<p>I having a very stressful time. I just got into the high school and I havent been doing as good as I think I could do. Halfway through the school year, I suddenly started putting in effort.I really want to go to college but, I'm constantly getting 80s and ocasianal 90s. I wanted to go to NYU but, their prices are too high and my family isint very rich. I want to find a good school with an affordable price. I am also having some trouble finding a career. I have always been a doodler. I have come up with my own characters with their own stories. I have looked into careers such as graphic design, animation and game development but, they either pay too little, have very little job opportunities or are really competitive. Do you have any college and career suggestions for a creative yet shy individual?</p>
<p>It’s HYPSM, Columbia or bust (maybe Penn, Chicago is okay too). Otherwise you’re off to work at McDonald’s or Wal-mart for the rest of your life. </p>
<p>OP, ignore trolls. Freshman year of high school is a good time to develop or polish your study skills. Many students, particularly boys, struggle with the first year of h.s., and admissions officers know this. What you want to leave your first year with are some good study skills. Does your high school offer such instruction after school or thru the guidance office or PTA? See if you can find some help with studying. Also work hard on your writing and reading skills. You’re going to be doing a lot of both of these in h.s. and college and the rest of your life. Improved study, reading, and writing skills will pay great dividends down the road. Focus on that this year and you will be better prepared for the courses you have next year. Do the best you can this year with the courses you have.</p>
<p>Don’t let the big picture questions get you down. They will resolve themselves in time. Focus on what you can control right now. Next year you can ask some of these questions again, but it’s really not until the mid-point of junior year that you have to ramp up for the college admissions process and the need to think about where, what major, what career begin to have ANY importance. Good luck.</p>
<p>jke gives good advice. My advice is to, in addition to working on your reading and writing skills (doing WELL, not good), continue to pursue your interest in cartooning/graphic novels. Try to find places to publish, such as a school newspaper, a website, or whatever. I know they are out there. The best way to develop an eventual career that is satisfying is to follow your interests and talents.</p>
<p>BTW, you are lucky to live in a state with an array of good public college options. NYU is over-priced and gives lousy financial aid.</p>