LCC Update: Finally some encouraging news!

Today I logged into my LCC Acct. to check Financial Aid status, which for weeks has been "under review", and it has finally gone through! Although the course is still full to capacity, I called the Nursing Dept. and was again encouraged to attend the first day of class and told that chances of someone dropping and me getting in this term are very high...more good news!

The not so great news is that I underestimated the cost of the course by a little over $200 and the course fees and tuition do not cover any other supplies such as textbooks, scrubs, lab kit, etc... And to get my car legal, insured and tires replaced will be approx. $600 None of which will be available to me until I am officially registered which looks like that wont happen until the course is under way.

The other good news concerning Financial Aid is that instead of the 4-6week wait for disbursement as I was initially told, it will be less than 2 weeks to get the balance of my Pell Grant after course fees and tuition...this is fantastic news, I only wish I could get it sooner but thanks to some asshole waiting until the last minute to drop the bloody course I'm screwed.

Oh well, I'm trying to stay positive and focus on the GOOD news I received today as the last couple weeks I have been really stressing out over all of this and wondering if it was even going to be possible. I'll keep you posted!

Cautiously optimistic: LCC Orientation

So, I just got back from a 2 hr. course orientation @ LCC for Acute/Long Term Care CNA.  The issue of parking/detours was not as bad as I had expected and I arrived 20 min. early and found a spot in the Grand Ave. lot no problem.  Even better was the fact that right outside the parking lot was the building where I will be attending classes...win, win!

I arrived in plenty of time to the appropriate floor/classroom (1st one there!)  Apparently there had been some issue w/ getting the info to registered students for the course that there was orientation today and only about 10 of the 25 registered showed up (good news for me I hope!).

There was one other woman who attended who was also not registered, but the prof. stated whoever had contacted her first would get any available seat in the course and stated that was ME...woo hoo!

We covered a lot of information including pre req's, text books, scrub and footwear requirements (navy blue scrubs and *horrors!* white shoes)  I also found out that they had not stated correctly the TB test requirement and I will need to go take a second 2 step TB test, which is just more of an inconvenient annoyance than any real big deal.

The other pre req's include passing a blood born pathogens test and HIPAA/OSHA tests as well, all of which are available free of charge online, phew!

All in all I think it went well, and I have renewed hope that I will in fact get a spot this term.  I'll keep ya posted!

Me, ready for orientation @ LCC

Take a deep breath...

Today begins my long awaited foray into academia and I'm beginning to freak out!  I checked on the class web site (as I have several times a day, every day, for weeks now) and thought I saw a spot had finally opened up.  I made a mad dash to the Banner site for LCC students to finally register for the course....well, I hit a snag, called the Nursing Dept. and found I had not only read the information wrong, but that the class capacity had in fact been dropped from 25 to 24 with actual students registered remaining at 25.  This means not only can I not register today, but that I now need a minimum of TWO people to drop before I can register....GRRRR!!

I was however advised again to show up to orientation today (assuming I can navigate all the fucking detours that seem to be plaguing the ENTIRE city of Lansing) and also show up (unregistered) to the first day(s) of class in hopes someone will drop and my attendance will bode well with the course professor.

So, with paper bag in hand (for hyperventilating purposes), I will be on my way shortly to begin a new phase of my life in hopes of finding some semblance of a career and to make a positive change in moving forward after being stuck for such a long time.  Wish me luck!