It’s odd to me that more people don’t note that finding a job that requires some college but not a degree, but also offers tuition benefits, is an option.
Think about what you might want to do that doesn’t require a college degree - like a technician or a sales person - but focus on companies large enough to offer tuition benefits. You may have to move to achieve this.
http://www.businessinsider.com/companies-that-will-pay-for-your-tuition-2014-6
UPS and Home Depot are two notable companies on the list. And Starbucks:
http://www.starbucks.com/careers/college-plan
Part of the point is that you can take a class non-matriculated, and then if you prove yourself by getting a high grade, you can officially transfer.
(if you are planning to be a programmer, what about something like Full Sail University?)
Some of you “advice-givers” are awfully harsh…its one of the things that drives me nuts about today’s climate…so few 2nd chances…he screwed up, he knows it,…does he somehow need to feel even worse than he does now before you all are happy?
Now he’s looking for practical advice for Act 2.
@TopTier people should enlist in the military because they have a desire to serve. It is not something to be taken lightly or something to be considered simply because someone has been asked to leave college. I find your suggestion to the OP insulting as it ignores whether he has the desire or qualifications to serve. The military is not for everyone and certainly not something to be used as a last resort.
@SouthernHope,
If you’re addressing me as part of “the harsh group,” I was aware that I did not give advice. It was a conscious choice. I don’t have any advice to offer, other than attending a CC or an OOS, and that’s already been said. Plus, it’s inconvenient and expensive for the OP. (Yup. College can be both of those things.)
But second, the difference between you and me on this one is apparently the way we perceive the OP. You perceive that he’s remorseful and accepting and has owned up. You may perceive that he didn’t do much wrong to warrant a dismissal in the first place. You may feel sympathetic towards him. You may have life experiences that lead you to doubt the administration’s policies or process.
But I clearly perceive him, the situation, and the administrative process in a different way. I wanted to mention my different take on the situation. I do feel compassion for the OP – because he is young and he did make an unexpectedly life-changing decision to do something stupid. I DO believe in second chances.
But there’s no easy out, and there’s not really a reason that there should be. Like you, I don’t like intolerance or harsh treatment of others.
On the other hand, by reading between the lines, I’m getting the impression that the OP’s predicament was brought about by his own expression of intolerance or his own harsh treatment of others.
Im just expressing an opinion that is different from yours, and possibly different from the majority’s. But for now, it’s my opinion.
We’re all formed by our own life experiences. You have your take on the matter, and I have mine. I certainly do not intend to be harsh or hateful or intolerant.
I am one of the hard a$$es. I do think OP deserves a second chance. he is young and he made a mistake. But I think he has to take the time to learn and grow from his error. We don’t know what he did and I will confess my imagination is running wild (didn’t physically hurt anyone but still got bounced out of the UC system without a chance to withdraw? I am thinking lots of bad thoughts.) It is unclear to me how much time has elapsed since his mistake and now. I think he should take at least a year (sorry, OP, I know that seems like an eternity when you are young) and do something else. Working would be great. Working and volunteering would be even better. Military service would also be great. I am from a culture that sees service as a time honored way for young people to gain discipline and get back on track.
OP - You mentioned representation by a student advocacy group. Did that include any law students? Legal counsel is costly, but I wonder whether there was a free clinic available at Boalt Hall. Considering the severity of the punishment, it does sound as if you sleepwalked through the process. It also sounds as if you waited until it was too late instead of finding an advocate to explain your options at each step. Were criminal charges filed? I have trouble imagining what non-criminal actions would lead to an outright dismissal of the sort you describe. You do have the right to remain silent, here and everywhere else, but I’m inclined to suspect we haven’t begun to hear the entire story. You are obviously bright, and had a good enough academic profile for admission to an intensely competitive program at an intensely competitive university. If you’re this radioactive among other, far less selective colleges, the blot on your record must be a pretty ugly one. I think a coding boot-camp might be your best bet. I suggest looking into one outside of CA. You could establish residency, and then attempt to apply to a public institution at in-state rates there.
OP – So have you tried applying to the CSUs?
Also, you may have already tried this, but I’ll throw this out anyway. If the chancellor is the person who needs to decide your admission, going straight to the top is one strategy. Have you tried contacting the chancellor’s office at the CUs you’re interested in for an in-person meeting? It could be just to discuss the possibility of getting permission to attend, if accepted. During that meeting, you accept responsibility for your actions in the mature way you’ve demonstrated on this thread, discuss your academic goals and accomplishments – and, basically, make a personal pitch for a second chance. Be honest, contrite and humble. The chancellor’s response may be an indication whether it’s at all possible to get back into the UC system. If the answer is, basically, sorry, no can do – it may be time to refocus on CSUs or out of state. BTW, there are out of state schools which do give some financial aid to California students – you already tried Washington; I would also encourage you to reach out to schools in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana - underpopulated states which welcome OOS students. My own kiddo (we live in Colorado) was offered scholarships at University of Montana and Montana State for his test scores alone.
Anyway, don’t give up looking for ways to finish your education. I believe if you knock on enough doors, you’ll eventually find one that’s open.
^ This was my thought as well … except that I was thinking it might be too soon. I was guessing that maybe the disciplinary hearings were happening in the fall of 2014, or possibly in the spring of 2014. If that’s the case, I doubt that the Chancellor will want to hear from him this soon. An attempt to meet with the Chancellor now might be interpreted as an inability to take “no” for an answer or an inability to understand the gravity of his mistake or as a lack of respect for the process or “the office.” After all, the process was lengthy and fellow human beings, whose job it is to weigh these things, made the decision to expel him.
I’m with @Lizardly … the OP would best be served by some time in the trenches, which might include serving others (volunteer work). THEN, he could more effectively and more believably try that direct route to the Chancellor.
Given that the cause for dismissal was personal behavior, I think that it is highly likely that OP could enroll in an online course of study. Many of these are excellent. Some of them are relatively inexpensive.
I suggest looking at:
Florida State https://distance.fsu.edu/students/undergraduate-programs
Colorado State http://www.online.colostate.edu/
Central Michigan University http://global.cmich.edu/programs/bachelors.aspx
University of Maryland http://www.umuc.edu/academic-programs/
There are many others.
I also suggest to apply to non US colleges that are good with CS like university of Waterloo and Toronto. They are good value, especially the dollar is strong, and they are a bit cheaper then IS colleges.
HarvestMoon1, the military should not be a last resort, but the reality is that it is for some people. One of my friends lost his job at age 39, after being in the National Guard for 10 years. He tried to look for a job while taking care of his kids, but he couldn’t deal with it. He felt like he wasn’t a man if he was unemployed. So he joined up full-time, has been deployed several times and lives away from home as his wife works away from a base and makes more money than him. And they have three kids, two in grammar school, who are completely distraught over him not being home very much.
So sadly, sometimes people do use the military as a last resort.
Any suggestions, including joining the military, should be considered as having been made in good faith. Being insulted by a suggestion – especially when a suggestion is requested – is the height of ingratitude.
Suggestions on CC tend to be all over the map. Many are stock answers, with no consideration whatsoever to the students actual situation, while others are deeply thoughtful. All of them seem to be sincere, with no intent to insult the seeker of advice. We can only hope that the student/seeker will know the best solution when they find it.
@rhandco I can see how the military would make sense for your friend. He is a grown man with a family to support and probably gave the matter a lot of thought. But for OP who has expressed no interest and is desperately attempting to find some way to re-enroll in college, it does not make a lot of sense. To be successful in the military I think you need to be pretty committed to the idea before enlisting.
^ I totally agree. Not wise to enlist in the military for all the wrong reasons.