A is for Admission: Review and Giveaway

Some of you may or may not know that I am a reformed text book junkie. For the last few years I had been hooked on my text books for college. One of the many downfalls of obtaining a degree is the endless reading of boring text.

Hatchette Books reformed me and I am happy to say they started my rehab off of text books quite well with The Twilight Saga and of course Bound To Please (which was HOT HOT HOT).

I was happy when they contacted me to broaden my reading horizons with this HIGHLY informative book by Michele Hernandez, "A is for Admission" (1999).

I will tell you that this book is a must have for any parent with any aged child. I wish this book was published when I was applying to colleges some-teen years ago after I graduated high school. My dream was to attend an Ivy League college. I am, and was, an academic snob in that sense. I wanted the best education possible, but I could not afford the tuition prices that accompany the Ivy League education status. Some kids, and most parents, want the best for their child and an Ivy League education is on the list of wants but cannot always have as the stigma of you have to have money or know someone or be someone to get into an Ivy League school. Michele helps to share the dirty truths on Ivy League admissions.

Here is the skinny on A is for Admission:

About Author

Michele A. Hernandez graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1989. She served as an assistant director of admissions at Dartmouth College from 1992 to 1997. Currently, she is the president of Hernandez College Consulting LLC, one of the nation's leading firms on helping students gain admission into top colleges.

Description

For generations, the admissions process of the Ivy League schools has been cloaked in mystery and myth. Now, a former admissions officer at Dartmouth College reveals how the most selective schools make their decisions.


A is for Admission from Karie Herring on Vimeo.

Now I started reading this and at first I was thinking okay this will just be a tutorial and guide of how to apply to an Ivy League school. WRONG!! This is your ultimate walk-through guide, Bible, and handbook for insider secrets to the admissions process to some of the most ELITE schools. You know them, Harvard, Dartmouth, Yale, Princeton, to name a few. Like I said, I wish I had this for myself when I was looking to apply to colleges some-odd-teen years ago.

Michele details the process in the beginning of the book drawing the no name face of the admissions staff. A Hodgepodge if you will of Ivy League grads and "Average Joe's (Jane's)" skimming through piles and piles of over glorified or under-reviewed applications from the most prestigious families whose children have never gone without, to those families who are barely getting by, but the applicant is the diamond in the rough.

The author, Michele Hernandez, goes on to share the intricate details from the moment your child begins their educational career. Not to push your child too hard, but keep them on the brink of "Challenge" so that they strive harder for themselves, to work towards that not so lofty goal, of a college education, that everyone can attend university and an Ivy League at that.

I resonated with this book so much not only as a college graduate myself, but because I was academically gifted and financially challenged which made an Ivy League dream impossible, or so I thought. After reading A is for Admission I have promising dreams now for my own children to go after that dream of an Ivy League education, that they too can meet their goals and fulfill their dreams.

If you are like me and want to know the insiders secrets to applying and being accepted to an Ivy League college your buck stops here because Hatchette Books and I are giving away FIVE (5), yes FIVE, copies of A is for Admission to The Five Fish readers. Get a sneak peek of inside of the book too over @ Hatchette.

Here are the deets for entering to win:

Now I for one busted my own hump to finish my undergrad with kids, pregnant, working, the whole bit. So I want to hear YOUR story of a college dream and or the college dream for your kids. Leaving me this comment is the FIRST along with your VALID email address as a must to be entered to win one of the five(5) copies.

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CONTEST ENDS OCTOBER 11TH


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I am Karie, I am a Phoenix

I have a few posts here lately where I referenced my HUGE and seriously I mean HUGE accomplishment of completing my college education. Some people are like "Yeah whatever, good for you" while others I can see are my cheering fans, armed will bullhorns and pom poms (yeah...you know who you are!! Muwah!).

So here is the deal. A lot of people, moms especially, who, like me, did not have the opportunity to attend a traditional four year college right out of the high school gate. I was awarded a scholarship to the University of Arizona for academics. Quite the honor actually, the scholarship was for high honors in academics and I was only one of a small handful of students to receive the award (I had to maintain a 3.50 GPA in college to keep the scholarship). I was even accepted to Columbia University as well, another high honor. But each instance yielded a problem as an 18 year old kid....MONEY! My folks did not have any and I for sure did not have any making a meager $4.35 an hour for minimum wage back in the day. Plus my part time hours really did not provide any sort of paycheck, except one that did help me pay for gas for my car and my personal necessities and meals when working.

I suffered. Not knowing any different other than I had such a high amount of envy for those who did get to go to a traditional four year college. Those who got to enjoy the "college" experience and lifestyle. I went straight into the work force, I moved out of state, away from the comforts of my family. I had to grow up and not enjoy the young lifestyle everyone else was enjoying.

Not so bad actually since I met a LOT and I mean a LOT of business contacts in my young life, plus a very strong work ethic and impressive resume for my age. When I was 20 I bought my first house and was a finance manager for a large Dodge dealership in Albuquerque. By the time I was 25 I had bought another house with DH in Mesa, sold the house in Albuquerque (which meant we were NEVER going back...WAHOO), and I was working as a loan officer in mortgage firm in north Scottsdale. I had Big G by this time so pretty impressive to continue to work with a new baby. In 2004, the same year we bought and sold our houses DH graduated from college. He had done the whole college experience at UNM and was a fraternity brother alumni (Sigma Chi). But he did the experience like a lot of other kids who had a full paid opportunity by mom and dad.....partied. In 2000 he went back to school for his IT degree, completed in 2004 after moving, taking some time off for personal reasons, etc. So in 2005 I felt my time had come. We agreed when he was done I could go back. And so I did.

I called the Univeristy of Phoenix, just like he did and applied. Not knowing your application is accepted immediately I was in! In September of 2005 I began my classes online.

Let me clarify that online is not the easiest way to go to class. I truly thought at the time, online was going to be a breeze. I even sold DH on the idea. Little did I know that THREE LONG HARD years and two kids later what an undertaking going to school, and online school would be.

I had to post to my class 4 out of 7 days a week. This is really harder than it sound when you are working or even at home with kids. Homework. At least two papers a week, one individual and one team paper. Nights, dinners, weekends were sacrificed for the good of my work team to complete a team paper before Monday and to complete my own personal paper.

I had to on some days and nights force myself to log on to class. The days and nights that I wanted to blog. I wanted to sit and read a REAL book and not some boring text book on research and statistics. I had to neglect my home that much longer so that I could log into class, work on my homework, post to discussion questions, and participate with my learning team. Online gave me the option to not log in I felt like it, to avoid class, I did not "physically" have to be present.

But I did.

I went to class almost every night to ensure I had plenty of participation. I did all of my papers. Painstakingly. Reading all my text books, Google was my friend, DH's old text books were a savior to help in sticky situations. I did it. Three years, eight months, and four days, a twin pregnancy, a mental break down (that's another post), and a career later I finally finished my college education. A college education I thought I would never receive. A high honor of my personal sacrifice, the sacrifice of my family, my home, my livelihood. I did it.

I was proud to say on my graduation day that, "I am a Phoenix."

I used to be afraid to say that I went to the University of Phoenix, but now I am proud. I sport my degree like a big fat piece of bling! I had to cram as much information into five weeks as other students did into 18 weeks at a standard university. I was forced to work with people who were not always pleasant, but because of the UoP structure I had to finish assignments with them, stick it out, work through any conflicts and disagreements.

I now sit here today looking into my horizon of (student loans) my future. I have met one of my thousands and millions of goals and dreams. My next.....my Jurisdoctorate. To be awarded my doctorate degree. To add Esquire, to my name suffix. To practice law in the way I know how to practice law, with my finance experience, contracts, and to uphold the law. I know I can do it, I will do it, I will not let anything stop me or get in my way. I will not use excuses. I did not use excuses before, even though I had plenty. I did not let anything get in my way, even though I did have stuff to get in my way (twin pregnancy, work, married life, kids, myself).

Any of you that have considered going back to school but say, "I'm too old", "I don't have the money", "I don't have the time" these are excuses. I was afraid. I was terrified. But I conquered my fear in the first class and from then on smooth sailing. Sure I have lots of student loans, but who cares. Can you really put a price on an education? I know I can't.

Go out and do it. Research what program, what school works for you. Do not let your fears or your self get in the way of what you really want. Talk to an academic advisor, I can give you the name of mine. She was fantastic! She called me with every class telling me how much closer I was to completion and rooting me on through the process.

Just know that goals and dreams can come true and don't limit yourself to just a single dream or goal, make lots of them, small and large, and don't let anyone tell you dreams don't come true.

Blase Blah Blah Blase

Yeah can you so tell I am feeling a funk again. Must be because I have a million things going on at once and I am so behind on my 'To Do' List. Seriously, I even have an ELECTRONIC to do list on my sidebar here on Vista........you see.I have some checked off but not all, some personal some blog, some I do not even have listed. Plus some days of my life really are not blog worthy and I refuse to bore anyone with how mundane and snooze filled my life can be. Granted, twins keep you on your toes, but who wants to hear about Big G and the twins sword fighting, all day, with spatulas. Funny stuff, but not always blog worthy. And I refuse to stoop to the blog or V-Log level of "Lets talk about MJ" or "Lets talk about Jon and Kate's divorce" or "How we are going on strike for a month from PR."

Seriously?!

I have no one to answer to but myself. If my fabulous bloggy friends would like me to answer to you....TOO BAD! You know it, heck I have no expectations about your life and what goes on, that is your business and if you want to share GREAT, if not GREAT TOO!

Anyway back to my million things, the one of my million things that I did not share in all my blase blah blah crap is that I graduated college this year. Yeah, I did the "I'm going to grow up first and not blow shit tons of money on college and not finish in my 20's. I am going to grow up and work and then blow shit tons of money on college and finish....before I'm 40!" I am on that plan...still on that plan. Have to take my LSAT's build a portfolio, yeah lots to do if you want to argue for a living. So I finished college and tomorrow is my big day!

I am participating in the commencement ceremonies at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale where I will be walking with like 1000 other people! Cool huh?! Yeah I am stoked, but been so busy to get really stoked about it....which sucks! I mean I should be like every other college grad out getting hammered.............and passing out puking. ICK, gosh I used to be that stupid, now I am a lame old fart who has a few and just passes out before 10pm. WOOT, I am such the life of the party! WOO WOO! No really, so I am excited and wanted to share with you all in case you care, or are super curious, or want to poke fun at me, because I have a fear I will trip and fall flat on my fat face tomorrow! So here is the linky for the commencements, the ceremony begins at 10:30am Arizona (Pacific Daylight Time) time. So please feel free to watch the ceremony, cheer me on through your virtual portal and laugh with me when I fall on my face, and then leave me a comment hoping I am okay!

www.phoenix.edu/graduation

Wordful Wednesday

The mail finally came. The day finally arrived. Wednesday is here!

This Wordful Wednesday is probably the most important to me because of the simple fact that Three Years, Nine Months and Two Days ago I began an important journey. Unlike any journey of self gratification and growth this journey was of fulfillment and total and complete accomplishment. This journey was about me, when I was me, before my kids became a part of me, this is the five year old me "What do you wanna be when you grow up?"

In 1996 (I am dating myself here.....bear with me) I was awarded the Regents Scholarship Award to the University of Arizona. Quite the prestigious award right? You bet. I was a smarty pants. I was so smart and so good at school I was awarded a scholarship for it! To my favorite state university too. I was AMPED!! So some months passed and I was readying myself for the BIG COLLEGE experience when I was hit with a ton of nonsense.

Dorms....FULL.
Student Housing....FULL.
Accepted and Ready to Go to College...CHECK.
Parents were as broke as Humpty Dumpty....CHECK.

Just shy of my 18th birthday I was destroyed. I spent hours on the phone trying to find a way into housing, find a way to get to college. Then I heard these words, "Probably a good thing....you would just party your way through school and destroy your scholarship anyway."

FANTASTIC!

So I was destined for nothingness right? WRONG

In September of 2005 one year after DH had finally finished his degree program (many years after high school and his "college" experience at UNM) I grow some large kiwis (thats for you Lizz because I wub joo) and I apply to college. And I am accepted. And I cannot believe it.

For the last three years I have sacrificed my time and self for this fancy piece of paper that tells me that I have mastered the fine art of BULLSHIT. (LOL) No really....it says so....BS.

Just kidding.

But really my degree is a BS. A Bachelors of Science in Business Finance. This is my second degree, my first is in just plain old business. However, the document before you is the real deal. I have been waiting ANXIOUSLY to get this is in the mail to show that I did it! And I partied too!
I also happened to maintain a 3.83 GPA thank you very much. In this time that I have gone back to school I did the following:

• Worked Full Time
• Raised a Family
• Had a Breakdown
• Recovered from a Breakdown
• Put Down my Bassett Hound (who was like my first born, I had her before I had kids and she was so young too...she is my next WW post!)
• Found I was Pregnant with TWINS!
• Went through Nine Months of Twin Pregnancy
• Delivered my Twins in the Middle of a Class, and finished with an A
  
• Raised Twins and a Larger Family
• Managed to maintain my normal home life, BLOGGED, (woot!!) worked, had kids, and still graduated!

On July 18th 2009 I will be celebrating my graduation by participating in the commencement ceremonies at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale and I am as giddy as a high school girl. The day my diploma arrived I was shaking and in tears. I just had to share that ANYONE can do it at any time! Go back to school, fulfill your dreams, don't let anything stand in your way!

Happy Wordful Wednesday Everybody! And as always make sure you stop by Angie's to give some linky love and share in your Wordful Wednesday!