“I really didn’t think I could do it,” said Karla Plante, Rasmussen College Online student. “I used to get Cs and Ds in school and eventually, I’d just give up.
Going back to school was a difficult decision for the 47-year-old mother of two from Fargo, N. Dak. Plante says she has a history of not finishing things. Plus, it had been more than 20 years since she stepped inside a college classroom.
“I was afraid I wasn’t smart enough,” said Plante. Then, two years ago, her hours at work were cut. Plante works as a receptionist and in licensing and titling at a local car dealership. Plante loves her job, but decided it was time to take action and open up more opportunities for her and her family.
“My husband really encouraged me to go back to school,” said Plante. “It’s always been a goal of mine to earn a college degree, so I thought I owed it to myself to at least try.” Plante says she’s always loved math, so she decided to enroll in the Accounting Associate’s degree program online. She says her life experiences and the Rasmussen College faculty made school easier than she expected.
“From the application process to financial aid to helping me pick my classes, Rasmussen College has guided me every step of the way,” said Plante. A year-and-a-half later, Plante can call herself a college graduate. She completed the Accounting Associate’s degree program this summer, but she’s not done with school yet. Plante only needs six more classes to double-major. She plans to graduate with a Business Management Associate’s degree – specializing in Human Resources this spring.
“Going back to school was the best thing I ever did,” said Plante. “For the first time in my life I actually care about school. It feels really good to finally have a college degree.” Plante not only has a college degree, but perhaps even more importantly, the confidence to do whatever she wants, whether that’s at her current job or somewhere else.
“I am smart enough to go to college and when things get tough, I now have the confidence to keep going," said Plante. "You never know if you can do something until you try.”
Do you have a success story? We are looking for more students like Plante to feature on our College Life Blog. If you are interested in sharing your Rasmussen College story or know someone we should speak with, e-mail us socialmedia@rasmussen.edu.
