Granted
Originally published at Examorata. Please leave any comments there.
Earlier this summer, I went back to the University of Maryland at College Park to talk with an English department advisor about finally finishing my degree. (You may remember I had a fit of nostalgia at the time.) And in the spring I’d talked to someone in the College of Arts and Humanities. This weekend I finally worked up the courage to talk to my Mom about what I wanted to do, and to see if she wouldn’t mind chipping in for school a bit since I paid most of the bill the first time. She agreed.
Last week, anticipating the talk with Mom, I got in touch with the College of Arts and Humanities again. I had a few questions about re-enrollment. My email was answered promptly, and the woman was very helpful. She helpfully pointed out the Interrupted Degree Requirement, which was a minimum of 15 credits to be taken at UMCP if a returning student has been gone more than ten years. Oh. My advising had shown me only needing eleven credits. After she looked at my situation she advised, “Email the assistant dean and request an exception!”
Maybe there was a time in my life I would have felt embarrassed or uncertain. Maybe there was a time I’d have gotten so caught up in memories of my own failure that I’d trip over my metaphorical feet and hem and haw and never send the email. But I’m older. I’m not past all embarrassment (and definitely not past all uncertainty!), but I think I probably take it in better stride now. I sent the email to the assistant dean, and I waited.
Until this afternoon, when I heard my exception had been granted. There is not much to do, it seems, except register for - and take, and pass of course - three more classes.
If I had done college the way I was supposed to the first time around, I would have graduated in 1994. I guess maybe, if the timing works out right, twenty years later I might actually get my degree.
Holy.
Crap.