So I previously did a thread on here where I throughly discussed my educational background and got completely misunderstood, confused and possibly angered a lot of commenters and so on… what are my chances on making it in this world? Like what university would accept me with my background? My educational history? What kind of careers would be acceptable for someone with my background? If you’ve seen any of my threads… please give me a miracle and help me instead of calling me crazy, I just feel so alone right now and I don’t know what to do or who I want to be in life and just yeah…
Your chances of “making it in this world” are good provided you address your psychological issues.
That should be your first priority.
You fantasize about the Ivy League and graduating with garlands around your neck – but it sounds like at this point it’s unclear whether your anxiety will allow you to attend a regular school. So slow down. Face one hurdle at a time.
Get counseling, take your meds and when you’re ready, resume your education. Check the policies regarding admission of GED students at your local state college/university. Or begin at a community college followed by a transfer to a 4 year university.
It’s highly unlikely that 4 year university will be an Ivy. But if you excel as an undergraduate, a very selective graduate program at a top-ranked university isn’t out of the question.
Remember, success isn’t where you start - but where you end up.
These are the type of questions you need to take up with your family and whatever counselor is helping you deal with your mental health. Take care of your anxiety and other issues first, then figure out your education.
Getting your high school equivalency is a good idea. When you’re ready to pursue your education, discuss available options with your family. You don’t have to figure out colleges or majors yet. Take one step at a time. Local universities or community colleges can be great resources, so when you are ready to think about college you may want to start off by visiting some local ones.
For what it’s worth, no one here is angry with you. We see posts from kids all the time, kids who simply need to reconcile their dreams with the realities they face. It’s part of growing up.
Your mental health NEEDS to be your first priority. I think you mentioned you were working on finding a counselor. Work on it today, and call and make an appointment.
Education is priority number 2.
But know that the overwhelming, huge vast majority of successful people never even thought of applying to an Ivy. Forget educational requirements, the price alone would be out of range for most people.
Let’s talk about how we define “making it”
I’m 59, happily married with 3 wonderful kids. Like you, they occasionally need a reality check, but, also like you I suspect, they’re great kids. I have a job I love as a high school math teacher in a school that is the perfect fit for me. My mom is still with us at 87, and my 4 siblings and I are still close. I saw a bunch of my cousins at a wedding over the weekend and we had a great time. My family is planning a return trip to Disney World this summer to celebrate my middle child’s high school graduation. She won’t be attending an Ivy, she’ll (hopefully) be attending a SUNY school upstate… Her older brother is taking a semester off to join the fire department; they’ll pay for him to attend a local community college as he finishes his Associates Degree. From there, he’ll probably attend a local SUNY. And my youngest is a freshman at the local public school, just starting to discern the path she’ll take.
From most of your criteria, I’m probably not a success. But I love my life.
You’ve had a bumpier road than some of your peers-- and probably a less bumpy than one or two. And you’re not at the same point they are academically. And you know what?? That’s OK. Not everyone follows the same path.
Your job is to first, take care of your mental health issues-- you need to learn how to be happy. I suspect a big chunk of that will be tackling your anxiety and learning to set appropriate goals. A good therapist can help you in these areas.
If you want to talk about possible majors, great- -what are you interested in? is there a particular path that seems to be calling to you? (If not, that’s OK. LOTS Of my seniors have no idea.)
So, to answer your question, NO, you’re NOT destined for failure. You can make it-- as long as your definition of “making it” is a reasonable one. You can get your mental health together, get an education, and find a way to live a life that will make you happy. One step at a time, without imposing some arbitrary deadlines on what should happen when.
I wish you the best of luck.
Hopefully you will find the above posts helpful, not confrontational. Please read them and follow their suggestions.