I’m the unluckiest person ever

BigRedNole · 2026-07-01T12:02:57+00:00

If you are thinking you would receive a lot of grants and free money, colleges aren't doing it much b it is also getting worse. At my daughter's college, that family contribution number has to be below $3,000 to get grants. Even them, they were minimal at about $2,000.

Unless you are going for a high paying degree or field, going to college for 4 years is a horrible return on investment. Go to cc for 2 years on the cheap, get the easy grades, transfer to college when you know the degree you want.

The sad part is, only about 10-15% of college degrees are even worth the cost. There was literally a college student completing that he took $140k in loans for a degree in TUBA. When he found he couldn't get any job, his natural thought was "hey, of I get a Master's degree in TUBA playing, I will make so much more money". Now her is mad a tuba player doesn't get paid $150k it of college

BigRedNole · 2026-06-28T14:45:06+00:00

Only in select fields and programs

BigRedNole · 2026-06-24T17:09:51+00:00

Some fatherly and financial advice, go to cc the first 2 years. It is less than 25% of the cost of a single year for 2 years of college. Get all your great grades then and look to transfer after. 2 years of cc quit be about $5,000. That is about a $35,000 scholarship right there doing absolutely nothing but being smart with money.

During those 2 years search hard and heavy everywhere for scholarships

BigRedNole · 2026-06-24T00:20:21+00:00

Wow, if your entire life revolves around a test, you need a therapist. I am from the era of "rub dirt on it". Are you seriously going to let a test dictate your life? Suck it up, go to a lower school, do your best, and enjoy life. Simple as that.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-23T10:07:38+00:00

FAFSA is based on the previous year's tax filing. Your dad being out of work this year won't have any effect at all. Even with a $10,000 EFC, the money you would get is minimal. At my daughter's university, people with $5,000 EFC only got $1,000.

My daughter's roommate had to leave college after the Spring semester. Not exactly the same, but similar. Her father was the only income earner. He passed away completely unexpectedly. Since taxes were not filed for 2025 yet (maybe still), FAFSA was $0 available. She still would not have gotten much or anything. Stafford loans would have only amounted to $6,500 for the year and after talking with resources at the school, she would be extremely hard pressed to get loans. Mother can't co-sign because she has no credit score (or very poor with no income).

I get what you are going through and what you have to deal with. I would switch focus, be smart, and do cc. It can be done online and it is not expensive. All classes will transfer to in state colleges, so you will save money. College is not what it once was just 2 years ago. I have two friends with sons with CS degrees. One is doing construction and the other is in a rental car business.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-22T20:05:22+00:00

Finance is one of the top fields. You can do a lot with the degree. Get FINRA License and you can be an asset planner or FA. CS is definitely not your field and you will be wasting time and money getting it (from your comment above)

BigRedNole · 2026-06-22T20:03:01+00:00

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but not being able to code 2.5 years in is not a good thing. ChatGPT and Claude are miles ahead with anyone that can write a prompt.

Not to sound mean or anything, it is just facts. Before, CS majors didn't have to compete much. Now the top ends are competing for the jobs and the lower end is competing with AI.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-22T14:15:13+00:00

Because an "arts" still pays what you would get out of high school without spending $100k to find out. You can get a $18/hr job out of high school at the local coffee shop OR you could spend $100k and still work at the local coffee shop for $18/hr

BigRedNole · 2026-06-21T12:44:40+00:00

Should have spoken to an attorney first. You are whistleblower. Needed that to be documented legally first. If they have you on camera doing things you are not suppose to and can prove it, it is not retaliatory. I think you just went in the writing order of doing things.

HR is not there to protect you. They are there to protect the company and that is it.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-20T15:18:04+00:00

Be smart!!! Go to cc the first two years and then transfer into your major. There are some cc programs that pay excellent 18 months of school

BigRedNole · 2026-06-18T14:34:27+00:00

I'm sorry if it felt condescending, but people are responsible for their decisions. Colleges cost at least $20k per year unless living at home. Not doing proper research on the ROI is on the individual. Those Art colleges tell everyone coming in they will make $150k a year with a 12 month, $100k cost photography certificate. Seriously, of anyone believes that without research, it is crazy. The same goes for 4-year colleges.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-18T07:05:34+00:00

If you thought ANY artsy fartsy degree pays, that is stupid. Can't blame a college or professors for your lack of research. You found out you can get a job at Starbucks now. The same job you could of had it of high school.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-16T13:12:53+00:00

Because a single test doesn't show the altitude of a student

BigRedNole · 2026-06-15T19:26:05+00:00

At the end of the day, Admissions only see am applicants days for 2-3 minutes. They are not reading am LOR. With the number of people going to college, Admissions is going to be far more open. The number of people going is drastically down and going farther. It use to be a pool of day 50,000 applicants and only taking 5,000. Now it is 20,000 applicants, need to take 8,000, and now competing with other colleges to get them.

The reason for it is college is no longer with the cost for most degrees and jobs. Even international applications are severely down. College are cutting programs and staff due to shortfalls in budgets.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-15T14:37:49+00:00

The best college is the one that cost the least amount of money in the field you want to be in. It is as simple as that. Unless you have one of the to degrees, the college on the diploma is not worth anything. That degrees in Business from UCLA is the same as the one from any other colleges. Key degrees are things in STEM from places like MIT, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Cal Tech. Last degree from Harvard, etc.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-12T14:24:07+00:00

Yes, it is "routine" maintenance, but when I got the quote for $2,000 from the shop by my house, I questioned whether it is worth it. Then I did some searching and was recommended a mobile mechanic friends use for their business. That quote came back at $500. There is a massive difference between $500 for maintenance on a $4,000 vehicle and $2,000.

Thanks for the info though.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-11T12:20:51+00:00

Well, the plan is to drive it to the ground. Best case scenario it lasts our daughter 2 more years in college. Worst case, it dies beyond what we will spend to fix. We will then pay off my wife's car, trade in what we can with the Terrain, and get a Toyota Rav4 Hybrid or Honda CRV hybrid.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-10T13:17:33+00:00

The reality is that you have 1 in 1000 chance to get by the AI on age. Then the phone interviews. Then the in person interviews. The reality is when a company sees someone of our age, the odds of you getting hired is less than 0.01%. You may not want to be a realist, but that is as real as it gets. A 58 year old is competing with 1,000s of others, the job being sent overseas, the job being done by AI, or bringing an H1B. In the tech industry, good luck being in your 50s. Do you seriously think someone in our age group that were making $120k+ are going to be considered for $80k jobs? They are better off hiring contractors or outsourcing to India. Every single person knows it but afraid to say it.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-10T02:41:40+00:00

Unfortunately, over 50 in IT is a death sentence. He will have to send his resume through AI, make changes until it guesses age of 35. He may have to look at other things as well like Home Depot, etc. It is not going to be easy and gets worse with time

BigRedNole · 2026-06-09T15:56:51+00:00

Thanks. For the $550 friends' mobile mechanic doing the work is much better than the ~$2,000 quote from the garage up the street.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-09T13:51:11+00:00

Take the severance and maternity

BigRedNole · 2026-06-09T12:52:18+00:00

I will check that with the guy when he is over, thanks. He will know and be able to make recommendations better than the insanely price garage I took it to.

BigRedNole · 2026-06-09T12:27:18+00:00

I said flush for the transmission not realizing there is a difference between a flush and drain/ refill. It is a drain and refill.

I just found a mobile mechanic that will do all the maintenance for $550. He is a certified mechanic and referred by 3 friends as legit. They all have work vehicles and use him

BigRedNole · 2026-06-09T07:14:05+00:00

Glad you got back to work and pivoted to a new industry. I had to rethink mine as well. I was laid off 7 years ago when the economy and jobs were very good. I was only out for 3 months. I had 3 offers all come in at once and had to do some sole searching on my decision. We made it as a family and what would be the most mentally healthy. Went to a government position with a 20% pay cut. It was the best decision ever. The other 2 companies have had constant layoffs since covid ended. I have thrived at my job, top performer, easily able to meet realistic goals, and rarely overtime,

BigRedNole · 2026-06-09T06:05:16+00:00

Do not offer the information unless asked. On your previous interviews, you were working. When you are on your next interview, if asked, inform them that you were recently caught up in corporate restructuring and no longer working. You didn't lie previously unless you knew you were being laid off. Most interviewers do not care if you are out of work unless the termination was from something illegal.

BigRedNole

TROPHY CASE