<p>I'm working full time in a field that I am not really interested in. I get paid pretty well(for a hs grad), it's easy, and offers me flexible hours.</p>
<p>I am relying heavily on financial aid for school.</p>
<p>Will working too much and bringing in money affect my need based grants and aid?</p>
<p>I would like to do some kind of temporary work or volunteer work that is somehow related to my interest(it/cs) but I really don't know where to look =/</p>
<p>I'm in the same situation. I'm taking a gap year (perhaps semester, because I really want to be in school), and I'm not sure it's doing me any good. I originally told myself "I'll save a little money and head back." Now I realize that once I make over 3k, which will definitely be before next August, half of it will count towards my EFC. I'm living at home, but I'm also being used for the bank right now. I pay some of the bills and whatnot but it's sucking my small-time job dry.</p>
<p>So next year I'll see an EFC increase, which will probably make me have a heart attack, and then I'll be even farther away from being able to pay for school.</p>
<p>I'm interested in computer stuff, too. It's not easy to find somewhere to work with that since a lot of the businesses don't want some kid (Better worded as: Young Adult) in their way and the customer service jobs still want more than HS Grad with no work experience in the field.</p>
<p>Yeah I originally planned to just take one semester off and start this up coming spring. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do and procrastinated too much so now it seems like next fall or summer is the best bet. Iv really think I might start working less or try and get another part time job possibly at best buy?? maybe..
I really think money I am earning now wont help me too much in the future and it is taking much of my time now that I could be using to prepare and get myself into college</p>
<p>Iv considered going to a community college and extend the gap and start school sooner. But I'm not sure if that is wise. Id get some classes out of the way but I want more than a two year degree and Id rather not do one then transfer. Even though you can land a decent job with a 2 year degree in it.money is an issue as well for me</p>
<p>Iv been seeing lots of different types of cs and it degrees from different types of schools. Like some schools you are not actually taking the same cs courses do you know if theres really a big difference between them?</p>
<p>I'm not sure what you mean about the CS courses. I know there's a school I was considering that has three different majors dealing with CS. One is the usual Computer Science, which is mostly mathematics and programming. The next is Computer Information Systems, which is learning programming and more business focused things dealing with computers. The last is Information Technology, which is more focused towards the learning how to be the "Fix-it" person and keep things running, perhaps The upper tiers of the Help Desk.</p>
<p>Not sure if that's the answer to the question. When I first heard CS, I thought "Yes, Computers, I love them, I want to do that." Then when I visited the school I realized it was all math and programming. It didn't even touch on the networks, the software, ignored the hardware. Plus UA was forcing me to take a math minor, and I didn't want to do that. I can't look at the Black, Blue, and White Screens for the rest of my life, no way.</p>
<p>Finances are really tough on me, too. I would do CC, but that's proving to be a challenge as well. I really want to have that college experience, not just a degree and off into the workforce I go.</p>