Week 88 and Day 6

Although the countdown has been on for several weeks now, I wanted to get slightly more organized and post an actual timeline for my matriculation in fall of 2011. So as of today, two days before Christmas 'O9, there are officially eighty-eight weeks and six days or six hundred and twenty-two days before the start of fall semester, September 6th, 2011.

And the Verdict Is: 4.0 GPA

After three and half months of Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes, a week full of anxiety, pressure and study, I can officially say that I had an incredible semester. I successfully attained 9 credits for the semester and my official college GPA for fall 2009 is an even 4.0. I am so proud of myself and this reaffirms my efforts to chase after my dreams and reminds me that I can truly do whatever I set my mind too. I am eagerly awaiting the first day of the spring semester. In the interim, while I have this month off, I am going to continue studying and preparing myself for my courses ahead so I maintain my straight A average.

Cheers.

Farewell, Fall Semester 'O9.

Although the official fall 2009 semester ends tomorrow, 12/10/09, for most students, including myself, today is the last day of school! It's hard to imagine that 16 weeks has gone by, but it has! I must say I actually enjoyed school this semester. It was a good move on my part and now I know what is in store for me for spring. Overall, I feel pretty confident in my finals and hopefully, I will hit at least a 3.0 average. Final course grades will officially be posted on Monday, December 14th.

School of the Week (Ending 12/12/09): Johns Hopkins University

The fourth school in my series is the noted Johns Hopkins University. JHU has several rankings, as it's on a variety of different lists--from the Top 100 Best Schools in the country, to Top 200 Best Schools in the world. According to US News & World Report, JHU ranks no. 14 in the country (as far as the top 100 list in America) and has an overall score of 86 points out of 100. In the fall of 2008, the school had an average acceptance rate at 25.4%. For the 2009-2010 school years, tuition and fees were listed at $39,150. On a worldly scale, literally, out of 200 universities in the world, Johns Hopkins lands at #13. As far as medical research is concerned, the school ranks #2, just behind Harvard.

My Calendar Is Marked.

The 2010 semester at El Centro College officially starts on Tuesday, January 19th--and boy am I ready! Class schedule: check. Book list: check. Financial aid: check. Spring will be here before I know it--just slightly a month and half away.

New York, New York!

In continuing my search for possible schools for my baccalaureate future, I felt that if I have at least one back up for PA and DC, then NY should have at least one as well. And the back up I chose to add to my 'short list' of schools, may actually be a ticket for me to get to NY. I am pleased to and confident in the addition of the City College of New York. According to US News & World Report, this school ranks no. 62 in the country, has an overall acceptance rate of 48.9% and probably the most appealing is the tuiton. For the 2009-2010 school year, out-of-state students paid $8,918 for fees and tuition. The school is noted for its research and has a particularly strong background in the sciences. I will make certain that I visit this school in the spring of next year.

Finals Week Kicks Off! 12/7-12/10

Finals week officially kicks off on Monday, December 7th. And oh, do I have my work cut out for me! This week was full of prepping, breifings and studying for week ahead. Fortunately, one of my courses has already had its final as of this past Wednesday, in which I received a final grade of an A!! I can hardly take it easy, however. Starting today, I took my final chapter test in my Speech class, however, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Tomorrow morning (which is Saturday), I must take my final chapter math test. I also have my final exam in math on Monday. Wednesday, I have a final exam in Speech, which is comprised of a group presentation that I must work on, as well as a 5-6 minute oral speech along with a power point demonstration. So yes--this week(end) will be busy. Crunch time starts now!

School of the Week (Ending 12/05/09): Philadelphia University

The third school in the series is none other than the aptly named, Philadelphia University. Located in the heart of Philadelphia, this institution ranks number 77 in the country, according to US News & World Report. Considering this school definitely would put me in the heart of Philly and also offer a solid education. Their transfer policy is fairly comparable to most other universities and their overall acceptance rate is pretty high, with an average of 69%. For the 2009-2010 school year, average tuition and fees were $27,498. This school also has a pretty active student life, which is always alluring for me.

The Wild Cards

As I mentioned in the post, "Philadelphia Proper", I listed an additional three schools, aside from Penn, that I would consider applying to in the event I was not admitted to any of my premiere choices. While these schools are not Ivy Leagues, they are well-known and respected for their contribution to research, undergraduate curriculum, and they have accelerated programs and those programs geared more to either obtaining a medical degree quicker than the normal route or excellent chances in admittance to medical school. So, without further ado, here is a list of the official 'Wild Cards' that I will consider:

♦Philadelphia University
♦Drexel University
♦University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
♦The George Washington University