Help....the Stress Is Killing Me

[lynyrdsky1]

For those of you who do not know,

I am a senior in high school trying to apply for college right now. I am applying to LSU, Alabama, Mississippi State, and UTK. I am really not sure if I am gonna get into any of them. I have a 2.8 GPA a 30 on my ACT and nothing really to back me. I can not really afford for school even if I get in which is another thing falling on top of my head. There is a big spot on each application asking for academic awards; I got nothing. The only field I have been able to fill out is extra curricular activites and if I have worked before. I have had 3 jobs in high school 2 summer jobs and a part time job last year that I quit to start my summer job. I have ran cross country, played lacrosse, and football. I have been part of my religious youth group all through high school and I thought I have done alot. But when I write all this down it just seems like I have nothing. It seems to me that nothing I have done has counted. I think it probably has to do with that I messed up my first 2 years in high school. If I had done well then I would not be worring now.

If anyone has been through this process please give me some advice I need any help I can get.

Austin

[Bass XL]

You got a 30 on your ACT, and you have 'nothing'?! A 30 on your act can get you into almost any school itself. Look into scholarships a little more, I know you'll find something.

[lynyrdsky1]

You got a 30 on your ACT, and you have 'nothing'?! A 30 on your act can get you into almost any school itself. Look into scholarships a little more, I know you'll find something.

My GPA keeps me out of all academic scholarships.

[Bass XL]

My GPA keeps me out of all academic scholarships.

Not all. Keep looking and don't give up. I ran your credentials for my school, and you would qualify for $2000 a semester plus 100% of out of state tuition covered. You've got options, just keep looking.

[clayton86]

There are alot of options for money I mean alot idk what u would want to major in but some fields have specific scholarships per the field. It's still early in the school year take this time to buckle down and make things happen. What ever you do don't get senioritis thats the problem I have with most my class every year some really bright kids get that lazy I'm an adult now crap and tick the grades away and end up doing more harm then they realize. Just have faith and keep at it and don't give up where there's a will there's a way.

[GrundleLove]

there is no shame in community college. i mean, whats your major? business administration? liberal arts? pfft, that literally taking 100k and flushing it down the toilet with how hard it will be to get a job when you graduate. like i said. there is no shame in community college and NOT being in debt for life. my advice? get into the technology field. with out QUESTION. Best decision of my life. I literally dont want to sound pretentious or anything but I am 22 and make great money, and i went to community college. Got a brand new 2011 car, moving into my own place soon, and best of all? I am in NO debt. Which means I am able to go to a university in Boston or where ever and continue my education while i work, maybe get my bachelors degree and just pay off the classes, its great. Thats my advice, get into the tech field, skip those sissy fluff majors that will get you NOWHERE. Focus on something specific that you know you will make good money in and drive that mother ***** home, crush it, own it. then make bank when you graduate.

[lynyrdsky1]

I have a 3.5 gpa right now but I do not think it is enough to raise my average. I want to do metallurgical engineering as a major which is a pretty interesting field for those who know what it is. Idk about community college. I go to a collegiate prep school where they look down upon people who do not make it to major schools even though most the kids that have graduated went to big schools partied and failed out their first year and are now living on their parents which I do not even have the luxary now.

[clayton86]

I have a 3.5 gpa right now but I do not think it is enough to raise my average. I want to do metallurgical engineering as a major which is a pretty interesting field for those who know what it is. Idk about community college. I go to a collegiate prep school where they look down upon people who do not make it to major schools even though most the kids that have graduated went to big schools partied and failed out their first year and are now living on their parents which I do not even have the luxary now.

It's honestly a smart idea to go community college first save some cash getting the easy mandatory classes done that will be no different if ur at a big name school or a community school get them knocked out then transfer credits that's what both of my sisters did the went to community school there first 2 years then went to marry mount later saved alot of money that way.

Then what grundle said if u can get into a tech field or trade your set not saying other jobs arnt set either but jobs are usually easier to find in a tech or trade and there not gonna get out sourced like all these other fields that were losing to other country's and what not.

[NorcalBassin]

If you can't afford a "major" university then there sure as heck isn't anything wrong with community/junior college as previously mentioned. I know some good doctors that started out at a JC, went to a state school for undergrad, and then went to prominent medical schools and residencies. Don't worry about what other people/peers think about where you go right after high school... it's all about where you'll be when you see them again in 10 years.

It's not how you start, it's all about how you finish. As Grundle said... set your goals and go crush it.

[Stasher1]

It's honestly a smart idea to go community college first save some cash getting the easy mandatory classes done that will be no different if ur at a big name school or a community school get them knocked out then transfer credits that's what both of my sisters did the went to community school there first 2 years then went to marry mount later saved alot of money that way.

Then what grundle said if u can get into a tech field or trade your set not saying other jobs arnt set either but jobs are usually easier to find in a tech or trade and there not gonna get out sourced like all these other fields that were losing to other country's and what not.

This is sound advice. Knock out your core classes at a community college, save a bunch of cash, and pad you academic resume with whatever extracurricular activities and groups you think will help you get into the other schools. It'll also give you a chance to network with professors who may have connections in your future field. Connections can be far, FAR more valuable than grades when it comes to landing a job.

[clayton86]

Go ROTC in the guard that will ake care of the money issue

[Hamby]

I got a 30 on the act and had a 3.18 average gpa. Not much in extracurricular activities. Really, I could've gone to any state university I wanted to without paying a fortune. I'm going to a liberal arts college and i'll likely average about 7-10k a year out of pocket, all expenses included. It costs right around 40k a year to go to my college. I thought i did pretty good. Initially i was pretty worried about it all considering that i'm receiving no help from my parents. This semester i took 3500 in loans and had $500 left over after tuition and books that i'll be receiving. Same next semester. Next year i'll end up taking about 5000 in loans per semester.

[deaknh03]

What are you planning on doing when you graduate? Alchemy?

[lynyrdsky1]

I was thinking of working at a foundry or doing something along the lines of the scrap metal industry.

[BrianinMD]

As others said go to a community college to get the generic courses out of the way. A lot easier doing your english and other required courses in classes of 25 instead of several hundred. This will save a lot of money, gives you a chance to get the GPA set, and when you graduate from a 4 year school later there is no asterisk because of your community college years. You get the same degree as everyone who went there 4 years.

[Stasher1]

I was thinking of working at a foundry or doing something along the lines of the scrap metal industry.

As much as I'd hate to dissuade someone from pursuing their goal, I'd strongly suggest doing a good bit of research into careers in that field...in the US. I was working for one of the largest specialty metal producers in the world (at the time), and when the market tanked in '99, it hit us hard. A large chunk of our workforce went out the door, and I don't believe the company ever fully recovered.

We made and formed tungsten, tungsten carbide powder, molybdenum, moly-copper, moly-gold, halfnium, chromium, nickle-titanium, densalloy, etc. and it wound up being cheaper to buy finished products from overseas than to manufacture them here.

[Quillback]

I went straight into the US Army when I got out of high school, while serving I was able to knock out a few basic courses at a community college. Once I got out, I went to school nights while working days and eventually got a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. I'm not recommending doing what I did, but it worked for me.

If you're going to get an engineering degree, you're going to have to take calculus and physics (check the curriclum at the school you are targeting to see if those courses are required). We used to joke that calculus is the course that separates the liberal arts majors from the engineering majors.

You have to know algebra and trigonometry inside out to do well in calculus, yeah there are people that can pick it up easily, but that's about 5% of the people who take calc. If you did not do well in math while in HS, you'll probably struggle in calculus and physics, just saying this to let you know what you're going to face if you do get accepted into an engineering school. Not trying to scare you away, but if your math skills aren't good, you may want to consider taking algebra and pre-calc at a CC, so that you know this stuff cold, college calculus profs aren't going to teach you these thing in class, you have to know them going in.

[J Francho]

You haven't even started college, and you're stressing? Take a deep breath man, and step back. You will come up with the best plan for you, but don't kill yourself over it. Community/Junior college, ROTC, Military, all good plans. You don't have to map out the next ten years right now, just one or two. A job doing something you like, without too many hours, will help you feel better about all the loans you are taking out.

[SirSnookalot]

lynyrdsky1, on October 06 2011 - 08:12 AM, said:I was thinking of working at a foundry or doing something along the lines of the scrap metal industry.

As much as I'd hate to dissuade someone from pursuing their goal, I'd strongly suggest doing a good bit of research into careers in that field...in the US. I was working for one of the largest specialty metal producers in the world (at the time), and when the market tanked in '99, it hit us hard. A large chunk of our workforce went out the door, and I don't believe the company ever fully recovered.

We made and formed tungsten, tungsten carbide powder, molybdenum, moly-copper, moly-gold, halfnium, chromium, nickle-titanium, densalloy, etc. and it wound up being cheaper to buy finished products from overseas than to manufacture them here.

I'm not so sure I agree. I owned a scrap metal company for 35 years in Detroit, it can be a fantastic business, but the good times come with bad times too. What a scrap metal company does is quite simple. Buy scrap from plants generally in their local area and move them along to a some sort of a processor (mill, foundry, refiner, smelter, or user). XYZ company will manufacture something from material bought in the United States or overseas, the country of origin in most cases isn't relevant. That said the bulk of scrap over the last 10 years or so winds up in China, but the scrap was created here. It is true manufacturing is not what it once was, but the number of active scrap companies is less too, meaning less competetion. When I first went into business there may have been 30 major ferrous yards and another 30 or 40 major non ferrous companies, those numbers did dwindle to no more than 10 when I retired, but those 10 kicked butt in the income department.

As far as a degree ,never hurts but it depends on what one's job position is . I never did know metals all that well, didn't make any difference, my customers knew what they had, I could read an analysis sheet, and the people whom I sold the material always did some sort of analysis. We had a metal man working for us that knew it all, he was a sorter.

I highly recommend the scrap business, there is no limit to earning potential.

[SDoolittle]

Go ROTC in the guard that will ake care of the money issue

He will need a 3.0 GPA to qualify for an ROTC scholarship, and they are becoming fewer and much harder to get. BLUF the war in Iraq is winding down, and the Army is downsizing. In FY 2011, ROTC overproduced by roughly 600 new Lieutenants nationwide. He could enlist in the Guard or Reserves and let them pay for his school, but until he raises his GPA, the most he'll get out of ROTC is a small monthly stipend. Lynyrdsky1, if you're interested in going this route, PM me. I'm currently working as an ROTC instructor at WVSU, and I will help you out however I can.

[nick76]

As guy who went through 8 years of schooling and did it on scholarships and my own dime let me give you a suggestion or two.

1) Quit worrying about what others think. You have to live with your decisions, not your friend or your peers.

2) Can you afford not to go to college? Can you do the same job without going to college or do you have to get the degree?

3) Is this degree in high demand? And if it is, does it pay enough that you can afford to pay back student loans?

4) Colleges are making a shift right now to kids to have high intelligence and are active in many things. Just because you had a 4.0 gpa and a 30 on your ACT doesn't make you a guarantee for anything anymore. They are looking at the whole student and want those who are well rounded. A 2.8 GPA can be explained by your entrance essay and a 30 ACT is nothing to smirk at. You having outside work experience and a reference from your employers will help explain your determination to make a better life.

Just my 2 cents, but I just had to deal with a lot of this getting my daughter into school. Just another heads up....here is something for thought.

Two new reports provide ammunition to rebut the many complaints you hear these days that college isn't worth the cost.

AOL put together a list of the 10 highest-paying four-year degrees. All numbers are for mid-career averages, according to the 2011-2012 PayScale College Salary Report.

Petroleum Engineering -- average salary $155,000

Chemical Engineering -- average salary $109,000

Electrical Engineering -- average salary $109,000

Materials Science and Engineering -- average salary $103,000

Aerospace Engineering -- average salary $102,000

Computer Engineering -- average salary $101,000

Physics -- average salary $101,000

Applied mathematics -- average salary $98,000

Computer science -- average salary $98,000

Nuclear engineering -- average salary $98,000

[lynyrdsky1]

The entrance essay is what is causing alot of my worrying. I am afraid im gonna same something that is gonna keep me out of college.

[J Francho]

You don't get in for saying nothing. All they care about is whether you can articulate your thoughts using written word.

[hookingem]

Slow down! Don't stress over it too much and make a rational decision. Community college is most definitely worth a look. You could stay at home work and figure out what you want out of college/life ect. Even if you decide you want to transfer into a big time university you would only have to pay for 2 years of schooling, and your degree would be NO different than the kids who payed for all 4 years!

[lynyrdsky1]

My parents will not allow me to go to community college or do ROTC. I do not understand there reasoning in saying ROTC is the easy way out but it is what they think. I can afford school is what my parents say but it is more me thinking we can not. I just do not want them having to pay for another 4 years of school. I do not want to be a burdon on them.