"Unschooled" - Now what?

<p>I am going to try & keep this brief. In the third grade my parents pulled me out of public school because I had severe anxiety and every morning it was a constant battle to drag me out of bed. My mom, a lovely person but not a teacher, decided to homeschool me. At first, she used a structured curriculum that included Saxon Math. I stupidly fought her on this as well and she ended up giving in and just let me schedule my own day. She quickly subscribed to the "unschooled" learning theory, probably out of desperation, and trusted that I would learn what I needed to on my own time. I read voraciously, but other than that I mostly spent my days watching tv or playing computer games. </p>

<p>Fast forward almost a decade & I am now a 19 year old working at McDonalds. I'm still a big reader with a better vocabulary than most people my age, but my math skills are deplorable. I can add, subtract and count change. That's it. I didn't like math as a kid & no one made me practice or learn it so I simply did not. The problem is I'm now interested in college, but because of how behind I am it doesn't even seem like a viable option. It's now dawning on me how much my slacking off has affected my future. I am going to have to cram at least 7-8 years of schooling into a very short period of time for colleges to even consider me. I have no money for tutors or classes. Every penny I make goes to medical expenses for two surgeries that were performed on my arms last year. I do however, have a laptop computer, a library card, and a stubborn streak. And I am determined to get into college. I need to know what level of math I need to reach for admissions to consider me. I would also like to know what the best method or resources are for teaching yourself math, especially higher level math? And, since I have no formal transcripts or records, what the hell would I even put on a college application in the future? Could I just get in on the strength of an SAT score & essay alone? And most importantly, do you guys even think this is possible? </p>

<p>Eagerly awaiting your replies........</p>

<p>The best choice for you is to get a few textbooks, study, get your GED, go to community college for 2 years, and then transfer to a university.</p>