"School" Part 2

[Ma_Navu]

Well, looks like I'm boned.

Earlier, I found out that, in order to go to college, I need to take an SAT test. That, in itself, is not the problem. Every time you take the test, you must pay $50. What's more, the place of testing is always random and takes place on the weekend.

These are problems for me, seeing as though I just don't have the cash to spend on that--my family isn't in such a great financial situation, so it's a little screwed up. If I can't pay fifty bucks, I sure as hell can't pay for the tuition and books for college itself.

And as the the location of testing, transportation is a problem. My mother really can't be bothered to get up early in the morning, as she thinks that time isn't really important on the weekend. From what I hear, the test is rigidly timed; it starts off at a specific time, and if you're late, tough shit.

So, what does this mean for me in the long run? I can't go to college. Simple as that. I know I'll be missing out on a lot of things, but this also means that I can take easier classes in my last year of high school.

It's a double-edged sword of a situation, really.

[Solstis]

Well, if you can't get in to a uni, you can (eventually, if now is a problem) get in to community college.

[Ma_Navu]

Just to let you know, I really don't know much about colleges and the like, except for the fact that you need a high GPA and SAT scores, honors classes, and 75 community service hours in order to properly "compete" for a spot in a college of your choice.

I've no clue what the differences are between a university and a community college.

[XCOPY]

There's a bit of a stigma associated with going to community college. Chris Rock basically summed it up like this: "...know why they call it community college? Because everyone in the community can go."...or something along those lines. Anyway, whether people want to admit it or not, there's a slight negative connotation that comes to mind when someone is from community college, rather than a university.

IMO, if it's not an Ivy League school, then it doesn't really matter which college/university you go to. Pick whoever is offering you a freebie 4 years, if possible....or, whoever has a good, preferrably accredited program in the major you intend on picking.

-There's also tons of scholarships to be found with a little research....even bullcrap ones like..."$xxxx.xx just for being white at an HBCU." or whatever. Hell, there might even be a Popeye's Chicken/Biscuit Scholarship...ya never know these days. If all else fails...just get on financial aid and go into debt like so many other students....worry about paying that off much later when you have a job you really just tolerate to get the bills paid.

-trip to SAT testing spot = bus route? Friend with a car? Another family member with a car? There's got to be a way you can get there. This thread has reminded me...when did they implement community service for high school students? My generation(I'm 29) didn't have to deal with that. hah...it's like they wanted to make the high school years feel even more like prison.

There's also the women issue, of course. The average university absolutely KILLS the typical community college when it comes to the Hot Girl Population factor. I remember my first days on campus at TSU(Tenn.State)...I really couldn't believe it. Girls all over the place looking like Halle Berry, Beyonce, Tyra Banks, Toni Braxton, Meagan Good, etc. etc. It was just insane.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: XCOPY on 2007-03-13 19:16 ]</font>

[DurakkenX]

lies >.>

some colleges look at SAT and some at ACT and others not at all...and there are colleges that don't look at anything at all.

Have you actually Talked to your parents? Almost all parents that I know of, even douchebag ones want their kids go to college and will get them there and do what is necessary. Don't use your own laziness and unwillingness to talk to your parents about important matters to blaim your financial situation.

Furthermore I'm sure you have friends with a car who you can talk to that are prolly going and will be willing to take you with them or help you with a loan or whatever you need.

EVEN IF YOU CAN'T get into college guess what? You can't slack cuz jobs still look at the progression of your grades...It's ok to start off bad but not ok to end bad.

In the end...get off your lazy ass and go talk to people. Stop making excuses to fuck up your life.

[astuarlen]

Few things:

-SAT is not the only aptitude test colleges look at. Depending on where you're applying, you might have the option of taking the ACT instead. I don't recall if it's any cheaper.
-When I took the ACT and SAT a few years ago, part of registration was choosing your testing location; it wasn't randomly assigned.
-If you can't afford to take the test--and, by extension, college--there's nothing wrong with putting college on hold for a bit while you work to save up some money.
-A lot of people have to take out loans to attend college. It sucks going out into the "real world" already burdened with debt, but I think it's better than not getting a degree these days.
-I don't know where you're getting this "you need a high GPA and SAT scores, honors classes, and 75 community service hours in order to properly "compete" for a spot in a college of your choice" thing, but it's patently untrue. That would certainly help at a more selective school--and also with applying for scholarships--but a solid education can be had at less competitive institutions. State universities are typically less expensive and less picky, but don't count them out.
-Depending on what you're interested in studying, you can often save money by taking basic courses at a community college while working and then transfering to a 4-year university. Community college isn't glamorous, but it might be a good move.
-Etc, etc.

Chin up. Don't give up before you've researched your options.

[Ma_Navu]

Hm, this information is becoming really helpful, especially DurakkenX's "do something about it and stop complaining, you whiny little bitch" kinda speech (I know, I know, I DO have to stop making excuses for myself. I've become too lazy for my own good, and I need to start helping myself at all costs), and astuarlen's extensive, yet general information (some of the information, like the "requirements" that I listed and you refuted, I was only spewing out facts that I was fed earlier today when I went to a small little assembly dealing with my 12th year's classes. However, what you said seems very clarifying).

What I need to do is schedule a conference with my councelor this year to figure out what the hell's going on around me and what I need to do to get into a college. What's more, I need to take that ASVAB test (or whatever it's called) so I can get a good idea of what kind of job I'd be good at, seeing as though I'm unsure of what I want to do with my life.

All in all, this has been very helpful. Thanks a bunch~!

[DurakkenX]

Well if you don't know what you want to do is go to community college... within a close distance to your home that you can take the basic bachelor degree classes...and also just sorta drift for a while.

Don't rush into things, but always move forward.

I personally graduated with 1.8 GPA and finished like 288 i think out of 300-320. Applied to 1 college and 1 college alone and got in into a degree that is incredibably hard to get into. Of course I found out it wasn't for me, but I learned a lot and I would never say it was a complete waste...

Right now I'm in community college and have taken business, history, philosophy, psychology, law, programming, Astronomy, and humanitarian classes. People are always curious about what I'm majoring in mainly because I know so much about every subject, but I have no goal anywhere in any of those directions, BUT all those classes are helping me in some other way.

Basically failure should never be looked at as a waste, but rather progression with unintended results. In the last few years I have met and worked with people that work in the area I want to work in and I have learned more about where I fit in in that area.

Remember that speaking and discussing ideas with people will often land you more opportunities and places to draw from than anything else you will ever do in life so the very fact that you haven't gone to these places where you should go to first worries me...Every person and every thing you do will open doors you'd never expect.

If you told me I was going to be able to talk to people that work at Disney, EA, Image, by simply looking at my messenger list and working on developing comics and such say 6 years ago I'd have laughed at you, but here I am able to pop open my MSN on my PC and talk to someone at EA while working on a project for Image.

[Allos]

The $50 bucks thing shouldn't really be an issue for the SAT. I remember when I took it that most high schools will pay the fee for you if you cannot afford it and you talk to them (by them I mean guidance or administration). And as for the getting up early thing, I don't know your parents but for a test that's this important, for them to not be bothered to take you early in the morning to a testing location is bullshit and you should tell them that. If all else fails, get a ride with a friend or something. If you're college bound you should really take this test at all costs (and you should also probably take it twice, most kids scores go up the second time). And yes, the test is rigidly timed, but as long as you focus and pace yourself you should do fine. If you can't take prep classes for the test (which helps some people but others find them very overpriced for the information being taught, I never took them for this reason) I recommend getting an SAT prep book.

As for paying for college, there's always ways to do it. Student loans suck but they get the job done. Most state public universities also have programs that offer drastically reduced tuitions and fees for students that are state residents. And as stated before, there's always community college.

Anyway, in general I recommend that you talk with your guidance counselor. Do some research to first find out if college is right for you, if so, which kind of college, and then look up some of the schools that you're interested in/are able to attend if accepted.

[Kent]

I got into my college of choice, no problem.

The schools in Mississippi hated me, teachers gave me bad grades for knowing more about their subjects than they did, and allowed other students to harass me, without stepping in or notifying administration (had to do that, myself). Not exactly a delinquent. The whole "prime candidate" thing wasn't exactly on paper.

How'd I get in? Entrance exam (highest recorded results evar), and money. Just like most colleges.

[Firocket1690]

http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees/feewaivers.html
"SAT fee waivers are available for high school juniors or seniors in the United States, Puerto Rico, or U.S. territories who cannot afford to pay the test fees. See your counselor to request fee-waiver cards. "

I call bullshit.

If getting your ass into college is something that's not worth parents waking up for, then it wouldn't be worth waking up the next four years you'd be there, so forget it.

Not sure about your situation, but I woke up at 6 on a saturday morning, and walked to a high school in the next town over, to kill four hours of my life. Because I care about my future. ... kinda http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wacko.gif
Oh, and this was four days ago.

Personally, as long as you have a decent amount of common sense, you should be able to pull off at least 1800. To breach the 2000 mark, go study up on stuffs.

All else fails, sell stuff. Friends love secondhand discounts and such. $50 isn't much.

College Tuition? College Selection? Loans? Study Materials? Poke around collegeboard.com (http://www.collegeboard.com), they have a bunch of help on everything. Do your own research before complaining. Friend of mine got all expense paid (books, tuition, transportation, etc) to college, and he's got the brain of half a monkey. It's not that hard. Really.

[Ma_Navu]

Alright, I managed to see my counselor. I was given the following:

-My current GPA
-SAT fee waivers
-A brochure for a specific scholarship program
-Websites for the SAT and ACT
-SAT registration booklet + preparation booklet
-ACT registration booklet + preparation booklet

Now, all I need to do is study for the test, take the SAT / ACT, and get through my last year of school. I've talked to my mom, and it seems I was completely wrong to infer what her actions would be, as it seems she completely supports me (Now I feel like an asshole).

Since I wish to go to a community college, I don't need to worry myself about honors classes, easing my complications ten-fold. I just have to deal with the rest of this school year (one quarter left~!). In short, I feel good now (except for the "feeling like an asshole" part) and have no reason to complain. Hell, I don't know why I was complaining in the first place.

I guess I have to work on that. >_> Damn, I'm such a whiny bitch.

[Solstis]

Well, complaining seemed to help you, so we've all learned a lesson about how complaining can solve problems. I'm being serious.

But, you might want to take an honors class just because some of the honors level teachers are more engaging/fun, and because the non-honors teachers at my school were grotesquely unmotivated. I wasn't a bright, shining star or anything in Highschool and am not now (I thought that I was, I have since discovered otherwise), but I've managed to not crash completely at college (yet). Expect burnouts, though. Oh, and don't listen to psychiatrists/shrinks/therapists about medication. Lost/losing two friends that way.

[astuarlen]

Glad to hear things are looking up! And I think community college is a super idea in your case, since you mentioned you don't know what area of study you want to focus on.
As for studying for the SAT/ACT, I personally believe it to be a futile endeavor, but do whatever you think will help you the most.

Also, I want to say"ditto" to everything Sollybottoms said. Solstis, too.

[Ma_Navu]

Wait, I'm confused. Just to be sure, how is studying for the test a "futile endeavor?" Would it result in me cramming for easy as hell questions, thus resulting in a waste of time, or something of the sort?

[astuarlen]

It's just that the SAT/ACT tend to ask questions about things you've been learning and doing all through your academic career. They're not like, say, a history test for which there are discrete facts to be learned; it's much more general. I see studying as a waste of time, because, apart from perhaps the vocab or grammar/usage areas (those are still on the tests, I presume) you're being tested on skills or processes rather than knowledge of the what is this? who did that? etc sort.
Anyway, it's really pretty easy. I prepared for the tests, as with any major exam, by getting a good night's rest and avoiding music for a couple days (no, really, I have a nasty habit of catching earworms; see Firo's thread for corroboration on their dangers).
Am I making sense? o;



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astuarlen on 2007-03-14 22:47 ]</font>

[Solstis]

Thing about the SAT/ACT is that it's important to know how to take the test. Probably even more important than covering the material.

Then again, my maths weren't so great, so brushing up on that helped me a lot.

[DurakkenX]

Things you shouldn't do when taking a test...

#1 Worry about the results
#2 Cram for the test
#3 ...ummm i need a 3 to make this a list!

[DizzyDi]

College isn't for everybody anyway. I probably won't be going to college. You don't have to a have a degree to be successful in life.

[Ma_Navu]

The only real reason I'm worried about the tests is that my cousin has been taking them for a while, failing every time. Obviously, since I didn't have a clue about the stuff the test covers, it gave me a decent reason to worry a bit.

Something else I hafta do, I gotta talk to my friend who took the test and ask him what kinda things were on the test. All I know is, there's a writing portion to the test, which I heard was easy as hell.

[Firocket1690]

... It kinda helps to read posts in your thread and clicking on links if possible.

http://www.collegeboard.com
For Students
User/Pass > Sign In
SAT Quick Links: SAT Test Preparation
Official SAT Practice Questions
Review directions, approaches, and practice questions:
Critical Reading | Mathematics | Writing
It's only 30 questions, but it'll give you an idea of what's on it. like I said earlier, most is common knowledge.

In addition to that, there's a practice test you can print out and play around with. online submission as well.

It's not so much that I'm spiteful. My tone (in this thread) hasn't been the most cheery. I'm just .. somewhat annoyed that people are stressing out too much about a big upcomming test, especially when information is so widely available online. even directly from collegeboard themselves.

[Ma_Navu]

Oh crap, sorry about that, Firocket. The only reason I didn't click the link was because, on the weekdays, I only have access to a slow internet connection. It gets so slow, I can literally go play a round Galaga, and come back just as it finishes loading a page on the not-so-good days (which is somewhat common).

As soon as I get to my dad's house today (home of the high-speed interweb~), you can bet your ass I'll be checking out the website. Thanks for the information, and again, sorry for kinda dismissing your post before.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Ma_Navu on 2007-03-15 14:23 ]</font>