I’m currently getting out of the military in a month or so. I have the post 9/11 GI Bill which covers 36 months. I’m also a high school drop out who earned his GED and my math knowledge is pretty pathetic. Now that I’m a little older, I know I want to go to college and major in biology… Would it be stupid to attempt to go straight into four year university without starting off with community college first? I know that the university offer more of the courses I want (which I didn’t see in the community colleges in the area). I have no ACT/SATs and I would do poorly with math when doing the assessment test. I don’t even know if I even have a chance of getting in a university. I’m lost and don’t know what to do. Would appreciate any advice, thanks!
Aside from the math question for the moment, why do you want to major in bio? It is not a very marketable degree, there are gobs of unemployed or underemployed bio majors.
I am a rising senior in high school so please do take my advice with a grain of salt. Now, I would definitely take the CC route and transfer to an accredited university. And the best part about that is some universities don’t consider your high school transcript as part of their admission process once you have enough credits. Also, what was the highest mathematics class you’ve taken while in high school? Most colleges require you to take Calculus I, II, and III, so at least knowledge in pre-calc is appreciated.
@intparent I disagree. The OP could definitely become a biology teacher with just a bachelor’s. Also, a masters can land him even more jobs with a biology major.
I’ve always been big into science. Working in an office for 9 years I wanted to do something more exciting. Was thinking of working in environmental science, wildlife, fishery, or even a lab.
The highest math I did was business math (which is basically what a cashier does). I had a rough life so I never finished school like I wanted to. Honestly, I don’t want to sound dumb but I don’t even know how to do algebra. I’ve taken an assessment test before and I scored high on everything but math. I scored real bad with math lol.
How old are you?
32 years old. The not so young but not so old category.
If you have the time and dedication, I would take a year off and prepare really hard in catching up on your math skills. It will definitely leave you in a better position to tackle Calc in college.
Ok, I would definitely take that year off, go to community college, and then transfer to an accredited university. You’ll be 37 by the time you get that degree. And if you want, you could later go back for masters, which will be another 2 years. To some degree, intparent is right. A BS in Biology would only get you so far. For the jobs you listed, atleast a masters is recommended to make yourself very marketable.
There are a lot of resources available to you. [This article](http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/best-for-vets/2015/11/09/best-vets-colleges-2016-our-top-175-schools/75311832/) talks about some of them, and lists some vet-friendly options. Another option is [Posse for Vets](http://www.possefoundation.org/veterans-posse-program) which works with academically selective colleges, who top up the difference between the GI Bill and actual costs.
I would be truly, deeply astonished if any Community College didn’t offer the math or intro sciences you need- maybe not everything you want, but more than enough to get you started- and a CC could be a good way to get back into academic life. In most cases there is a guaranteed transfer option to your state university as well.
Yeah, the answer I wanted was me getting into a four year university, but the answer I needed to hear was community college and then transfer. I suppose it’s better to stick my toe into the cold water first. I’ll take a look at those links and see my options. I also should look at other more demanding career fields. Really appreciate your guys advice, thanks!
I am sorry that it’s not the answer you wanted to hear. Best of luck and thank you for serving!
Take a year to work on your math, then apply to a range of colleges. Don’t rule out 4-year schools. The worst that happens is you’re rejected.
I like Aleks.com to prep for math. It’s $20/month, but it has a range of topics. I’d start with basic math and then move on to algebra, precalc, etc. You get to work at your own pace and their explanations are really clear.
I’d study for the SAT and/or ACT too. Take a practice test to see which you like better. At the end of the year, take one. Colleges may take it or they may not. It’s a test to show college readiness, so it will help give you confidence in your abilities and colleges that are willing to take it can use it. The most you have to lose is whatever the test prep and test cost but you gain knowledge, so I think it’s worth it to you.
When you’re ready to apply, check in and let us know how you’re doing. Good luck.
I don’t have any hard core advice here, but you could find some true champions at the community college level who really want to help you with your math. Way back in the day I had to attend a basic algebra class in CC (had a horrible math foundation in high school) and found some teachers dedicated to helping students overcome math issues.
I want you to hear this and take this to heart: math deficits can very much be overcome with PRACTICE and REPETITION. Do the problems over and over and over. Do them every.single.night. You will improve. I doubt that it is your lack of innate math ability that is holding you back. I’m betting at some point you just assumed other people were inherently “good at math” and because you were not, you stopped trying.
Best of luck. Thanks for serving!
Really good advice about math from @carachel2^^
(also, some things that I found overwhelmingly hard in high school were- mysteriously!- much more manageable when I went back to school in my late 20’s. Maybe it was maturity or motivation or just just that I had learned how to work hard through work experience- but whatever it was, things that were insuperable then became more possible).
Some good advice given already. Just in case, have a look here as well:
Just, whatever you do, don’t go to an online, for-profit school.
Umm - no. Most colleges do not require three semesters of calculus.
You might want to also look ahead at your financial situation. The post 9-11 GI Bill does offer tuition coverage and a monthly stipend. When you go to school full-time, that is your main focus and time commitment. You might be able to swing a few hours a week at a part-time job. I’m not totally positive on this but I think you get the monthly stipend when enrolled in school. Meaning if you take the summer off, you might not get the stipend.
(I know you’re separating soon.) Some base/post/installation education centers offer refresher assistance in some subjects.
Not sure what state is your home of residence. At the state-level, some states’ universities offer additional benefits to veterans.
Another piece of advice… make sure when you separate your DD Form 214 is correct and keep it in a safe place.