CollegeAt47.com

On Thursday, April 24, I went to the Downtown campus to take the College Placement Test.  It has been 30 years this month since I took the Florida GED test and passed in the top 10%, so I was told.  I already had a student number and the $35 fee was paid, so a nice young lady at the counter directed me to a quiet little room with two other test takers who finished soon after I took a seat at a computer.  I finished the test in 1 hour, 33 minutes, 12 seconds.

On the Reading Comprehension Test, My score was 114; student is at college level reading when the score of 83 or better.  No reading is required.

On the Sentence Skills Test, I scored 107; a score of 83 or better is required. So I am qualified to take Composition I, ENC 1101.

This course description is copied from the SP College web site:

ENC 1101 COMPOSITION I 3 credits

“G” Prerequisite: (ENC 0020 or EAP 1695) and (prerequisite or co-requisite REA 0002) or appropriate scores on the Writing and Reading placement tests. This course is designed to develop composition skills. It emphasizes the development of the multi-paragraph essay and includes practice in information retrieval from electronic and other sources, as well as in the selection, restriction, organization, and development of topics. It also offers the student opportunities to improve proficiency with sentence structure, diction, and mechanics. Selected writing samples are examined as models of form and as sources of ideas for the student’s own writing. Conferences provide individual instruction. Sections of computer-assisted and individualized instruction are offered. This course partially satisfies the writing requirements outlined in the General Education Requirements. Credit is not given for both ENC 1101 and ENC 1121H. 47 contact hours.

On the Arithmetic Test, I scored an 83, and on the Elementary Algebra, my score was a pitiful 31.  I read and understand my tape measure quite well, but beyond sixteenths, eighths, quarters, and halves, I am quite lost.  I know of the existence of pi, square roots and other math words, but just what to do with them is still a mystery to me.  So I have to take a non-credit course in Elementary Algebra. This course is for students who score 65 or higher on the Arithmetic Skills Test and less than 72 on the Elementary Algebra Test.

This course description is copied from the SP College web site:

MAT 0024 ELEMENTARY ALGEBRA 3 or 5 credits

Prerequisite: MAT 0012 or appropriate score on mathematics placement test. This course is a study of the basic skills and concepts of elementary algebra from the view of a college student who needs an understanding of basic algebra. Major topics include language and operations on sets, operations on signed numbers, simple linear equations and inequalities in one variable, operations on polynomials (including beginning techniques of factoring), integer exponents, brief introduction to radicals, introduction to graphing, and applications. 47 or 77 contact hours based on credit hours of class.

College Preparatory Credits (0000 designations) may not be used toward graduation credits.

I knew that I would have trouble with higher math, so I am not disappointed in having to take a remedial course.  It will be fun.  I signed up for the summer night classes at the St, Petersburg/Gibbs campus.

Class #414 MAT 0024 Elementary Algebra starting on May 12, 2008.  I will be going from 7:30 to 9:20 PM three nights a week. The class ends July 18, 2008.  The fee was $292.64 and this has been paid.

The textbook required for this class is Introductory Algebra by Marvin L. Bittinger and it cost me $104.33 at the bookstore on the Gibbs campus.  The cashier in the bookstore told me to keep my receipt in case I wanted to return it.  A student standing nearby said that they would only pay $4 for a used book, but I love books and would keep this one forever anyway.  This book has a “Used Saves - Textbooks From Your Bookstore” sticker on the spine.  I don’t know what that means.  This book looks brand new.  At that price it should be brand new.  Next time I will ask about the purpose of this sticker. Did I pay full price for a used book?

I did ask a student about how to get a student ID.  I think the nice young lady back at the Downtown campus should have told me about the process for that.  The helpful student directed me to the Security office where I showed the officer my paperwork and explained that I thought I should have a Student ID card.  He agreed with me, and within 5 minutes, I had a Student ID upon which you will find my smiling face.

I am now looking forward to May 12, 2008 and the beginning of my college career.  It is my desire to be educated. It is up to me and I will make it happen.

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 26th, 2008 at 5:07 am and is filed under admission, text books, Gibbs campus, Downtown campus, tests. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.