It has been over a year since Pat has written....and it's a shame because rediculous things happen nearly everyday. Students become more confused and obsurd by the minute and, perhaps, feeling overwelmed by it all Pat has temporarily discontinued the confessions of a secretary.
This afternoon a student walks into the office.
"Hi- I need to talk to someone about credits?"
That's very vague- Pat pushes for more information, "Transfer credit?"
"Kind of," the student replies. How can it kind of be transfer credit? It either is or isn't.
"I think I need to talk to the head English person...."they" told me I need to speak to the guy over English because I want to see if I can not have to take a class." That doesn't sound like transfer credit to Pat.
Pat shakes her head a little trying to make the words that have just gone in her ears fall into logical place in her mind.
"Ok....what class are you trying to get out of?"
"I tested into 890 and it's really easy for me so I need to get out of 990."
Thank goodness, Pat thinks, this one is not her problem. "Actually we are only over college-level courses. You need to go to the remedial office upstairs."
"The thing is that I already took one of these classes at _____ University but it didn't transfer."
Pat begins to look up the student's transcript to find out what the problem is, but as she's typing she learns that the real problem is just the student....
"It was called 101 there but it came in as an elective. I don't know why because _________ University is a higher University than here....so whatever."
Pat narrows her eyes. Here are the things that she wants to say:
"A higher University in what way? They have University status and so do we. Do you mean higher in accreditation? Because we have the highest form of accreditation. Do you even have the slightest idea what accreditation entails....or is? No- you don't. So, do you just mean a higher University in your little mind because you personally feel as if it is better than here? Right- just checking. Ok then, how they number their classes is insignificant. Just because they call their random class 101 does not mean that it is equivilant to our 1010 course. And in this case it appears as if it is not because it transfered in as an elective and not our 1010. That seems pretty clear to me. And furthermore, I find it particularly unlikely that you took a class that is equivilant in your mind to our 1010 less than a year ago and then came here and took our placement test and tested 2 classes below college level. Perhaps your superior university left you ill-prepared for furthering your education?"
Instead, Pat smiles and says, "If you have a question about re-evaluating that transferred class then you will need to speak to the Transfer Credit office. Otherwise, if your question is about a 990 course than you need to speak to the redial department, as we do not cover those classes."
"OK....downstairs."
"No- upstairs," Pat says. Good attention to detail. I guess it's hard to listen to instructions when your head is so full of false information.
