December 1st - New Hope

Happy December 1st.

I hope that the last month has been for everyone. The day is here. I finally start my new college classes. I enrolled in Accounting 101, Intro to Marketing and Intro to Statistics.

I have already completed my first assignments for each class. The introduction post. Basically it's just the about me section of the class, why you're in the class and what you hope to learn.

I have 7 chapters in total to read this week. One each in Statistics and Accounting and five (yes 5) in Marketing.  Although, Statistics is the class that scares me the most. My loving wife took it and she's just about the smartest person at math  that I know and she got a C.  She is also on of those lucky people that doesn't have to study very much. I am quite the opposite.

Here is my week one list. Maybe if I put it here, I will (a) remember to post and (b) it will motivate me to keep on schedule. 

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
                                        ~John F. Kennedy

Week One:

• Monday -
  • Marketing: BEGIN MODULE 1
  • Statistics: BEGIN MODULE 1
  • Accounting: BEGIN MODULE 1
• Tuesday -
  • Marketing: Introductions forum initial post due
  • Accounting: Introductions Forum; initial posting due
• Wednesday
  • Statistics: Discussion Forum 1 : 1^st posting due
  • Accounting: Discussion Forum 1, initial posting due
• Thursday
  • Marketing: Discussion Forum 1, initial post due
  • Accounting: Introductions Forum, 2^nd posting comments due

• Friday
  • Marketing: Introductions forum 2 posting (comments) due

• Saturday
  • Statistics: Discussion Forum: 2^nd posting comments due
  • Accounting: Discussion Forum 1: comments due
• Sunday
  • Statistics: Written Assignment 1 due
  • Statistics: Quiz 1 due
  • Accounting: Written Assignment 1 due
    
    

Penn Foster Failure but ... Sunrise on the Horizon

Hello,

      It's been a while since I posted anything on my journey to become an accountant. As of September 14, I "failed" through Penn Foster. I had two years to complete a one-year certificate.  That did not happen.  I didn't even finish one class but had every good intention. I thought that at my own pace would be good for me. I was apparently wrong. Life happens and I found one good reason after another to not get my studies done.

    The reasons do not truly matter at this point. What is done is done and life must move on. I would encourage anyone to continue their education. It it increasingly apparent that in our country an education is vital for survival in the workforce.  Penn Foster is not a bad option. If you are able to do the classes at your own pace and can keep yourself moving forward that go for it. You will not regret enhancing your job skill set.

    With the depressing bit out of the way, it is time to announce the second part of the blog.  I have applied to and been accepted into college in order to pursue an Accounting/CPA.  I have been accepted to Thomas Edison State College. TESC is aimed for adult learners.  I am hoping to start in December with my first set of classes.  I'm not sure what I will take yet as I am still waiting for the school to determine if/what transfer credits will apply from my time at West Virginia Wesleyan College. That is where I got my Bachelor's of Political Science.

    I have a tentative plan to take three courses in the core curriculum of Accounting. I am also hoping with this new start and structured classwork, that I will thrive and achieve my goal. Please look for further posts on this new leg of my education journey.

    I welcome thoughts, encouragement, or impressions.

Everyone is handed adversity in life. No one's journey is easy. It's how they handle it that makes people unique.
                  ~Kevin Conroy

Management and Percents

I finished reading chapter 8 in Introduction to Business last evening.  This was the last chapter on the management section of the course, which means there was a test.  The nice thing about Penn Foster is that they let you have a retake if you don't do so hot on a test. I took the test and was pretty confident but only scored a 88 on it. I retook the test and got a 96. I'm pretty happy with the grade. I would really like to get another 100 on a test, that would make my day. 

My lesson average for the entire course is a 94 which is still an A. I'm pretty proud of that since it has been more than ten years since I was in college.

Since I finished with the chapter in business, I figured that this evening I would work on math. Chapter 6 is on percents. I am about halfway through the chapter and have four more chapters before my first test in this class.  I like math which is one of the reasons that I am delving deeper into accounting. Wish me luck! 

Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.
~George Washington Carver

6/5/2014 Update

I have been so very bad at updating this blog. As with so many other things, I never seem to have enough time.  Here's to being better at updating about my journey. 

I finally did finish Chapter 5 in business and even took the test. On my first attempt at the test for that section I got a 76. I was very unhappy with that score and studied some more. The second attempt I achieved a 92 percent. It was not the 100 that i got before but I did not fail. 

I am currently reading Chapter 8 in Intro to Business. This is a very big chapter as it talks about different types of work schedules, different laws that companies must follow and so many other things.  I will have a test after finishing this chapter. I think that I have about 20 more pages of this one. It is a slow read but I am getting there.

Penn Foster also sent me the book for Mathematics For Business And Finance.  I am currently working on Chapter 6. This chapter is on percents.  After chapter 10 there is a test in that class. I think I will do pretty well on the test. 

I have been struggling with time management of late because I am in the process of packing for a move.  Getting ready for the move has put me very behind in my studies and frequently frustrates me. Hence the previous comment about never enough time.

I hope you are all achieving all of your goals toward education or any other avenue.

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.
                 ~William Penn 

Slacker...........me? ............No.................YES!

I have been bad, very bad. I have not posted in almost a month.  And on top of that I haven't been doing my business reading like I should.  I need to get my tukus in gear.  The sooner that I get through the intro to business class the sooner I can get my certificate.

James is trying to get me motivated. He's using my love of money against me. He keeps mentioning that after I get the certificate, that I should be able to make more money.  Darn him.

Well, keep me in your thoughts and send me a bit of encouragement.


“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
― Barack Obama

Update 7/13/2013

I recently finished reading Chapter 4 of my book.  It was on Ethics. Very interesting read. 

After I finish reading chapter 5, I will have a test. Chapter 5 is on different types of business and what it takes to make these successful.

The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.  ~Peter Drucker (American (Austrian-born) management writer)
 

Congratulations Letter

Since I am taking classes from Penn Foster, this whole online learning thing is pretty new.  The other day, I took my first test for my Intro to Business class. 

One my first attempt, I scored a 96.  And then the screen said that I could retake the exam again. I figured that I would try that out to see if I could get a better score.  The one I missed was because I read my notes wrong. On the second try, I scored a 100.  I was pretty happy about that.

Then yesterday, while checking my email I received two emails from Penn Foster.  They both said "Congratulations".   I was curious so I opened the first one and it congratulated me on my score and encouraged me to keep going. The second letter must have been because of the 100.  It said, "Hi, Kiley. You've done it again, proven that you have what it takes to master your lessons and pass your exams. We hope you're proud of yourself, because you deserve to be. You're on your way to your degree!"

We that made me feel really cool.  

On to chapter 4, of Intro to Business.