Picking up from yesterday –
I called the counseling and advising center to get permission to go part-time. My counselor seemed as though she could completely not care any less about me.
I said I could technically finish in 24 credits. She pointed out I couldn’t if I kept both majors on my transcript.
I tried to explain that I still have fewer credits than a full load’s worth per semester in sequential semesters (even if there are more than 2 semesters left) – that it follows the same line of thinking for how they allow people to go part-time.
She said it didn’t matter if it followed the same line of thinking. The point is, that option wasn’t laid out in writing. Therefore, I couldn’t have part-time status granted.
Her attitude was so unbelievably uncaring – coming across as, “Hey your only option is lose your catalog year or drop ELPD. And I don’t really care what you want.” I’m frustrated! And I’m letting that frustration fly here in this post.
Not only did she give off an uncaring vibe, but she also acted like what I wanted was stupid – that it was a horrible idea to keep a major I hadn’t started yet, and that it was awful to want to keep my catalog year.
“Classes change. Even if you figure out a way to keep your catalog year through the college, you probably won’t be able to anyway, because changes will occur in ELPD,” she said very judgmental.
“I understand they might change. But as of now they haven’t really.” (The only current change is that one class is now required that used to be an ELPD elective. That’s not a big deal.)
Not to mention, even if the curriculum changes, that’s where waivers and things come in. There is always a solution – whether she wants to see one.
My next call was to the registrar’s office. I don’t give up until there are truly no other options. None of this “one person told me I have to compromise something that’s really important to me at Berklee, so I guess that’s it” business.
In the counselor’s defense, I sort of understand. I’m sure she gets students all the time trying to bend the system to exactly what they need.
I’m sure it might’ve been annoying to get this girl on the phone and think, “Wait a minute, Miss Entitled who hasn’t even been here for the past 3 years. You want me to figure out how you can keep your major and catalog year, and yet not come back full-time and finish up anytime soon? You just want that option extended for four more years? Get out of here. I have work to do.”
I can imagine her frustrated blog post (if she had one) at the girl who wasn’t willing to give anything up.
But just as she didn’t really care about me, I don’t really care if she felt that way. Because this is my life. I don’t want to add an extra semester of liberal arts credits. And I don’t want to drop a well-regarded major. So, I refuse to budge on either changing my catalog year or my major, as they’re both far too important to me.
And of course I found a way to do it. (Since there is almost always a way.)
I’ll pick up here tomorrow.