Hey everyone, I’m trying to figure out what to do and I figured out this is the best place to do so. Its a long story, but here goes nothing.
So I graduated High School when I was 18, and I was not ready for College in the slightest. I was pushed to go to a community college, and went there. My performance was utterly dismal, I had a lot of personal issues I was dealing with at the time on top of my immense immaturity. I couldn’t focus, I had to build my schedule around my parents (because of reasons), I was dealing with a lot of personal issues and after 51 Credits and a 2.2 GPA, I dropped out and Joined the Air Force when I was 20. I had absolutely no direction, and I felt trapped living at home.
While In the Air Force a year after being in, I attempted to go back to School in 2013. However, my supervisor at the time was very spiteful with the newer airmen attending school that wasn’t online. He constantly changed my work schedule, among other’s and I ended up having to drop out well past the Withdrawal date for a surprise deployment. That point on, my supervisor would not allow me or anyone else E3 and Lower to take Classes that weren’t sponsored by the base. I sunk into a depression and stopped trying with school, focusing on work. I eventually moved to a new base, and will be leaving the Air Force in 2019. I’m returning home to NC, and I want to start over from the beginning.
I’m already uncomfortable knowing I’ll be 28 learning along side 18 year olds, but I’m afraid my previous record will harm me in the long run of applying to a University. I want to just start from the beginning, do my 2 years fully and transfer on to a degree program. Will my prior screw ups, affect me this far in the future? I’m a lot more mature than I was, and I have a stronger sense of direction and motivation to succeed. I got over a lot of my issues, but I’m terrified this will bite me in the butt. What should I do? Should I even try? Should I just accept the fact I squandered my youth and do an A.A.S in a Trade and not waste a spot for someone who has a clean background? I don’t mean to be depressing with this, but I’m already married and the last thing I want to do, is waste anymore time.
Thank you for your service.
Find your local CC and get your transcripts reviewed by a transfer counselor. There is usually a Veterans affairs office to help guide you through the financial aid process.
Being 28 and married won’t make a difference in taking classes. You’ll be a better student because you have more life experiences. Don’t be afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone.
In 5 years or less, you should be done, and the time will go by quickly. If you decide that you want to do trades, well then that’s all on you.
It’s never too late. Aunt Bea gives good advice. Build a new record and you will be judged by your recent accomplishments, not what you did a decade ago.
I also thank you for serving.
I greatly appreciate the advice, I’m just trying to get everything together. I have a few years left before I go back into civilian life, and I’m thinking about doing a few online things (Such as Kahn Academy) to get myself ready for the entrance exam for it. I’m really really hoping that they can let me start from the beginning, and that judgment will only be on recent history. Who I was 18-20 is completely different than I am at 25, much less 28 years old when I get out.
‘Thank you for your support’, is what I’ve been told is customary to respond when thanked for service, and I truly do appreciate it.
Don’t be afraid of that at all. I’m 46 and back at school full time. It feels deeply weird and uncomfortable at first (I’m older than some of the professors), but you get over it, and your classmates get over it, and if you know what you’re doing, work hard, and contribute appropriately to the class 99% of the kids forget that you’re even old after a few months.
Don’t be the older guy know it all-there were a few that would do that and they just couldn’t adapt into the classroom setting. Just go in prepared to learn-you’ll find you already know a lot more of the answers than the other kids, but you don’t need to share that because it makes the kids not relate to you. Finding common ground is important, but don’t go trying to make friends with them-just do your thing and the ones that are cool with you will talk to you.
The first semester was really hard for me (I was transferring in with 130 credits, and had junior status). Now I’m a senior, I should graduate next spring, and I am enjoying the heck out of classes and can’t wait to get my BA.
I will tell you that I find online classes MUCH harder than the in-person classes, and I loathe them. I only take them when I can’t make the in-person classes work.
I have an associate’s degree, so I didn’t lose my credits-you may lose your credits from the previous institutions if it’s been too long. You’ll have to spend a lot of time with your guidance counselor getting it all figured out, but don’t make any assumptions on what you can and can’t do with regards to transfer credit until you talk to them. It is really a crapshoot for that part of it.
Make sure your spouse is 100% on board with it. It takes a lot of focus away from your family. Our kids are 17 and almost 16, and pretty self-sufficient with a lot of stuff, so I felt comfortable going back to school. My H still has to step up a lot and occasionally work from home to keep everything going smoothly. You WILL NOT succeed at school if your spouse isn’t totally behind you.
I chose to wait until my parents income would not be a factor in my financial aid, as my father did not want to cosign loans and I did not like any of the programs that offered me scholarships. By the time my age was finally considered independent, I was working full time and making decent money so I figured school wasn’t necessary. Fast forward a decade and I was fed up with the lack of growth potential and generally unhealthy work environment as a creative professional. I decided to go back to school and was advised to go to my local CC first in order to save money. It was also very conveniently located in my case (right by my train station), so for nearly two years I worked full time (50-60+ hrs a week at times), and attended CC evenings and weekends. I graduated in May after two years, but as I was laid off from my job of 10 years back in February I’m thankful to be transferring as a day student. I’m grateful for support from my fiance, who is willing to help support me while I’m struggling through this whole “not working” thing.
So, at age 35, I’m aiming to be finishing my undergrad in 2018, and was able to keep my grades high enough while obtaining my AA to get a full ride for the next two years. It’s totally possible to make the most of a weird situation where you’ve taken off a lot of time. I was actually surprised how many older students were in my classes and figure I will have less but still a noteworthy amount of older students once I transfer in the Fall. I also found that most of my professors were very useful in providing the social stimulation I wasn’t going to get from the younger students in my classes. If you are up front and tell them what’s happening on your end they’ll do whatever they can to help you. Do your research too and try to find out if the professors you’re going to be taking classes with are suitable for your learning style.
Another older non-trad student in some of my classes had taken 10 years off after starting at the same CC 10+ years ago. They let him test out of the basic 101 stuff rather than just deny the credits. You might be able to do something similar. Good luck and don’t give up!