I became a member of NGS this year and started taking some of their online Genealogy Courses. The first course was the Family History Skills Course which is included with your membership.
I actually don’t remember that much about the Family History Skills Course. I remember that I wanted to fly through so that I could move onto the American Genealogical Studies (AGS) courses and that the Family History Skills Course was a pre-cursor. The AGS courses do cost money. The first two are $45 each for members and the last two are $175 each for members. The entire course will cost $440.
I was very interested in the AGS courses because after I successfully completed them, I could put my name down requesting to enroll in ProGen. ProGen’s application says that you don’t have to answer ‘yes’ to all of the Genealogical Experience questions, but you have to have an educational background in at least one educational program as a prerequisite. I attended GRIP, so I had an institute, and taking the NGS AGS courses would cover the research course requirement and hopefully help me successfully enroll into ProGen.
While at FGS, I stopped by the BCG booth in the Vendor Hall and spoke with Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL. I had seen one of her sessions earlier that morning and was telling her how much I enjoyed it. We got to talking and she asked if I have done ProGen yet. I explained that I was interested but I was in the 3rd of 4 NGS AGS courses and was waiting to complete all 4 in order to apply. She encouraged me to go ahead to apply to ProGen with the understanding that by the time I made it through the waiting list, that I would have the NGS AGS courses complete.
I really thought that was nice of Rebecca to encourage me. She said that since she helps administer the ProGen study groups, that she would make sure that my lack of finishing the course wouldn’t hold my application back. It really boosted my confidence that she felt that I was ready to join ProGen from just talking to me for a few minutes. I didn’t realize how much hearing that from a CG would mean to me. I signed up later that day and received the waiting list conformation e mail!
Not wanting to let Rebecca’s confidence in me down, I’m continuing to work on the AGS courses. I had completed The Basics (receiving my letter on 21 May 2019) and Guide to Documentation and Source Citation (receiving my letter on 24 July 2019). Now I’m onto Beyond the Basics.
The first module for this course is on Evidence Analysis with a written report due at the end. This was my first time writing a report with citations. I’m not sure what grade I will receive, but I’m proud of myself for finishing a report. Writing has always been so intimidating to me – especially with citations! I’m certain that my citations are not 100% correct, but I wasn’t too afraid to try as I have always been in the past.
I’m very curious to see what grade I will receive and see where I land on the rubric! Fingers crossed!