Online Degrees Online Programs Online Courses Online Colleges Campus Programs eLearners Advisor Student Resources Blogs & Forums
Welcome to Online Education and Distance Learning Discussion Forums & Blogs Sign in | Join | Help
College search for 1000+ online degrees, online colleges & online universities

Online Education Blogs

Distance Learning Discussion Forums

Search Blogs & Forums

My Penn Foster College Experience

This is Terry's account of how he got started at Penn Foster College, as well as his ongoing studies towards his online Marketing degree. Read about the various pitfalls of balancing homework with family, as well as his two jobs, personal life, and volunteer work.

One Down, One to Go

These last few days of my first semester in Penn Foster College have seen a flurry of activity.  A mere 18 days after submitting it, I received the grade for my Reflective Writing essay.  Once again, I scored a 90! 

 

The instructor sent some notes along with my essay.  The most striking criticism had something to do with “little figurative language” used in my essay, but overall the instructor felt that the essay was well-written.  Either way, I’ll take the 90 and I’m thankful I did not have to wait more than a month for this grade. 

 

I sat down last night and banged out a complete rough draft of my Persuasive Essay…emphasis on the word “rough”.  I’ve got quite a bit of polish and re-writing to do, but at least I have the bones of the essay to flesh out.  I’m confident that I can finish the final draft and submit it to Penn Foster College on Saturday.

 

I’m actually thankful to one of the readers of my blog, henryw, for giving me the motivation to crank out a rough draft of this essay in one night.  After a post in which I admittedly whined a bit about the task before me, he left the following comment:

 

“Realistically, with your background, you should be able to do a little brainstorming on paper, and have a workable rough draft in a matter of hours, not days! Just get something down on paper - then worry about meeting all the requirements and polishing it later.”

 

I read that and thought “well, yeah…he’s right!”  I’ve had tight deadline all throughout my journalism career.  If I can’t finish a 900-word piece in a few days then what kind of writer am I? 

 

After I submit the Persuasive Essay my semester is officially over.  All that is left is to study for my semester finals, schedule a time to take them with my proctor, and hope for the best.  I’m actually looking forward to taking the finals, and continuing my studies with Penn Foster College.

Add to:                     
Published Thursday, September 27, 2007 10:23 PM by tcord1964

Comments

 

henryw said:

We're all in the same boat, so if anything I said actually helped, I'll be more than happy to reach in the freezer, pull out the Stoli, and pour myself a shot to celebrate with you[;-)]

I'm convinced that most of us have been conditioned like Pavlov's dogs to overreact to reading assignments, written assignment, and particularly tests. As best I can pinpoint it, it seems to start sometime around 3rd or 4th grade, and by middle school is a full-blown pandemic - all three of which "coincide" with those high-stakes nationwide tests.  

Unfortunately, most people never get over it, and as we saw recently in one of the threads, some would rather jump ship that face down the purely imaginary cuplrit.  Rarely a day goes by that I don't see much the same thing - too many are literally anxious to settle for crumbs when with minimal effort they could not only take home the cake but also own the bloody bakery!

September 28, 2007 2:18 AM
 

helenh said:

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

September 28, 2007 9:18 AM
 

MichelleA said:

Oh man.. henryw you're totally right about us being conditioned to overreact to tests!  I've been freaking out over every test I have had to take since 3rd grade!  :-P

October 1, 2007 2:36 PM
Anonymous comments are disabled

About tcord1964

Terry is a veteran writer and reporter who switched careers and currently works in marketing/public relations. He is working toward a BA in Communication from Andrew Jackson University while also doing coursework with Penn Foster College.

Penn Foster College


Penn Foster College offers associate degrees designed to give you the skills you need in today’s fastest growing fields.

Study online, in print, or in combination. You decide which method best suits your learning style.

Read More Get Info!

tcord1964

Terry is a veteran writer and reporter who switched careers and currently works in marketing/public relations. He is working toward a BA in Communication from Andrew Jackson University while also doing coursework with Penn Foster College.

This Blog

Post Calendar

<September 2007>
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
2627282930311
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30123456

Syndication