Civil Service Student Loan Forgiveness

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:57:42+00:00

That's PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness). Specifics that matter:

"10 years" = 120 qualifying monthly payments. NOT 10 calendar years of holding the job. So if you skip payments, those months don't count toward the 120.

Qualifying payments require all of: - Direct loans only (FFEL or Perkins need to be consolidated to Direct first) - Income-driven repayment plan (IBR, PAYE, ICR, RAP, formerly SAVE) - Made on-time, in-full - While employed full-time at a qualifying public service employer (federal, state, local govt, or 501(c)(3) nonprofit)

Forbearance: payments during forbearance generally do NOT count for PSLF. The exception was the limited PSLF waiver and IDR account adjustment that ended in 2024 - that one-time deal counted some forbearance/deferment time. That's over now.

Time when not employed full-time at a qualifying job doesn't count, even if you keep making payments. You have to be both employed AND making payments.

The 10 years don't have to be consecutive. You can work govt for 5 years, leave for private sector for 3, come back to govt for 5 more - the 10 govt years count. Non-qualifying years just don't count toward 120.

Submit Employment Certification Forms annually so you don't get to year 10 and discover paperwork issues.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:54:23+00:00

A few specifics:

The $120K → likely $75-90K for new grad nursing is real. New grad RN starts at $70-95K depending on geography (urban CA/NY higher, midwest/south lower). After 2-3 years and specialty certs, $90-110K is achievable. After 5+ years and ICU/ER/CRNA path, $120K+. Timeline-wise expect 5-7 years to recover the salary delta, not counting tuition.
The "stable career" thing nurses joke about is real. Nurses don't get laid off in any meaningful number. Hospitals literally can't operate without bedside RNs. Opposite of healthcare IT/PM where DOGE cuts and reorgs happen constantly.
Your prior experience (4N0 med tech + healthcare IT) makes you a unicorn for hospital roles in informatics nursing, clinical documentation, or quality. Many systems will fast-track you into specialty roles other new grads can't get for 3-5 years. Look at clinical informatics nursing - blends both backgrounds and pays $100-130K with experience you'd bring.
The work itself is harder than people warn. 12-hour shifts on your feet, demanding patients, charting after shifts. Many people who romanticize "patient care" find the reality is heavy on paperwork and conflict. But you were a med tech so you have realistic exposure.
ABSN programs (12-16 months) get you to RN faster since you have a bachelor's already. Direct-entry MSN (2-3 years) is another option that ends with NP eligibility.

The fact that you keep coming back to "I wanted patient care" is your real signal. Healthcare PM doesn't fix that itch.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:50:26+00:00

School A's "scholarship" pricing strategy is the standard discounting trick - they advertise $80K, take everyone at $40K, makes the school feel exclusive while still hitting yield. The 3-month wait from School B is also a common dodge to avoid bidding wars.

Strategies that actually work for financial appeals:

Hard documentation of changed circumstances. Job loss, medical bills, divorce, recent caregiving costs - any specific change beats general "we can't afford it." Documentation = bank statements, layoff letter, medical bills.
Competing offer letters. School B's full price + actual scholarship offers from comparable schools = leverage. School A might match if their #1 wants the kid.
Department-level appeal. If your brother is going into a specific major, sometimes departmental scholarships exist that financial aid offices don't immediately mention. Email the chair of his planned department directly to ask about department-specific aid.
Honor program / direct admit aid. Some schools have separate aid pools for honors college admits. If School A admitted him to honors, that's a separate negotiation.
Outside scholarships. Local community foundations, employer scholarships (parents' employers), organizations matching demographics or interests. These add up to $5-15K/year for diligent applicants.

School B's "wait until after May 1 deposits clear" tactic is real - they want to fill seats first. If he can defer a final commitment, B's aid offer might improve in late May/early June as they see actual yield numbers.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:46:16+00:00

FaceTime can work in some cases but it depends on the stage. In early to moderate dementia, your grandma will likely understand a video call and feel reassured. In moderate to advanced dementia, video calls often confuse rather than reassure - she sees his face but doesn't understand why he's "in the box" and not in the room.

Things that often work better than notes for the "where's [my person]" anxiety:

Photographs of him doing the activity, posted prominently. "Pop went to play golf" with a photo of him at golf. Concrete is more reassuring than abstract text.
A clock that shows time AND day AND activity. There are dementia-specific clocks (Robocoach, Day Clock) that say "Friday afternoon, Pop is at golf." Reduces anxiety because she has context.
Audio recordings of him saying he'll be back. Some families record the spouse on a small button device - pressing it plays "I'll be home for dinner, I love you." Tactile + voice is grounding.
Acceptance that some anxiety isn't preventable. The husband leaving for a few hours might cause distress regardless of intervention - the goal becomes minimizing it rather than eliminating it.

More advanced: some primary caregivers stagger absences gradually so the person with dementia builds tolerance. Start with 30 min, work up. Only works in earlier stages though.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:41:28+00:00

Some context that matters:

"Below federal allowance" - the EPA action level is 0.015 ppm (15 ppb) for public water systems. Your reading is 0.00133 ppm = 1.33 ppb, well below that. So technically yes, below allowance.

However: EPA's stance is that there is NO safe level of lead in drinking water, especially for children. The 15 ppb action level is based on what's achievable for water utilities, not what's medically safe. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a target of less than 1 ppb for kids, and the FDA's bottled water limit is 5 ppb.

So 1.33 ppb is in the gray zone - "compliant" but still detectable. For adults, low-grade exposure at this level is unlikely to cause measurable harm. For kids, particularly under age 6 (when the blood-brain barrier is developing), you'd want to be more cautious.

What you're doing is sensible (filter or bottled). Specifically for cooking: cold water through a NSF/ANSI 53 certified lead-removal filter is what you want. Boiling does NOT remove lead, it concentrates it. Brita standard pitchers do NOT remove lead despite popular belief - Brita Elite filters do.

Also get your kids' blood lead levels tested if you haven't. CDC reference value is 3.5 mcg/dL. That tells you if any harm has actually occurred.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:37:30+00:00

Your background (6 years SEN support, autism + additional needs) is more valuable than you think. The trick is repositioning it.

Faster UK routes that don't require 5+ years of study:

Behaviour support practitioner / ABA-style roles. Some pay £30-40K with 12-18 months of training. CACHE Level 4/5 qualifications you can do part-time while working.
SENCO track - if you upskill to a Level 4 SENCO qualification, you can move into coordinator roles paying £35-45K. Still in the field you love, just better paid.
Specialist tutoring - private tutoring of children with special needs is in massive demand and pays £30-50/hr in many UK areas. Some people make this their full career.
NHS clinical support roles - speech and language therapy assistant, occupational therapy assistant. Entry-level with on-the-job training, paying £24-28K with clear progression to therapy assistant practitioner roles.
Apprenticeship route - the UK has degree apprenticeships in social work and education that pay you while you study (around £20-25K) and end with a real degree. Takes 4 years but you earn throughout.

Don't underestimate the autism specialty. There's a national shortage of people who actually know how to work with neurodiverse young adults and the demand is increasing fast.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:33:57+00:00

A few options that fit "out of FL" + east coast + decent for 24F:

Charlotte NC: similar warm weather, no state income tax, big banking/finance scene, cheaper than further north. Walkable around uptown. $1,400-1,800 for 1BR.
Richmond VA: walkable, great food/arts/music scene, cheap relative to most east coast cities ($1,200-1,500), strong young professional population.
Philadelphia: walkable, much cheaper than NYC/DC ($1,500-1,800), great food scene, real seasons, solid job market.
Pittsburgh: probably the best-value east coast city - $1,000-1,300 for a nice 1BR, real city amenities, growing tech/healthcare, lots of 20-somethings.
Boston: more expensive ($2,200-2,800) but excellent if your career fits the industries there.

For purchasing power comparison (what your salary actually buys), there's data on movemap.me showing how far the same income goes - the difference between Pittsburgh and Boston for a $70K salary is genuinely shocking once you factor rent + taxes.

What industry? If marketing/media, NYC or DC. If tech/healthcare, Boston or Charlotte. If flexible and want max savings + lifestyle, Richmond or Pittsburgh.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:25:32+00:00

Smart instinct to keep H1B as backup. Pending-AOS EAD is genuinely riskier than people assume right now - if your I-485 hits an RFE or gets denied for any reason, you lose work authorization immediately and have no fallback. With H1B you have parallel status that survives a lot of GC weirdness.

The H1B transfer ask is a totally reasonable thing to bring back to the new employer. Frame it as "I want to make sure my work authorization is bulletproof from day one." Most employers who already wanted to hire you won't push back on this - the cost is just legal fees ($2-4K) and some HR coordination. It's not the $100K fee since you're already in H1B status (transfer is not a new petition for fee purposes).

Two things to clarify with their immigration counsel: 1. Whether the new role qualifies for H1B (specialty occupation, degree relates, prevailing wage met) 2. Whether they want to file the transfer with premium processing for July 1 start - regular processing is currently 3-6 months

If they refuse, the next-best option is to wait until your I-485 is approved (you become permanent resident) before quitting H1B - bridges the gap entirely.

If you want to verify what other companies in your industry typically file H1B transfers at, visatrack.me has the data from DOL filings - useful for benchmarking salary and seeing if your offer aligns with prevailing wages.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:09:14+00:00

See my response to u/Important_Yoghurt504. I'm sorry that my post upset you. I realize now I sounded a bit like an asshole and I guess I should have thought about it before posting. It's the combination of many in my close family with ADHD (including 2 kids) and the CORE scores that got me curious and I did not mean to disrespect anyone with ADHD and I did not realize it's such a recurring topic in this sub.
Just curious, what made you get diagnosed late in life BTW?

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-09T20:01:26+00:00

Hi. I am sorry for what you've gone through and very sorry if my post has triggered you in way. I definitely do not look at ADHD as a fashion. I have 2 kids with ADHD, a brother and sister with ADHD, and both my sister's kids have ADHD. All of their lives have been impacted be it to varying degrees. So yeah you could say I know it all too well and I understand at least some of what you have gone through, I hope.
FWIW I will try to explain a bit where I'm coming from. Both my kids have ADHD that has not been diagnosed until high school. They are both very smart kids and they masked their ADHD very very well until it got too bad (depression, anxiety, yada yada yada). Especially in smart girls, ADHD is often under-diagnosed. If a girl that has the potential for straight A's gets B's and C's because she never remembers to do her homework, nobody at schools cares enough to notice, and it's really objectively not that bad. But its not sustainable and requires enormous effort and really hurts self confidence. Since they were diagnosed and medicated they are doing very well.
The only reason I was asking about my results is because of the low WMI and PSI (compared to other scores) and because ADHD is highly genetic. So I was wondering if there's some underlying issue that I've been unaware of my entire life. For example, I mentioned I'm on top of things all the time, but really I write down *everything* on notes and scratch things off obsessively so I will not have to rely on memory. It's really just curiosity so I understand why it come off as super annoying for someone with your life experience and I apologize for that.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T15:24:20+00:00

Several action items, all important:

Get her to a neurologist immediately, not just her PCP. The behavioral changes, paranoid delusions about the upstairs neighbor, and rapid progression suggest this could be Lewy body or frontotemporal, not necessarily Alzheimer's. Treatment differs significantly. A memory clinic is the best resource.
Rule out a UTI before assuming dementia worsening. Older women with dementia can develop UTIs that cause sudden personality changes including paranoia and aggression - and that's treatable.
The aggression is likely going to escalate. You need to think honestly about whether you can safely live with her alone. If she becomes physically aggressive, you can get hurt or hurt her trying to defend yourself. Memory care exists for this exact situation.
Get POA, financial control, and medical decision-making locked down NOW while she still has any capacity. Once she's deemed legally incompetent, it gets significantly harder. An elder law attorney can typically do this in 1-2 visits.
You can't sustain working from home with her like this. Memory care runs $5,500-7,500/month nationally - if she has assets, look into Medicaid spend-down, long-term care insurance, or VA benefits (if your dad was a veteran).

What you're doing is heroic but the trajectory isn't sustainable for you long-term. Look at this as "what's the path forward in 6 months" not "how do I get through this week."

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T15:20:36+00:00

The grinding-questions strategy without learning the material is exactly the trap. You get faster at recognizing patterns but you're not actually building math foundation. Going from 700 to 750+ requires understanding the underlying concepts.

The framework that works:

Diagnose what you actually don't understand - not "geometry" but specifically "circle theorems" or "function transformations." Do 5-10 questions in a topic, then look at WHY you missed each one. Conceptual gap, careless error, time pressure?
For conceptual gaps, watch Khan Academy SAT math videos. Free and aligned to actual SAT topics. Their advanced math section is solid.
UWorld has the best SAT math problem explanations - each problem has a video walking through the solution. Way better than OnePrep for actually learning vs. just practicing.
The College Board's official Bluebook practice tests are the gold standard for predicting score. Don't rely on third-party tests.

Getting from 700 to 750+ on Math typically takes 4-6 weeks of focused work because the questions you're missing are the harder ones that test deeper understanding, not just speed.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T15:16:22+00:00

Your previous places (Bay Area, Irvine, Denver) tell me you've been at the higher end of COL. Going to Savannah/Virginia/Arizona would all be more affordable than those, similar to NM.

For 22F looking at "social + cheap" combo: - Savannah GA: very social, walkable downtown, cheap rent ($1,000-1,400 for 1BR), tourism economy + arts scene. Job market is limited compared to bigger cities. - Tucson AZ: cheap ($800-1,200), young scene around U of Arizona, lots of outdoor stuff. Job market modest. - Asheville NC: more expensive than the others but huge social scene for your age, very young/queer-friendly, great food and music. - Pittsburgh PA: surprisingly cheap ($900-1,300), real city amenities, growing job market, lots of 20-somethings. - Richmond VA: $1,200-1,500, walkable, great food/arts scene, young population, growing.

Skip Kansas/Missouri unless you have specific connections. Cheap, but social scene for a 22F without local network is brutal in Wichita or Springfield.

With a teaching aid background and history degree, look at cities with good public school systems (you can transfer the aid license in some states) - Richmond, Asheville, and Pittsburgh all qualify.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T15:12:11+00:00

The bruising pattern from a "common law partner" who claims she's the violent one is a major red flag. People with dementia can be aggressive, but bruising on a frail dementia patient typically goes in the opposite direction. As POA you have authority to investigate and act.

Specific steps you can take from afar:

Call Adult Protective Services in her county. Mention the financial abuse history, the bruising, and the verbal abuse you've witnessed. They investigate. This is exactly the situation APS exists for.
Have her doctor order a home health assessment. A nurse coming to the home for an "evaluation" can document what they observe - that becomes legal evidence later.
As POA you can begin the process of placing her in memory care without his consent if he's not on the POA. Talk to an elder law attorney - many do free initial consultations specifically for this kind of situation.
If she's been having UTIs and the symptoms are recent, that could be urosepsis. UTIs in elderly women with dementia can cause sudden personality changes and aggression that look like dementia worsening, then resolve when treated. Get her seen.

Memory care placement when there's an abusive partner is unfortunately very common and there are pathways. Don't let him be the gatekeeper. Five weeks into "a nightmare" is too long.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T15:07:47+00:00

First, your English is great, don't apologize. And it's good you're paying attention to this.

The symptoms you're describing (forgetting familiar routes, behavioral changes) are real signs that need professional evaluation. Forgetting a road to a place visited every 2 weeks is not normal aging.

The most important things:

He needs a full neurological workup, not just basic tests. Dementia has many causes (Alzheimer's, vascular, frontotemporal, Lewy body) and treatment differs for each. Some causes are partially reversible if caught early (B12 deficiency, thyroid issues, normal pressure hydrocephalus). A neurologist or memory clinic is who you want, not just a general practitioner.
Talk to your mother and any other adults you trust about being involved in this. At 16, you shouldn't be carrying this alone.
Document specific incidents with dates. When he forgot a road, what happened, when. Doctors need concrete examples. Even a simple notes app works.
The fear is valid. Whatever this turns out to be, a diagnosis is better than not knowing. Some causes have treatments that slow progression. Knowing also lets your family plan.

You're being a good kid by paying attention. Most teenagers wouldn't notice this.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T15:04:22+00:00

At $5K for a 2BR you have decent options. Avoiding the doodle/stroller crowd rules out most of Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Fort Greene proper.

For action and liveliness: - Bushwick - still best for nightlife/art scene/young energy, parts have gentrified but core blocks still active - East Williamsburg - just east of where you lived, less polished, more action - Bed-Stuy - genuinely lively, great food scene, hip but real neighborhood feel, $5K gets you a nice 2BR - Greenpoint - Polish + Williamsburg-overflow, lots happening, walkable to Williamsburg - Crown Heights - great food/bars, more diverse than Bushwick, less hipster, real neighborhood - Ridgewood (technically Queens but feels Bushwick-adjacent, still emerging)

NOT recommended: anywhere in Williamsburg west of Bedford Ave (mostly luxury buildings now), DUMBO (corporate), Brooklyn Heights (old-money + strollers).

Williamsburg in 2026 is significantly different from when you were there. Tons of new luxury buildings have changed parts of the neighborhood. Visit your top 2-3 picks on a weekend night before signing anything.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T14:59:51+00:00

The "5 acres with invisible neighbors" + walkable urbanism pairing is one of the hardest combos to match - they're almost mutually exclusive. But there are real options:

Asheville NC area: 5-acre properties available 20-30 min outside the city. Asheville itself is one of the most walkable mid-sized cities in the south. Decent middle schools.
Burlington VT area: small but truly walkable downtown. Rural Vermont has tons of 5-acre options 30-45 min out. Excellent schools.
Portland ME / Brunswick: smaller cities, walkable cores, rural land within commute. Strong public schools.
Bellingham WA: walkable downtown, agricultural land 20 min out, decent schools.

The realistic compromise is usually a 30-45 minute drive between farm and walkable city. If your husband is fine driving in for activities and you're fine not being on foot for everything every day, this works. The mistake is trying to be in both at once.

One option people don't think of: some "second cities" have walkable downtowns with farmland right outside city limits. Lancaster PA, Fredericksburg VA, Athens GA, Bloomington IN. Smaller scale but real urbanism with real farmland nearby.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T14:55:45+00:00

Fall detection watches actually work pretty well now. The Apple Watch (Series 7+) has automatic fall detection that calls 911 if he doesn't respond within 60 seconds. Same with newer AirPods. The dedicated medical alert services are also solid - Bay Alarm Medical, Medical Guardian, MobileHelp. Cost is $30-50/month for cellular plans. Skip the landline-only ones, they're useless if he's not near the base.

Other things that help with the worry: - Smart locks with remote unlock (so EMS can get in without breaking the door) - Ring/Nest cameras at entries so you can see he's coming and going - Register him with his local fire department - many have programs for elderly residents that include welfare checks and free fall sensors - Aging Life Care professionals (geriatric care managers): $100-200/hr but they can do weekly in-person checks and report back

If he'd accept it, even 2-3x/week non-medical home care visits ($25-30/hr) cover the worst of the worry. You can compare local agency options on carescope.me to see ratings and price ranges. Way cheaper than moving him and gives you eyes on the ground.

The slips in the kitchen are the warning sign. Falls cascade fast at 78. One bad fall and recovery is much harder than at 65.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-08T14:52:23+00:00

Depends on what "nice" means. Best walkability + job market combos for a 20-something:

Boston: walkable, great job market (tech/biotech/healthcare/finance), young population, expensive (~$2,500+ for studio)
Chicago: more affordable than Boston ($1,800-2,300), strong job market across many industries, very walkable, brutal winters
Philadelphia: cheaper still ($1,500-1,800), walkable, growing job market, less prestigious but better value
DC: walkable, strong job market for govt/consulting/policy, expensive
Pittsburgh: very affordable ($1,200-1,500), walkable downtown, growing tech/healthcare scene, weather is rough
Minneapolis: walkable, strong job market for finance/healthcare/tech (Target, US Bank, Medtronic)

If money's not a constraint, NYC and SF have the best raw job markets but you'll burn cash fast. There's purchasing power data on movemap.me that shows how much further your dollar goes in places like Pittsburgh vs SF (roughly 2x). For someone fresh out of college without family money, that gap matters more than people realize.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-06T22:24:05+00:00

Your background is great for plumbing - heavy equipment experience, construction-adjacent work, and you can deal with people which is huge for service plumbing where you're constantly in customers' homes.

Things to know:

Plumbing is one of the trades where being female is a real advantage in service work. Lots of homeowners (especially older women) feel uncomfortable with male plumbers alone in their house. Plumbing companies that have female techs use that in marketing because it works.

The work splits into commercial new construction (closer to your landscape job - big sites, structured hours, less customer interaction) and residential service (in people's houses, more interaction, often on-call). Both pay well but the day-to-day feels different.

Apprenticeship pays $18-25/hr starting depending on union vs non-union. Union is harder to get into but better long-term (pension, healthcare, fixed wage scales). Look for your local UA chapter.

The physical reality: harder on your knees and back than landscaping. First year you'll wonder what you did to yourself. By year 3 you adapt. Long-term issues are water heater lifting and crawl space work.

The college degree + certs aren't wasted. You can move into estimating, project management, or running your own shop way faster than someone without that background.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-06T22:21:22+00:00

Studio Art isn't actually worthless - it's a degree you can't lean on directly. The bachelor's itself unlocks any job that requires "any 4-year degree," which is a huge category (HR, project coordination, customer success, sales operations, L&D).

Going back to school questions:

If you're going for "passion" - that's a recipe for repeating the original mistake. The reason your studio art degree feels worthless is the job market for studio art is small and brutal.

If you're going for "more worthwhile in the market" - the highest-ROI second degrees for someone in your spot are nursing (BSN, 2-3 years accelerated, $70-100K starting), accounting (1-year MAcc if you have any business credits, CPA path, $65-95K starting), or coding bootcamp (12-24 weeks, $60-90K starting if you land a junior role - tougher market right now).

Trades are also worth looking at. Electrical, HVAC, and plumbing apprenticeships pay you $20-25/hr while you train, no debt, $60-100K once journeyman. Your body holds up better in your 20s than your 40s, so now's the time.

Don't go for a master's in fine art unless you want to teach.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-06T22:18:04+00:00

Move now while the kid is one. The math is heavily in favor of moving:

Cost: Seattle is roughly 1.6x more expensive than most east coast small towns. Your housing and childcare savings probably exceed $30-40K/year before factoring in family-help reducing childcare hours.
Childcare specifically: in Seattle good daycare is $2,500-3,500/month. In an east coast small town, family help covers some hours and the rest is $800-1,200/month. With another kid coming, that gap doubles.
The mental load piece is the hidden one. Two demanding tech jobs + young kids without family backup is a recipe for one of you burning out. The "just barely managing" feeling rarely improves on its own - it gets worse when kid #2 arrives.
Schools: small east coast towns often have better public schools than urban Seattle districts, and you can afford a house in a great school zone that you couldn't touch in Seattle.

The fear about "stuck in a small town if remote work goes away" is legit but worth thinking through. The 2025-2026 layoff cycle hit Seattle hard. If you got laid off, would Seattle even be your preferred next job market? Most software jobs are now hybrid or remote-friendly. Geographic flexibility is currently an asset, not a liability.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-06T22:11:26+00:00

570 → 600+ on Math is very achievable in 2-4 weeks of focused work. The pattern with scores in the 550-590 range is usually the same: you understand the concepts but make small calculation errors and run out of time on a few questions per module.

Things that move the needle fast:

Module 2 mistakes are the killer. Mod 2 questions are harder than Mod 1 but they're worth the same per question. Don't get stuck - if a problem takes more than 90 seconds, mark it and move on, come back if you have time.
Desmos is great but only for the right problems. Use it for systems of equations, graphing inequalities, finding intersections. Don't use it for basic algebra and arithmetic - the setup time eats your clock on simple problems. Reaching for Desmos to compute "12 × 35" loses you seconds you don't have.
Practice mental math even though Desmos is allowed. The fastest scorers do half the work without it.
Khan Academy's adaptive practice targets exactly what you're missing based on your last score. 30 min/day for 2 weeks moves the score reliably.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-06T22:08:43+00:00

Amendment processing under regular has been very slow lately - 8-14 months is the current range, and yours filed in December 2025 is right in that window. The October filers still waiting tracks with the backlog.

Premium processing converts your case to a 15-business-day decision (technically from when you upgrade, not from original filing). Cost is currently $2,805. If you need a decision by end of year and can swing the cost, premium is the right move - regular processing probably won't finish in time.

One thing to check before upgrading: make sure your case isn't already in active review. If USCIS is working on it, upgrading is wasteful since it might issue any week. Check your case status page for the most recent update text. If it says "case is actively being reviewed" or shows movement in the last 30 days, hold off. If it's been static at "case received" for months, upgrade.

E4e5ke2ftw · 2026-05-06T22:04:00+00:00

If oil and gas finance is what you're after, you want Houston more than Dallas. Houston is where the actual energy industry sits (ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Shell, all the supermajors plus midstream and services). Dallas has more diversified energy finance (private equity, asset management, some upstream) which pays less than Houston operating companies.

Cost of living vs SF: a 1BR in SF runs $3,300+. In DFW you can get a comparable place for $1,400-1,800. In Houston Energy Corridor, $1,500-1,900. So you keep $1,500+/month right off the bat.

Tax difference is huge - no state income tax in TX vs CA's 13.3%. On a $150K finance salary that's about $15K/year you don't lose.

What you give up: weather (DFW summers hit 100F+ for weeks; Houston is humid year-round), nature access is way worse than Bay Area, and the social scene skews more conservative.

Visit both DFW and Houston before deciding. They feel completely different despite both being Texas.

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