Charlie Said:

i'm getting ready to start college and?

We Answered:

Any reputable college that offers online courses or online degrees only offers those classes to adult students who have already been through some college. Some community colleges offer hybrid classes where you only attend class once a week and you do homework throughout the week through an online system. That is the most common that I have seen.

As far as "basic" math and english...college isn't high school. At a reputable college, there is nothing "basic" about it. "Basic" was what you learned in high school.

If you still feel that Gen. Ed. classes are too basic for you, then I suggest trying to CLEP out of them. Take a test and be done with them. Trying to find classes to give you the easy way out will be quite obvious to an admissions director at a medical school.

The rigidity of college curriculum is purposely designed to teach you what THEY think you need to know...not what YOU think you need to know.

Paul Said:

Not sure if college is right for me?

We Answered:

You do have options. No matter what, though; if you are currently enrolled in classes, finish out the term. Then bank those classes for in case you ever decide to return to school. No matter what, don't just leave school now - that causes GPA and financial aid issues which are not pretty. So finish the term, and during that time, check out what certificate programs your community college has to offer - things that prepare you to directly enter a job when you finish. Certificates tend to be less "liberal arts" and more "practical knowledge" than what you're doing right now. They take less than a year to complete. And find out which of them are in good demand where you live. Things like medical assistant can work out well.

Then get a job in that field, and work for a while. Use the money you earn to give yourself financial security while you think through your other options. Maybe you'll stay doing your field. Maybe you'll go back to school. See where your life takes you! But from the security of a real job, earned via that certificate.

A lot of the certificate programs the ccs in your state offer are the same programs offered by vocational schools - just tens of thousands of dollars cheaper!

Another idea is to simply try to find a job, just as you are. Finish the term, and during these last weeks, start your job search. See what you can find, if anything.

The military is also an option, and a very good one for a lot of people. You want experience? Talk about experience! And it would expose you to all sorts of careers, as you look around you at the various roles people in the military perform.

So you do have options. The important thing - how to be successful - is to chart a specific path, and follow it.

And don't worry about what you'll do FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE OMG!!!! No. For right now, just think about what you'll do *next*. See where that takes you.

Gwendolyn Said:

Not sure if college is right for me?

We Answered:

Its ok if you don't know what you want to do yet. I graduated high school and was pressured to enroll in a surgical tech program. I really thought that's what I wanted to do but inside I felt not ready to further my education so I dropped out. I then started working 2 jobs since I lived on my own. I was making about $2000 a month but I was working about 60-70 hours per week to make that! I did that for about 3 years and realized that's not the kind of life I wanted for myself (waiting tables and working at Walmart and such making 7 bucks and hour for the rest of my life). So when I was 21 I finally started college and I was a lot more serious about it and I figured out what I wanted to do which im now in nursing school. I wish I would have been ready to go to college right after I finished high school but I wasn't. So you should definitely take the time you need to to figure out what you want to do with your life but don't take too much time or else you'll regret it.

Try to make a life plan for yourself and try to follow it such as what you think you might like doing and also how much money would you like to make, do you want a big house, a certain kind of car, do you want to have children some day, do you like to travel? All those questions have a big impact on your life and what you decide to do with it. Im also a first generation college student so I know what its like to feel pressure to go to college and finish.

Another thing is if your really not sure what you want to do only take basic required education classes don't take any classes for a specific major yet because you can end up waisting lots of time and money on classes you don't need if you keep changing majors. I'm sure you'll figure it out.