<p>Hi, my name is Charles and this is my first time posting. I need some advice as to whether or not it is worth my while to continue college education and whether or not I can achieve my goals/dreams. A little background info: I am a first generation college student, Hispanic and have suffered from extremely debilitating depression. It caused me to spend two years of my life basically doing nothing but laying in bed. I graduated high school with a 3.8 and got a 1690 on my SAT (I took the test during the inception of my depression and I know I could have done better. I have taken practice tests more recently which prove that). After my two years doing nothing, I decided to go to a community college and give life another chance.</p>
<p>This last spring I obtained my associate's degree from a Bergen Community College. I had spent 3 years there and am currently 23 years old. My overall GPA is a 3.4. There is a sharp divide between my science GPA and my non-science GPA. My science GPA averages our to about a 2.0 GPA and my non-science GPA averages out to about a 3.85. I have 2 Fs on my transcript: one in Physics I and another in Drafting I. I have two Ws: one in Drawing Fundamentals and the other in Modern Dance. </p>
<p>My extracurricular during my years at Bergen are as follows. 3 years being a basic Student Government member. 1 year Model UN secretary with 2 years membership and attending the NMUN conference in NYC twice. 3 years of writing for my school newspaper winning two first place awards for two articles (one state wide the other region wide). Phi Theta Kappa 2.5 years with the first year being Vice President. 2 years working as a tutor in my college for about 20-15 hours per week.</p>
<p>My intended major for my undergraduate degree is Mechanical Engineering. In addition, to the poor grades I have gotten in my science courses so far (most of which form the pre-reqs for the major specific courses) I have no credit in any physics courses. I would have to take 2 years worth of physics courses in order to actually start my intended major. Further more, given my stats I doubt I will be able to get into any top school. My graduate level plans are currently geared toward admission into a top law school and are becoming more and more elusive</p>
<p>I applied to Rutgers under their philosophy department with the hopes of eventually transferring to a better school with my intended major and eventually reach my graduate school goals in a great school. My depression and the inability to concentrate has been the biggest road block and I have been in denial of it up until recently. I feel that anything done now, however, is too little too late and that I have truly no chance to get into a top school for the degrees I wish to get. I am contemplating just giving up on college overall since it seems I have irreversible screwed myself over. Is it all possible to achieve my goals? If so, what actions should I take in order to set myself on the right path?</p>