I am a high school junior who is stuck in quarantine with constant worries about college and other unnecessary issues. I used to be a straight A student without a care in the world, but then my dad got sick when I was 12.
He was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiform, stage IV terminal brain cancer. At the time I had no idea what that meant but it took a toll on my mental health greatly and impacted how I dealt with the simplest of situations a 12 year old was faced with.
My mental health decreased dramatically and so did my grades. I lost it completely and had to be in a mental hospital in middle school. I witnessed first hand what it is like to see your own dad fall apart.
Before high school started my dad unfortunately deteriorated rapidly and could no longer withstand the effects of the cancer. I was there the whole time to see my own dad vanish like he was never my own father. Seeing him in hospice, watching him float away took a toll on me emotionally and mentally in such various ways that after almost three years of his passing, I still have not learned to cope with such traumatizing events I have witnessed.
My grades were effecting so badly that I’ve lost all hope of attending any college for the foreseeing future.
I have a 2.51 GPA, Weighted it is 2.68, Cal Grant is 2.20, UC/CSU is 2.06, Locals Honors weighted is 2.51 (this is all cumulative GPA)
I may not be the smartest out of all people out there, after all I’ve made mistakes that led to me having to switch school because kids were bullying me. They even spread a rumor that I broke up with someone because of my dad’s death.
Moving school did help and put me in a healthier environment, however I am still struggling with bring up my grades as I struggle so much with math.
I am not extraordinary, I am just another speak of dust, and I have not made such big of an impact, many colleges look for.
I volunteer on my own free time and sincerely enjoy helping others in need. I may not be the smartest out of the bunch but I at least have a heart and have good intentions for what I want in the future. I want to help those around me and make their life just a little better than it was before.
I need advice on what to do as I am the first and last of my siblings to attend college. My mom is single and barely earns enough for bills. I worry about things in life like bills, taxes, loans, the environment, oppression, racial wars, you name it. And people tell me, a 16 year old should never worry about these things, but I am. I want to grow up in a better environment, I want for the future generations to not have to worry about these ludicrous issues when they are all grown raising the next generation; if there is even one.
I apologize for going on and on about my personal issues, I just have so much to say yet have the feeling no one is listening.
The first thing, as I am sure you know, is your mental health. You should take advantage of all of the counselors and health advocates that you have access to.
Once your mental health is under control, and you have the energy to spend on your studies, you should work with your teachers, guidance counselor, and whatever kinds of tutoring help you have access to so that you can begin to perform at your own best level. Lots of kids who do well in elementary school stumble a bit when they get to high school just because the work is harder, so that could well be part of what happened to you. Your teachers are there for you, so communicate with them and find out what you can do this summer so that you are ready for the fall. One resource I really like is https://www.khanacademy.org/ They have all kinds of self-study materials that you can use on your own to help fill in the gaps in your education.
Yes, you can go to college. However, you might find that you have to start at a community college and then transfer to a UC or CSU. Fortunately, in California you have excellent community colleges that offer clear transfer pathways. Since money is an issue, you should spend some time in the Financial Aid Forum reading up on how need-based aid works.
Wishing you all the best!
@CastilloGBM2003 I just saw your post and would like to add a few things to the above response. Yes, your mental health comes first and foremost. Once you are in a better place mentally and emotionally, I highly recommend you talk to your Guidance Counselor about CLEP exams and college credit. It floors me how few people know about this program, which is run by the College Board.
In a nutshell, you can earn college credit by studying for and passing CLEP exams. You can log onto modernstates.org which provides free classes to help you study. Once you pass their class, they will issue you a voucher for a free CLEP exam, which you can take locally (usually colleges offer testing centers). This is a wonderful way to earn college credit for free.
You obviously live in California. The CSU system accepts CLEP credit so you can get many (if not all) of your general education classes for free. I’m including links for you to research this wonderful way to start your college journey without incurring any debt. I wish you the best of luck!
Modern States Website
College Board Website
https://clep.collegeboard.org/
CSU Website that shows CLEP Exams are accepted
https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/transfer/Pages/college-level-examination-program.aspx
Free Clep Prep Website that also offers great study material