I was able to enroll in school and set up my loans within thirty days.

Today I have one year to go until I finish with my Bachelor's in Accounting. This has not been an easy road. Commitment is key, as well as time. If you are not committed to the long term and time is something you are not willing to give up, then this may not be the best thing for you.

If you are ready to take the next step, then remember to do your homework on each school. Make sure your area of study is available and there is staff willing to assist you along the way. Check out my other blog articles for scholarship sites and the link to FAFSA. Good luck!

So, I am a member of a site that is supposed to draw traffic to your web page. What happens is you add a link to your site with a short description. Then you click on other people's links and review their sites, while generating traffic (your clicking on their link). So far I have about 11 comments (on the link referral site, none on my actual site) and about 160 clicks (again, no actual comments on my actual site). This then makes me wonder if this link referral site is actual worth it for the sake of generating interest in my blog.

In my search for the best deals and useful sites available I found a sweet deal direct from Microsoft just for students (requires an .edu email address). The complete MS Office 2007 Ultimate sells for $325 to $824 online; Walmart has it listed for $599.99. You can buy the student addition for about $119, but it does not include everything.