The first thing different about placement tests is that they're on a computer system now. Also, the test is interactive - and each new question is based on your answer to the previous question.
A lot has changed since the mid 80's.
The good news for me is that my Reading comprehension was high enough to meet graduation standards. No required reading classes for me. Another piece of good news is that my overall English comprehension is very high and I can jump right in with 4-year University level classes.
Yippee!
And now the pathetic news....I'll be starting with remedial math...pre-algebra. Which is good in its own way since my last math class was 25 years ago and I don't recall having a complete understanding even back then. How I ever passed geometry and Algebra 2/Trig is beyond me. No doubt it had something to do with a long series of substitute teachers during my year of Algebra 2/Trig. I did learn a lot of things in that class...just nothing math related.
Dividing fractions, multiplying fractions....totally beyond me. Now if they'd asked about credit scores, revolving credit interest rates or mortgage qualifying ratios....I'd have aced the test.
I knew things were going badly when each successive question was easier than the last. I did have a piece of scratch paper to work out math problems....but when a person doesn't have a clue to begin with, scratch paper won't help. But if John walked 10 blocks in 10 minutes, I could figure out how many blocks he'd walked in 35 minutes...so all is not lost.
I did find an on-line tutorial for dividing and multiplying fractions.... a website designed for elementary school kids....and apart from feeling really stupid, it did help and I was able to teach myself those skills. Boy I love the Internet.
I saw the counselor to work out my educational plan (thankfully she was older than me) and now have a general plan of attack. Next step is to fight to get into a class....but I have at least a month before I engage in that struggle. For now, just trying to find a job along with all the other out-of-work real estate and mortgage professionals.
Trying to keep good spirits -- as my Governor once said...."I'll be bock".
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Starting college in my 40s - What am I thinking?
What have I been doing for over 20 years that I would just be starting college now??? Well, working a career in mortgage lending and raising a kid just to name a couple.
But that kid is now in college and as far as my career in mortgage lending - well, Wall Street killed that off. This is the 2nd major market crash I've endured - and I've had enough.
I've been madly searching for jobs for over 2 months but it seems that 20+ years in mortgage finance qualifies a person for almost nothing else except cashier jobs...and those are scarce in a crashing economy.
I was called recently to interview for a job in a bakery/cafe. The manager called me in the morning with a happy voice and asked me to come in that same afternoon. So as a smart business person does, I dressed nicely in black slacks and a white fitted button down shirt and went off with a happy heart to what I hoped would be a nice, low-paying yet stable job. When I arrived, one of their teenage employees went to fetch this happy-sounding manager. The manager walked out through the kitchen doors, looked me straight in the eyes, then rolled her eyes and stormed back through the kitchen doors.
Yes, I was totally deflated. After another half hour of waiting alone in a corner table a different young woman came out to interview me. I was told during this interview that I would only be considered for a catering assistant job....minimum wage....minimum hours...and even that they couldn't guarantee. To add further insult to my injury, I was informed I didn't have any real experience and she didn't know why I wanted the job in the first place. Nice.
It was about that moment when everything became crystal clear...my choices are:
So now I've been accepted as an incoming Freshman at my local community college where I'll get to compete with children for seats in already over-crowded class rooms. Well, they may roll their eyes at me too -- but I won't give a shit because they're not signing my paycheck.
Tomorrow is placement test day. This ought to be a laugh - its only been, like, 25 years since my last math class. Unless they'll be testing me on credit scores or qualifying ratios, I think I'll suck big-time.
But that kid is now in college and as far as my career in mortgage lending - well, Wall Street killed that off. This is the 2nd major market crash I've endured - and I've had enough.
I've been madly searching for jobs for over 2 months but it seems that 20+ years in mortgage finance qualifies a person for almost nothing else except cashier jobs...and those are scarce in a crashing economy.
I was called recently to interview for a job in a bakery/cafe. The manager called me in the morning with a happy voice and asked me to come in that same afternoon. So as a smart business person does, I dressed nicely in black slacks and a white fitted button down shirt and went off with a happy heart to what I hoped would be a nice, low-paying yet stable job. When I arrived, one of their teenage employees went to fetch this happy-sounding manager. The manager walked out through the kitchen doors, looked me straight in the eyes, then rolled her eyes and stormed back through the kitchen doors.
Yes, I was totally deflated. After another half hour of waiting alone in a corner table a different young woman came out to interview me. I was told during this interview that I would only be considered for a catering assistant job....minimum wage....minimum hours...and even that they couldn't guarantee. To add further insult to my injury, I was informed I didn't have any real experience and she didn't know why I wanted the job in the first place. Nice.
It was about that moment when everything became crystal clear...my choices are:
- Starve and wait for the recession to end
- Compete with children for low paying jobs where experience is not valued
- Obtain a college degree to ensure that I'm always competitive in the job market
So now I've been accepted as an incoming Freshman at my local community college where I'll get to compete with children for seats in already over-crowded class rooms. Well, they may roll their eyes at me too -- but I won't give a shit because they're not signing my paycheck.
Tomorrow is placement test day. This ought to be a laugh - its only been, like, 25 years since my last math class. Unless they'll be testing me on credit scores or qualifying ratios, I think I'll suck big-time.
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