The following story is copied from e-mails that I sent out to my sisters describing my insane experience trying to switch faculties at the U of M. It's a long one. If you stick it out hopefully you will get a laugh out of it. Even though it was incredibly frustrating at times I know that I was laughing about it alot...maybe just to keep from going crazy. Enjoy.

August 3rd/2006
"What's the U of M's Problem?" or "The Loophole".


First of all...I've decided to take all my courses this fall and winter by distance education. I'm sick of that drive into Winnipeg and the 3 hours of time it wastes every day! Not to mention gas prices, parking costs, lunch, etc.

My story begins after I decided to get my bachelor of arts degree and try to enter the education program. Education requires that you have a degree, any degree, before you can enter their program. I am currently enroled in the Faculty of Science and the only way I could get a degree in the next year is if I 'major' in psychology and 'minor' in chemistry. But the faculty of science doesn't offer a 3 year degree in psychology. Only 4 year degrees. BUT, the Faculty of Arts offers a 3 year degree in psychology! I don't know why science doesn't do this, but that's the way it is. So, that's easy, right? I just switch to the Faculty of Arts and finish my 3 year degree, then get accepted to Education! And the problems begin...

I went to the psychology department and told them my plans for the upcoming year to make sure I had all the courses I was going to need for my degree. I discovered that I didn't need to take the current chemistry course I was taking (and that I hated!), so good news to start! I dropped that course immediately and started taking a summer psychology course in its place. Everything else looked good, except I repeated a 6 credit hour course last year and they don't accept repeated courses towards your degree. I would have to take an extra course or two to make up for that one. Okay. That kinda sucks, but since I'm taking this new 3 credit hour psych course that helps make up for the repeated course. I would just need to add an extra 3 hour course over the fall/winter terms.

Off I went to the Faculty of Science to see about switching to Arts. I get to their front desk after waiting in a long line-up.
ME: Hi, how do I switch from Science to Arts? Do I just do it through the U of M website?
PERSON #1: Oh. I think you've missed the deadline to do that. You'd have to talk to the Arts department.

So, this doesn't look good. I had no idea there was a deadline. When I originally moved into the Faculty of Science all I did was click a couple of buttons on their website and it was done. I thought it would be just as easy this time. How wrong I was. Off I went to the Faculty of Arts. I get to their front desk.
ME: Hi. Can I speak to a student advisor?
PERSON #2: What's it about? (they always ask this, in case they can solve your problem instead of wasting the advisor's time)
ME: I'm in the facutly of science and I want to switch to arts.
PERSON #2: You can't do that. The deadline has passed.
ME: Oh. I didn't know there was a deadline. I'm applying to Education next year and you need a degree to get in. The only way I can get in is if I can switch to Arts.
PERSON #2: Everybody wants to switch, but the deadline's past. You can't switch to Arts until next May. You'd then get your degree in October. You could ask Education if they will accept you on those conditions.
ME: (skeptically, dejected) Okay. I'll go ask them.

Also, not good. But, a glimmer of hope. I go to the Education office. These places are spread all across campus, by the way. I get to the front desk....explain my situation.
PERSON #3: Well you don't have to have an Arts degree. You could do a science one.
ME: No. You can't get a 3 year science degree in psychology. Only Arts.
PERSON #3: Oh. Well, that's up to those departments then. We just require that you have a degree and we can't accept you without one. Even if you'll receive it in October.

So, I leave and go home. Seems pretty screwy. You'd think they'd allow for special circumstances, right? I know its my fault for not knowing about the deadline, I guess, but still. So, I tell Shawna all about it and I decide that I have to get by those idiots at the front desk of Arts and see someone who can do something for me! Then, just before I went to bed, I was on the U of M website looking at the deadline dates for the various faculties and there it was...Faculty of Arts-deadline for entry July 1st*...the asterisk!!! My loophole! The asterisk indicates that if you are a DISTANCE EDUCATION student the deadline is October 1st! Not one person has mentioned this to me!

DAY 2

I go back to the faculty of arts and go to the front desk.

ME: I'd like to see an advisor.
PERSON #4: What's it about?
ME: I'm currenlty in Science, I'd like to switch to Arts. I want to discuss all my options with someone.
PERSON #4: You can't switch to Arts. The deadline has passed.
ME: Oh? On your website it says there is an October deadline as well.
PERSON #4: That's just for distance education students.
ME: I AM A DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENT!
PERSON #4: You have to take the fall term through distance education.
ME: I WILL BE!
PERSON #4: Oh. Okay. You have to go to the admissions building to transfer over.
ME: Thanks (for nothing, asses)

So, I'm finally getting somewhere. I go to admissions. I get to the front desk.

ME: I'm in science and I want to switch to arts.
PERSON #5: You can't do that, the deadline has passed.
ME: On the website there is an october deadline for distance education students.
PERSON #5: Okay. Let me just ask so-and-so over here. (turns to another person). This student wants to switch to arts from science...(person #5 gets cut off by...)
PERSON #6: He can't do that. The deadline has passed. (I'm pretty amused by this now)
PERSON #5: What about through distance education?
PERSON #6: Oh yeah, that's okay. He won't be switched over until January though. (no big deal)

Okay! So, I fill out the application for Arts, hand it back, pay their stupid fee and say...

ME: Does this January switch have any affect on my 'major' or 'minor'? Should I wait until I'm switched to arts to 'declare' them?
PERSON #5: I'm not sure. (meanwhile PERSON #7 has entered and sits down at the front desk as well)
PERSON #5: Hey, so-and-so, this student is switching from science to arts and...(person #5 gets cut off...)
PERSON #7: He can't do that. The deadline has passed.

Oh the insanity. So, apparently everything is going to work out. I'm still a little skeptical, but things look good. I'll believe it when it happens. 6 people told me I couldn't do it!!! Not one mentioned an alternative way!!! What a bunch of jerks. I plan on e-mailing all these idiots once everything is worked out for me. Who knows how many other people got screwed out of switching faculties, because they didn't know about the deadline and that little asterisk! The Arts person said "Everybody wants to switch. The deadline has passed." I wonder if they were given their options. Probably not. Or, if they let the people see the actual 'student adivsors' maybe they would have this info!


August 18/2006
Oh? You thought it was over? No. It's not over. It'll never be over. I like to call this one...

"The arts faculty is trying to kill me, but I refuse to die and if I do die I'm taking them all with me"

I was looking at the Arts faculty website to see if I met all their requirements to get my degree at the end of this year. I found out that you need to have at least 48 credit hours specifically from the Arts faculty. I didn't think I did, but I thought I should see somebody to go over everything and see where I stand. I also wanted to find out about when I should declare my major and minor. Back I went to the dreaded info desk to try and talk to an advisor and who should be there but my old nemesis..."blonde, pigtail girl who doesn't let anybody see advisors"

Me: Hi. I'd like to speak to an advisor.
Girl: What's it about.
Me: I'm trasferring to the faculty of Arts and I wanted to make sure I have everything I need for my degree.
Girl: When are you transferring?
Me: For the winter session.
Girl: You can't do that.
Me: You can if you're in distance education.
Girl: Oh. Yeah. But you have to take the fall term by distance education.
Me: I am.
Girl: Okay. Fill out this form for the advisor.

The form asks for your intended major and minor and what you want to see the advisor about. I give it back to her.

Girl: You're minoring in Chemistry?
Me: Yes.
Girl: I don't think the faculty of Arts offers a minor in Chemistry.
Me: Are you kidding? (that would screw me pretty good)
Girl: Let me check.

While she's checking she sees the advisor and asks her. It is discovered that Arts DOES offer chemistry as a minor and Girl is wrong yet again. I sit down and wait my turn to see the advisor. I finally get to see her and she confirms that yes I need 48 credit hours from Arts. I told her my situation, etc.

Advisor: I wouldn't get your hopes up for being accpeted into arts for the winter.
Me: Why not?
Advisor: Well, that provision for distance education students is not intended to be used that way.
Me: I don't understand. What's the problem?
Advisor: Well, its supposed to be for people who are coming into U of M starting in the winter. Because you'll be here in the fall they'll need to see those marks before they admit you, but won't get them until mid january...which is after the winter session starts. I won't say anything about it, but I'm just warning you that you may not be accpeted.
Me: Is there another step I can take if I don't get accpeted.
Advisor: You can finish the year in Science, then transfer to Arts in May and graduate in October. The Arts facutly can write you a letter for Education telling them that you have all your requirements for a degree and they can accept you based on that.
Me: Have other people done this? Because I asked Education about it and the woman I spoke to didn't think they allowed that.
Advisor: Yes. Other people have gotten in that way.
Me: Okay. Hopefully it won't come to that and I'll be accepted for January.

First of all...I don't give a crap how that deadline was INTENDED to be used. It doesn't say anywhere that there are restrictions, so if I don't get accepted I will fight it.

Secondly...I will have to find a way to take 12 credit hours this year (I already have 36). There are many other complicated/stupid requirements that I have met. So, I will have to change my course selection for this fall and winter again! I've changed it at least 3 times now. The distance education people are going to hate me, but oh well. I was planning on taking 12 hours of geography (as my education minor...its complicated...yes, even more so), but geography is no longer considered an arts course, so that has to go. In its place I am hoping/praying that I can take 12 hours of History in its place and use that as my education minor. I haven't checked that out yet.


August 29/2006
Update...

About 1-2 weeks ago I received an e-mail from the admissions department stating that...

"Unfortunately, the Faculty of Arts does not accept students for the Winter session except for correspondence. If you want correspondence class we will be able to process your application".

I can't believe they wouldn't look me up on their database and see that 'Hey, this guy IS taking correspondance courses this year!' Anyway, I e-mailed them back saying that I didn't understand the problem, because I am in distance (correspondance) this year. I haven't heard back from them, so I'm assuming they're putting my application through. If I don't hear back from them this week, I'll call next week.

In the meantime, I e-mailed the faculty of education explaining the situation and they confirmed that...Yes, they will accept me with a letter from the Arts department. So, it looks like it will all work out either way. It would just be nicer to get transferred now, and not have to do it the other way.

Stay tuned for (hopefully) the conclusion to 'my story'

THE ENDING...
I didn't hear back from the admissions department for quite some time. I finally called them and asked to speak to the person I e-mailed about my enrolment. They informed me that that person no longer worked in the department! So, I guess my application was just sitting in limbo! WHAT THE HELL PEOPLE?!?!?! THIS IS A UNIVERSITY ISN'T IT? Anyway, the new girl I talked to was very nice. She pressed a couple of buttons on her computer and said that was that and I should be accepted and receive a letter of acceptance in about a week. A week later I finally did receive my Arts letter of acceptance and this ordeal seems to be over, but I'm skeptical. Hopefully you won't hear anymore about this story and maybe it gave you a little break from your own insanity.

Later!

It's been a busy summer.

In May I went back to Calgary to work for the summer. Two or three weeks on...one week off, so I could drive back to Manitoba and visit the family. Did that until the end of July. The work was fine and the people there were great, but it sucked to be away from Shawna and Max that much. Wasn't much fun for them either.

I was working nights while I was there, so I didn't get out too much. Shawna and Max came out for a week for a little vacation. While they were there we visited some friends, checked out the zoo, etc. I did get to go on a little hiking trip with Aaron in Waterton National Park before I came back to Manitoba. There was a nice trail to Mount Alderson and Alderson Lake, so, of course, I've always wanted to do that. It was a long hike...about 6 hours, but very cool. The lakes in the mountains are incredible. I've got some pictures of it all on the 'epson' website if you're interested.

I came back to Manitoba at the end of July to start a summer course in biochemistry. I took it last year, but needed to upgrade. However, after much thinking, I decided I couldn't hack these science courses anymore. I really did not enjoy them. And as you can imagine, it is very difficult to do well at something that you hate doing. Also, the prospect of doing these types of courses for the next 4 years in dentistry did not appeal to me very much. So, dentistry is out. Education is in! This year I will (hopefully) complete by bacherlor of arts, which will allow me to apply to Education. From there it is two more years of full time school, or 3 more years of 'weekend college'. I'm leaning towards 'weekend college', so I can work at the same time, but we'll see.

Also, in August, I started working at Citytv here in Portage. It was only supposed to be a day or two a week when I started, but its been full time so far. They are shutting the Portage station down at the end of January, so the people that work there now are understandably looking for other work and getting out while they can...thus the full time hours for me. So far, its okay. We'll see how it goes as I get back into school a little more.

By the way, I am taking all my courses this year by distance education which allows me to study around the work schedule.

Shawna is doing good. She found a job at Travel Quest. So, if you need to book a trip somewhere, give her a shout. She is enjoying it and the hours are great (day shifts).

Max is also great. He's talking a mile a minute and getting bigger all the time. He's statted repeating everything we say, so we have to be VERY careful now! He'll be 3 next month!

That's it for now. There's a long story I need to sandwich in there about having to transfer to the faculty of arts that I will post soon...its a big one!

Later!

Hey everybody,

I got my letter from U of M dentistry today and I have NOT been invited for an interview (in other words I am OUT for dentistry next year). According to their letter the minimum cut-off for an interview was a DAT score of 18. Mine was 17.7. So, obviously, they did not wait to see the results of the Feb DAT which should be out by the end of the week, and which I am pretty certain that I did much better on.

I'm not too shocked by this. I knew their cut-off last year was 18, I was just hoping that they would look at the Feb scores before deciding who would be interviewed. Or maybe round up my 17.7.

Also, they have upped their 'core grade point average' from 2.75 to 3.0. So, even if I had gotten an interview, it's questionable if I would have gotten the 3.0 minimum. It'll be close, but depending on how my finals go, I could be looking at re-doing a couple of courses in the summer. Anyway, that's to be decided later.

What now you may ask? Well, like I said I'm not too shocked, so I've already been thinking about next year in case I didn't get in. Right now, I think I will go back another year and get my Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology...minor in chemistry. That way I will at least have something to show for these past 2 years. Even if it is just a bachelor of arts. According to THIS years schedule, I should be able to schedule my classes so that I only have to go to school on tuesdays and thursdays, which will be nice. I'll also be able to work that way and help pay some bills. Another bonus is that it should help increase my 'overall' GPA which comes into play in the final selection for dentistry students.

Dave