The Coburn Blog

Well, I just recieved some exciting news yesterday from my VR counselor… drum roll please… hehe

They have agreed to fund my academics, to whatever college I plan on attending. They realized that in order for me to get full time employment, that I will have to earn my degree in my choosen field of study. There only thing is, I have to apply for Financial aid, that FAFSA thing federal and State aid I believe it is, and then whatever they don’t cover, VR will.. pretty exciting eh?

Now its decision time.. What school to goto.. hrmm. Well, since transportation is going to be the biggest issue, I’ll have to choose a school in Warsaw, which leaves Grace College, Ivy Tech Community College, IPFW, or Indiana Tech. hrmm. Well, it would be nice to get my bachlers, but seeing as how I’m approaching 40, I’m just not sure if I can handle a bunch of grueling general ed courses, I’m assuming since I have to apply for financial aid that I’ll have to take 3-4 classes per semester, will I be able to take 3-4 classes in the evenings, and still be able to work during the day at KMC, and still be able to keep my grades up? I just don’t know.

Also, another thing, regarding the blackboard, since VR will be funding my schooling, if I need a person to enter class with me, to take notes off the blackboard and all that, and the college won’t provide someone, then VR will step in and pay for another person to enter class with me.

Also, getting to class, if Susan has to take me, VR will pay her 40 cents a mile to take me to class, which is good we won’t have to worry about gas money, but Susan is concerned that it will be too much for her driving to Ft Wayne after work a couple times a week.. She can handle it maybe once a week, but thats about it, esp in the evenings when it gets dark out early, so all those concerns are going to influence my decision as to what school to pick.

would be nice to get my bachelors, I could get any job I wanted to with a BS degree, but will the classes be too hard for me to handle, and work too? I just don’t know, but I know that God has put me on this path for a reason, and I just have to pray and have him lead me down the path he wants me to go. God put this path in front of me for a reason, so I just have to follow thru and see where it leads me.

Right now, they want me to talk to IPFW, Ivy Tech, and Indiana Tech, to ask them about my questions and concerns, and decide after asking them.. I don’t know how to contact IPFW, so I sent them an email, hoping I sent it to the right address. Ivy Tech and Indiana Tech I’ll just have to goto those 2 places and see how it goes. I just wish I could speak to a Career counselor, to determine what I am best at, and go from there.

I looked at Ivy Techs specialties for instance, and I saw that they have… Systems Administration, Technical support Specialist, and Computer security, all different degree programs, which any one of those 3 would work for me. I’m good at Systems Security and Systems administration, and I’m a patient person so technical support would be ok too, so I just don’t know

Indiana Tech and Grace both have Computer degrees, but there not as specialized as Ivy tech, but at the same time I’d have my bachlers and I could get whatever job I wanted, but approaching 40, and having a lifelong illness, and working, can I juggle taking 3-4 classes a semester, and work during the day too? I don’t know. Most of these colleges have Online courses now, even IPFW does now, but how much of that is available online I have no idea, but that will have to be the first question I ask them, since transportation will be the biggest opsticle for me. I mean, Susan will be able to take me up to Ft Wayne once a week, but any more then that will be too much for her. Alot of that is because Susan gets up at 3:30am every morning, I mean Monday thru Sunday she’s up at 3:30, or on weekends 5 at the latest, so she’s already tired by 5pm in the evenings, although she usually doesn’t goto bed until about 7:30 or 8, evening classes sometimes last until 9pm at night, so once a week would be fine, but any more then that, she won’t be able to stay up that late. so thats the reason behind that.

Anyway, if anyone has any advice for me, feel free to leave me a comment, I could really use some advice.. Computer classes I’m not so concerned about, computers are easy for me, its just the other classes, homework, and working during the day also, but VR agreed that if I am to get a better job, rather it be a 2nd job, or another job entirely, that I’ll need to get my degree.. As I’ve said in previous blog posts, I’ve tried to work at McDonalds, walmart, those kinds of places before, but my vision has always been a problem working at those kinds of places, because of either the cash registers, or the small numbers on the shelves that I can’t see, or like at Mcdonalds where special orders are displayed on a TV type screen 30 feet away, so there is just no way I was able to see that, which is why I only lasted 2 weeks when I worked there when I was 16, so I agree that in order for me to find a better job, college is a must.

Well, thats about all I know for right now. I don’t know much else.. Take care.