How is Registering for Classes at Mesa Community College Different from Registering for High School Classes?

Don’t wait to register for classes at Mesa Community College.  Enrolling means that MCC has your name and information set-up in the software.  Registering means that you actually get to create your own schedule.  It is true that the earlier you register the more choices you will have.  Here is some information that may help you make your decisions.

·         Courses – If you wait too long to register, the course may become full and you will not be allowed in. Many courses have a 25:1 ratio of students to instructor, so that means that if 25 people want that class before you get around to registering, then you will have to choose an alternate class. 

o   ‘Sections’ is the word used to describe the specific class you enroll in.  Just like in high school, during 3^rd period Mrs. Smith taught English, but so did Mr. Jones and Ms. Doe.  Also, while Mrs. Smith taught English 3^rd period, she also taught it again 4^th and 5^th period and then a literature class during 6^th period.  All courses will have section numbers assigned. On the other hand, if you make the sudden decision to go to college, you can register even the morning of the first day of classes; you just won’t have as many options.

·         Day of Week – For face-to-face classes you can choose between MWF, T/TR, MW.  Classes that meet three days a week are 50 minutes long; classes that meet twice a week are 1.25 hours long; and classes that meet once a week last 3 hours.  If you work, think about how you function best.  For me, I found that I was much less stressed when I gave an entire day to one event - MWF were for work, while T/TR were for college classes.  This type of schedule meant less driving around and less hustling from one location to another.  However, perhaps your employer wants you to work every morning five days a week, then you can then sign up for all afternoon classes four or five days a week.

Link to MCC Class Schedule

·         Time of Day – Classes begin every hour from 8:00am to 7:00pm.  The 9:00, 10:00, & 11:00 classes fill up the quickest.  The types of students that enroll at various times is also something to think about.  I’m just going to say it.  Sometimes those who plan to have the first classes of the day at 12:00 are the ones that roll out of bed because of partying.  That lifestyle also creates a certain Introduction to Human Communication classes at 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00.  In any/all of my classes, I only allow for five absences before being dropped with loss of credit.  Within my three earlier sections of classes, only 2/60 students are on the edge of losing credit because of missed classes.  Conversely, in my noon class, 8/17 have gone over the allowed absences and are minutes away from being withdrawn. The grades are a very clear reflection of those absences.  You get to plan your own life, so thinking about variables is valuable.

·         Professors – Here’s the secret that is not advertised by campuses, but students should know. RateMyProfessors.com is a student generated website that describes professors from the unedited perspective of former students.  A word of advice.  It is just like Amazon reviews because while one person will adore the item and award 5 stars, another person will hate that same item and give it only one star.  The trick is you need to read what the evaluators say.  

On RateMyProfessors.com, if an instructor gets a low score because he/she assigns homework, and you like homework far better than just four tests a semester, then disregard those comments and put more validity into the comments that discuss the level of difficulty of tests.  If students complain that the class was too hard, consider whether or not the topic will be difficult no matter the teacher.  Calculus is Calculus, but you can read the reviews to see if a student claims that certain instructors explain concepts well and are willing to work with you outside of class.

·         Method of Delivery – You have options of how you would like to learn the material

o   Main Campus Face-to-Face (Southern and Dobson)

o   Red Mountain Face-to-Face (McKellipps and Power)

o   Hybrid (reduced number of face-to-face class sessions combined with Internet work)

o   Online (all class work will be done from a computer)

o   Late-Start (start several times during the semester in 8, 10, or 14 week class options)

Link to MCC Choices Page

So what are you waiting for?  With just a wee bit of looking, you can have your ideal semester schedule - you just have to do it now.  Don't sacrifice the things you want more for the things you want right now!

Road Sign: https://www.unigo.com/in-college/college-experience/help-i-need-to-choose-a-college-major

Line: http://www.careerquest.edu/blog/2011/06/be-first-line

Same Clothes Meme: https://memegenerator.net/instance/54759157/the-lazy-college-senior-wearing-the-same-outfit-two-days-in-a-row-because-no-one-from-your-tthu-clas

Books and Clock: http://www.thecollegejuice.com/2016/07/5-reasons-early-morning-classes-secretly-best/

MCC Class Schedule Images: https://www.mesacc.edu/schedule/

Rate My Professor Images: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com

Dual Enrollment at MCC is for You, and You, and You!

If you have read my last few blog posts, you know how passionate I am about education.  It get so excited, and … umm … a little intense.  I’ve been told that it is difficult to be the child of a teacher because there are high expectations - expectations to complete work, study hard, and respect learning.   If that is the burden that a teacher’s child must bear, then so be it.  I assume that the only child of a teacher endures an even more level of academic scrutiny.  Welcome to my 14 year-old son’s world.

            For 10 years I have been declaring that my Ryan will be graduating with his associate’s degree as he graduates with his high school diploma.  He will have two years of college complete before he becomes a legal adult.  Sounds like my son will be locked in his room, pouring over textbooks while other teens are allowed to enjoy life?  Nope.  This plan can mostly be accomplished by showing up to his high school classes at our neighborhood public school, taught by teachers who are certified secondary education instructors, as well as documented college professors.  This is the magnificent DUAL ENROLLMENT program, offered through the Maricopa County Community College District.  Students can earn high school credits and college credits simultaneously.

         In an article entitled, “The Answer Is Yes,” the authors report how beneficial it is for young adults to take college credits while still in the familiar halls of high school, “The analyses showed that community college students who participated in dual enrollment were nearly 2.5 times more likely to graduate in 2 years.”

            Mesa Community College’s website provides important information:

So if you want to save both time and money, consider enrolling in DUAL ENROLLMENT courses.  While it will cost $86 a credit, that money will be an incredible investment into your future.  Make a small sacrifice now and enjoy the benefit of earning college credits while sitting in third period English class!

'My Mom is a Teacher' Image: https://www.spreadshirt.com/my+mom+is+a+teacher+superpower+your+mom+have-A106007332

All other images and videos are shots from www.mesacc.edu

You, and Everyone You Know, Can Come to Mesa Community College!

            Too often it is easy to think that certain privileges are for other people.  People who have more money, people who have the right connections, or people who have different abilities.  This thinking creates a trap that limits possibilities and minimizes success.  Break free and imagine the future you deserve.

            Everyone is welcome at Mesa Community College - everyone.  Prior education, socio-economic status, or learning difficulties will not affect your ability to enroll in our college and register for classes.  Students preparing for technical / trade careers receive the same quality instruction as those students preparing to transfer to earn multiple graduate degrees.

ALL students will be shown the respect they deserve, as proven by a letter that was published by MCC’s acting president, Sasan Pureetazadi.  Below you can read his statement:

   

I am so proud to be an employee of Mesa Community College and also the Maricopa College District.  Previously the college district fought federal laws to allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition rates if they attended Arizona’s public schools, and now we are declaring our allegiance to student success.  This means so much to me because I have been blessed to work with such a diverse group of students.

 As an instructor my goal is to create a classroom culture that celebrates student-centered learning.  Acceptance and compassion are built through effective communication among peers.  A few semester ago, I was fortunate to teach in a classroom with the perfect group dynamic:

Sohaib is an international student from Saudi Arabia who lights up the room with his smile and his desire to interact with his new American friends, Kaylee is a single mom who openly shares her struggles with bipolar disorder, Ken is a 53 year old student who thrives on learning and sharing, Erin is a graduate of the Achieving a College Education program (ACE) and is proud of her enrollment at MCC, Travis is a deaf student who jumped into his group’s

service-learning project, Daniel is a married soldier who spoke with wisdom about his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and success in overcoming his addiction to alcohol, Alyse is a product of a group home and taught all of us about depression and the signs of suicide, Eric is a black man who was raised in the violent streets of Chicago and is now raising his son on his own, Elemedina is a Bosnian refugee who went to school in Germany before coming to America, Travis is a Navajo soldier who lost his brother to suicide during the semester, Shane is a gay man who shared how accepting his mother was when he told her, De’Shaun is a football player and the first in his family to graduate from high school, and Mark is committed to communicating with other people to overcome his debilitating social anxiety.

I know all of this information because it was shared aloud in class.  Their stories become human connections, and these connections build a community where the students support one another and then often share what they’ve learned with their own friends and family.  This peer support is so important because it can help make the students’ lives a little less frustrating and helping them achieve success.  As an instructor, I treasure the supportive role I play.

Pluralism is an amazing concept that we try to teach at Mesa Community College.  As described in an article, “Civil Society: Engaging the Differences among Us”:

Difference is a matter of perspective, and sometimes the fear of differences threatens us more than the actual differences.  A society where many religions, political ideologies, ethnicities

and worldviews coexist under one government is called pluralism. The various groups may not agree with each other, but they find ways to live together. Our crowded public square means, for example, that Christians and atheists can’t avoid one another and that conservatives and liberals must listen as well as talk. Our differences enrich our common existence as long as they harm or coerce no one.   Differences themselves matter, but engaging those differences matters more. 

Civil society creates public space for people to interact with one another and grow familiar with the unique identities around them.  Our differences have more meaning when they enter into conversation with other differences. Otherwise, we get stuck in our own social cloisters. Creativity suffers in the classroom or town hall when new ideas are barred from discussion. But when we engage with the broader community we discover that we don’t have to resemble others to respect others. A population of isolated individuals develops into a community when people think outside themselves. Tolerance then grows to understanding. Monologue changes to dialogue. In a healthy society diverse elements are in constant encounter.

Pluralism is not easy, but pluralism is a reality of modern life. The solutions to its challenges depend on the quality of our deliberation as citizens and neighbors.  Pluralism can work if we are confident enough in our own beliefs to let other people confidently express theirs.

Everyone, please come to Mesa Community College.  No matter where you have been, where you are now, or were you are headed, we want you to be a part of our campus community.  Not only do we have things to teach you, you have so much to teach all of us.

Just do it Now and Register at Mesa Community College Already!

You’ve been hearing it your whole life!  You’ve been ignoring it most of your life!  You are about to get the lecture again because it really will have a powerful impact.  Do you get that -- not only years of time, but possibly thousands of dollars?

Perhaps you put things off when you were young because of WORRIES & FEARS:

·         Getting your vaccination shots

·         Swimming and jumping off the diving board

·         Learning how to ride a bike

Once you got it over with, you realized that you made a much bigger deal out of it than need be.

Perhaps you put things off when you were a little older because you DIDN’T FEEL LIKE it:

·          Finishing chores around the house

·         Doing your homework

·         Finding ways to make money

Once you got it over with, you realized that you could have gone out with your friends 5 hours sooner if you would have just taken the 15 minutes to straighten your room.  Once you got it over with, you realized that if you would have just taken one hour to write that paper, you would not have been grounded, or not blown your GPA, or not had to enroll in summer school to make up a credit.  Once you got it over with, you realized that if you had just started mowing your neighbor’s yard last summer, you would have already had enough money saved to buy your own car.

Perhaps you are putting off enrolling at MCC and registering for classes because of a combination of  WORRIES & FEAR AND LAZINESS:

1)      No one in my family has done this, and I can’t figure it out on my own

2)      There is so much paperwork that I don’t even understand; it’s too much

3)      I didn’t even like, or do that well in high school, so how could I succeed in college

4)      Everybody talks about how expensive college is and student debt; there’s no way my family can afford that

5)      I didn’t take ACT or SAT tests and I can’t write an application essay

6)      I don’t have four years to waste before I get a career that will bring money to my family

7)      I don’t want to go to my high school’s career center/counselor during lunch because that is my only time to spend with my friends

8)      I don’t want to meet with an MCC representative after school because then I will have to find a ride home

9)      This is my senior year, the best time of my life, and I want to enjoy every minute of it before I have to become an adult

10)  I’ll do it after graduation because then I’ll have more time

I asked students to write down what they wish they would have known before enrolling at MCC, what they still want to know, and what advice they may have for those of you who are potential college students.  Combined with their responses, below I offer wisdom based on the thousands of students that I have taught over the last 18 years. 

Each number below will correspond with the excuse above.  Find the excuses that you most often find yourself using. 

Let me address your WORRIES & FEARS first. 

1)      You can be the first college student from your family because you look beyond yourself.  You look at the sacrifices that your parents and grandparents have made for you to receive a good education, and you will show appreciation through continuing to learn.  You will look beyond yourself by thinking about your future life and family.  Those who come after you will learn from you and follow your example.  You are paving the path so those you love can have every opportunity.  When you get perspective and look back and look forward, this is an easy hurdle for you to leap.

In addition, you don’t have to figure this out on your own.  If you reach your hand out just a bit, there will be swarm of people who want to help you.  My student responses repeatedly counseled those thinking about college to ask questions – to ask many questions.  Don’t be too proud to ask, and don’t be too shy.  Almost anyone who has even a bit of knowledge about college will want to help you.  Watch a person’s eyes light up with excitement when you ask them to help you achieve your dreams.  If you ask someone you know and trust to help, and they do not have the answers you need, ask them to help you find someone who can provided the needed information.  Heck, contact me!  I LOVE talking about how wonderful school is and I will get you connected to people who can help with every step.

2)      There really isn’t much work, and it can all be done online at home, or you can simply walk into the enrollment center with your ID.  admissions website

a.       Keep in mind – If you want to enroll in-person at MCC and register for classes, please come to campus at non-peak times.  For example, waiting until two weeks before school starts will cause you to wait for long periods of time.  The enrollment center is located across the parking lot, just west of the football field in building 39. MCC Campus Map

3)      You are not the same person you were when you were 14 years old.  Do not make the mistake of thinking that one frustrating math class in 8^th grade determines who you can be.  MCC offers you a new beginning where no one will know about (or care about) choices you made when you were young.  College and high school are not the same thing, so give yourself a break and step onto campus with your goals in sight.

4)      Maricopa Community Colleges offer the same exact credits that ASU, NAU, and UofA offer.  There is an agreement between the schools that all 100 level and 200 level credit courses will transfer evenly across schools.  The biggest difference is the cost per credit.  MCC will cost $86 per credit if you must pay out-of-pocket, but there are many ways to get more funding.  The very first financial aid paperwork you need to fill out is FAFSA.  That is federal money that does not ever have to be repaid. Check out this website for more information: FAFSA Information

5)      No ACT or SAT needed!  No essay needed!  The movies and TV shows where the characters have to wait for acceptance are not the reality for MCC students.  You will be accepted – 100%.  It is like a no-cut sport, but it is a no-cut college opportunity!

6)      MCC offers career training opportunities that will help you earn a higher wage.  If you then want to continue with your education part-time while you work part-time, your college job will be a stepping stone to your career.  Look at the example below.  The AAS means it is a full associate’s degree, and the CCL indicates that it is a certificate that can be earned and used immediately to ask for a higher wage at your construction job while you continue your studies part-time.  Even if it takes you four years to complete your associates instead of two because you are working in the field of your career choice, your resume will be full of certificates and experience.

Construction Program Webpage

Now let me address your LAZINESS: 

7)      Most of you have had about 2,340 lunches at school, K-12.  Do not sacrifice your opportunity to get help enrolling in college while you are still in high school because you need another lunch at the same table in the cafeteria.   It will be so much easier to take care of everything at your familiar high school campus.  Take your friends with you!  Use positive peer pressure to get your buddies signed up too! 

8)      You will never regret staying after school to meet with an MCC representative who will help you build a solid foundation for your future.  Very, very worst case scenario?  You have to walk for 30 minutes to get home.  Those 30 minutes will save you hours in the future because you won’t have to wait in long lines.  Imagine your family’s reaction when you tell them what you accomplished by staying after school just one day. 

9)      I recently heard a story about a boy who was shivering by a smoldering campfire as the sun rose on the mountain campsite.  His father asked why he looked so miserable.  The boy answered that because the fire died he was awake all night freezing.  When the father asked why the boy didn’t wrap up in his sleeping bag, the boy sheepishly replied, “I didn’t want to have to roll up my sleeping bag in the morning, so I never used it.”   Please do not make such a silly decision that will bring you so many struggles in the future.  You do not have to spend every day of your senior year worrying about college, because thinking about and planning for MCC for just a few days should cover it.  You will be able to enjoy your last year of high school much more if you have the peace of knowing where your path will take you.  Take care of enrollment and registration early, and then you can focus on the end of the year celebrations without a nagging feeling. 

10)  You will never have more time.  That is the life-long battle of thinking you’ll have more time in the future, but something will always come up and your time will be stolen.  You will have to work, you will want to travel, and you will have to help the family.  Just do it, and just do it now!

Whew!  That was a lot of lecturing, but because it is in print you can pick and choose the lessons that you most need to hear.  You can re-read my wise counsel when you are tempted to sacrifice the things you want most in your life for the things you want right this minute.  Spread the message. 

Use this blog to lecture everyone you know.

Baby: http://www.anticancermom.com/5-ways-to-help-you-stop-worrying-that-you-have-cancer-2-is-super-easy/

Lazy Girl: https://www.verywell.com/kids-and-procrastination-what-parents-should-know-3288035

Registration Stress: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/5-stages-registering-college-classes

Generation Hands: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-ever-changing-generations

Career Chalkboard: http://outline.occultisme.tk/occultisme/goals-for-a-job-15755.html

Construction Program: https://www.mesacc.edu/programs/construction-management

Walking Future: https://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/into_the_future.html

Sleeping Bag Image: http://blog.nwf.org/2011/04/3-easy-activities-for-campsite-fun/

Spread the Word: http://republicirelandbank.com/?page_id=850

You are Not Alone, No Matter Your Situation

I taught 6^th graders in 1995, my first year of teaching.  I taught in a small farming town in Idaho with a large migrant population.  It was here that I met my first beloved, bright Latina student with Spanish-speaking parents.  During the parent-teacher conferences, the supportive Mexican family came and my student acted as the language-broker, who is a child who translates for parents.  My student was eager to learn and she rose to the top of the class.  At the end of the year, at a little class banquet we created, my student arrived in her finest dress with beautiful ribbons in her hair.  She proudly brought her parents so they could see some of her completed work.  Her mom approached me with a plate of homemade goods and gave me a tearful hug of gratitude.  Dad gave me a huge smile and shook my hand with all of the energy of his soul.  That was it.  I fell in love with first-generation Hispanic students who worked so hard to create successful lives for themselves and their families, taking nothing for granted.

In fall of 2016 I had the privilege to teach Izzy in my MCC public speaking course.  Izzy is an older student than my first Latina, but her zeal and commitment reflect similar cultural values.  She has overcome many of the same struggles that other first-generation Hispanic college students have encountered, and she happily volunteered to share her inspiring story: 

So often it feels like no one could really understand what you are going through, the struggles as well as the celebrations.  Perhaps you have similar thoughts to some comments below:

1)      I’m stuck; there is no way out of this situation

2)      I didn’t take the SATs or ACTs in high school

3)      I haven’t earned/saved any money to pay for college

4)      I didn’t graduate from high school

5)      I can’t stop working to enroll in school because not only do I need the job to pay for school, much of the money I earn goes toward helping the family.  I can’t afford to work less

6)      I’m too old to go back to school, and I didn’t do that well in high school anyway

7)      I need to have income tax returns to apply for financial aid, and that is difficult for my family

8)      My parent(s) are working so much, it seems wrong to add another layer of stress to the home

9)      I don’t want to be one of the few Hispanics at such a big school

10)   My parents don’t know anything American college, so I would have to figure it all out on my own

11)   I know I can’t do labor, but I don’t know what I would study in school

12)   There are so many degrees and certificates, and I don’t even know what it all means

       I'm First! is an online community for first-generation college students—and their supporters. Hear inspiring stories and share your own, find answers to your questions about college, and receive guidance on the road to and through college.

      Watch the following video from an ASU Latina student whose mom did not speak English and who fought homelessness and alcoholism.  “There is a future, so don’t get discouraged and go out and apply for scholarships, because you never know!”  I’m First!: 

      First-generation college students extend beyond the Hispanic community.  Our former President and First Lady, The Obamas, were I’m First!

      You are not alone, and there are many who can help and support you.  Check out some of the 105 I’m First! videos, and you can view other Phoenix students who have successfully overcome many of the situations you face: 

       I have loved connecting with my Latino population one student at a time, and now I am reaching a little further.  I know that education will change your life and the life of your family – all you need to do is take the first step.  Ask for help.  Reach out to a professor/teacher or a school counselor.  The fear will vanish as you see your goals come into view.