There's not much happening on this end. I've been to the CUNY in Brooklyn a few times now to try and make things happen. A former softball teammate who works there talked to Admissions and got me in because even though I understood that I can't transfer straight into the Nursing program and therefore applied online as undeclared I was still rejected. Because they're idiots.
What I'd like to explain to them is that I don't expect to get any advantage from already having a Bachelors. If my particular degree was useful to me in any way then I wouldn't be applying to go back to school. I simply apply as a transfer and alert them to my degree because I was told by a CUNY admissions counselor (at what now appears to be a friendlier school) that if I don't disclose the fact that I've already been to school then I'm being dishonest on my application and that would be an immediate denial. But I can't explain this to anyone because no one wants to talk to me.
I had called the advising office on Wednesday to set up an appointment to meet with an advisor and was told by the person on the phone that I can just come on in. Which is also what it had said on their website.
So I do that. I spend an hour on the subway and walk in with all the paperwork I think I might possibly need and I politely tell the woman at the counter that I would like to talk to an advisor so I can register for classes. She's helpful enough when she asks my info to look me up and she says that my transcripts have not been transferred to them yet by the central CUNY office. I'm confused by this because I applied way back in February and since I've already given a tuition deposit and have a bunch of letters telling me I'm in I think they should have all the stuff they need. So I dare to ask a question and that was the beginning of the nightmare. Apparently no one ever dares to ask them a question. How dare I make her work!
"How long will it take to get the transcripts because I've already paid my tuition deposit and I applied back in February and I'd like to get into a class before they are all full"
"I don't know how long it will take. You're stuck in phase 3. Which means we can't help you until we have your transcripts. You have to wait until we mail you a card saying you can come in."
At this I internally freak out because you never hear from them. I never even heard from the school that I wasn't originally accepted, I had to find out from my friend who helped me after reading about my anxiety on Facebook!
"Ok. Who can I call to ask how much longer this is going to take, to check the status?"
She pulls out a post-it and begins to write the name and number of a person I've already called and emailed and who I'm certain will never EVER respond to me.
"I've already contacted that person."
"Well honey, we can't help you until CUNY sends your information"
"So then can I call CUNY? Because I just spent an hour on the train to get something done here and I've already paid what I'm supposed to pay and I just want to get into a class"
She rolls her eyes, lets out a big sigh and calls someone, who I later figure out is the same exact person she was writing down on the post-it note.
"Yeah, I've got a student here who wants to know if she can call CUNY to complain because she don't wanna wait no more"
All I can think is:
1. I am waiting. I have been waiting.
2. Why do I need permission to call CUNY? I'm not asking you to do it. I'll do it myself.
So she hangs up obviously angry at me and gives me a number to CUNY and the whole office, filled with waiting students, is staring at me. I'm about to go home and call CUNY when I realize I have a cellphone! I call them. Wait 13 minutes on hold and speak to another person who is also friendly (they really should make some of these people work in Brooklyn) and she tells me they (Bklyn) have no idea what they are talking about. All the info should be there. I ask for her name and direct line thinking that some miracle will occur and I will be helped by someone at an actual desk and I can have them contact her if need be.
So I go back. I tell her that I called CUNY and they said all my info should be available. Keep in mind I'm being really polite verbally even though my brain is in full freak out bitch mode. She cuts me off and says
"This isn't my problem. Hold on a sec. Go sit over there." She picks up the phone, calls same person back "Can you come talk to this girl please. I'm sorry to bother you but she called CUNY and now she's saying they sent everything."
So I'm thinking someone will come out and say 'How can I help you?' or 'What's your name?' Kind of like the nice way they did at Bronx Community College (apparently another, friendlier, CUNY). Instead this mean, angry, scary woman comes out- barely looks at me. Asks to see my transcripts, snaps at me that I don't have any math. What are you trying to get into? And announces that I need to take an assessment test. Which is fine with me. Now we're getting somewhere. It should be noted that over us the entire time the first woman is apologizing for interrupting her. For bothering her. And all I can think it. What the fuck? How are you bothering her? This is her fucking job, to advise! So I dare to ask a question (GASP)
Do I contact the testing office or do they contact me.
'They'll send you a letter in the mail.' and I think here we go again, sitting around waiting for a letter that will never come.
'So I can't call them?'
'No, they'll send you a letter telling you to come in for a test.' And she practically throws my transcripts at me and storms away as the little one yells out a few more times 'Sorry for bothering you!'
So I walk out and say out loud 'Sorry for wanting to get a degree.' Though not loud enough, not that they would hear me. They don't even care I exist.
So now I'm back in the hall and I look at my paperwork and see that it says if you need to make an appointment with the testing office to call. So I call.
'Can I make an appointment with you or do I have to wait until you contact me?'
'Why would I contact you? I don't know you exist. The advising office should have given you a routing slip and you bring it to me and I set you up for a test. They just did it yesterday.'
So I instantly burst into tears. 'Okay, I understand you are really busy but I've been in the advising office all morning and they really don't like me and I don't know why. Is there any way you can contact them for me because I really can't go in there again. I just can't.'
I must've sounded so desperate because she has me come up to her office, she calls them for a fax of the slip which takes a loooooong time because it's obviously for me and they clearly hate me. She sets me up for the test on the 18th.
I head back home totally dejected. I'll have to return to the advising office eventually. I'm sure I'll have to go in asking if I can see someone because I'm certain after I take the test I will never hear from them. And I'm just really, really sad that this is what I just signed up for.
Why are these terrible people so angry? I know that it's incessantly busy but think about it: the people who are 'harrassing' you just want an education. All they want is a degree so that they can have fantasies of not working at McDonald's or The Gap. And this is a CUNY. You're not dealing with trust fund babies or heiresses. These are inner city kids with public school education or immigrants trying to be the first to go to college in their families. Why do you have to be so cold and rude and mean? You have the opportunity to be the gateway to their future and you're blowing it. Big time.
