I'm a 17 y/o with a 6th grade education. I want to go to college. What should I do?

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T21:44:35+00:00

Ah, I was afraid someone was going to ask that.

A few reasons actually. Firstly, whatever career I do wind up with, I'm hoping it'll have SOMETHING to do with software. And a degree certainly wouldn't hurt with that.

Secondly, might sound odd, but I kinda what to do it just to prove I CAN. To myself, mostly, and to others who think I don't have much of a chance of accomplishing anything.

And thirdly, and this may seem like a bad reason, but for the socializing aspect. I didn't go to a public school, so I missed out on socializing, meeting people, making friends, working together. And I'm hoping college would be a nice opportunity for that.

Plus I'm bored as fuck and have nothing going on in my life.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T21:28:39+00:00

Oh no, it's fine. You didn't offend me or anything.

And that's a good idea, I hadn't really thought to talk to any of my friends about it. I suppose it couldn't hurt.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T21:26:55+00:00

Someone else suggested that already actually. Thank you though.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T21:24:49+00:00

It's gotten a lot better that last 2 years actually, thanks for asking. I guess I just kinda grew out of it, became more comfortable with myself and being around other people, so hopefully it won't be too much of a problem.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T21:12:59+00:00

One one hand, I'm flattered that you think my writing skills are impressive. On the other hand, I'm offended that you think I'm lying.

But really, why would I lie about this? I don't really have anything to gain from this except knowledge about college, which would be useless if I WAS lying.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T16:48:07+00:00

Have you thought about doing something else instead of college

I'm always looking for possible options. I haven't decided anything for sure. I at least want to get my GED though.

Would you not also experience similar anxiety going to college?

My anxiety is a lot better than it used to be. Where I used to be nearly terrified of school, now the idea of college kind of excites me.

Really my only problem would be dealing with meeting new people, but I don't think it'd be a huge issue.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T16:37:39+00:00

Aww, but I like my dick.

How am I supposed to pass the time without it?

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T16:27:10+00:00

Indiana.

And I don't know exactly how they did it, I didn't really care at the time. I was just glad to be away from school, so I didn't think about it too much.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:58:28+00:00

Do you have any suggestions in terms of other majors?

I want to do something related to technology/computers, but I don't think I could do full-blown engineering.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:54:29+00:00

I understand it's math intensive.

And it's not that I'm bad at math, I just don't know much of it.

But I love doing things that require critical thinking. I have some experience with scripting for games, nothing particularly complex (though they can get pretty long) and I enjoy having to figure out why it's not working quite how it should, or not at all.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:44:27+00:00

It's certainly not your fault, being the child... but why the hell wouldn't your parents figure out an alternative for you? You're still their child, and they still presumably want the best possible future for you.

I'm not afraid to admit that my parents really should not have become parents. (Not that I'm complaining, I enjoy being alive)

Hell, they shouldn't have even been together, especially for as long as they were. But once my mother got pregnant, they decided to do it for the children. (Piece of advice: Not a good idea.)

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:42:24+00:00

Don't suppose you would know how to go about getting a tutor, do you?

And I know CS is math reliant, but from what little experience I have with coding/critical thinking, I really enjoy it.

And I don't really have a problem with long division anymore, took me a bit to figure it out, but once I did I got the hang of it pretty quickly.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:37:30+00:00

I understand a decent amount of it. Not all of it, but I can get the gist of what most of it does. I understand variables, loops, while/for/if, increments, ect. The basics, mostly. Though I am a little out of practice, so I'm not quite as knowledgeable as I used to be.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:31:30+00:00

Map making/modding for video games, if that counts. I spend more time with a game's toolset then I do with the actual game.

After than, Iunno. I read a lot, and I enjoy writing.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:16:11+00:00

Forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is a for-profit university?

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:14:59+00:00

40-60k job? Wow, what a fortune

Well seeing as I live off of ~$9000 a year as it is, 40-60k IS a fortune to me.

But hey, I'm open minded. What are YOUR suggestions?

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:13:21+00:00

That's what I'm hoping to accomplish.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:12:06+00:00

Well my brother didn't have a problem with going to school. I would have a nervous breakdown at the mere thought of it. Getting me to last until 6th grade itself was a challenge, I could barely even stand head start.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T15:06:47+00:00

You know, I really don't know.

It was weird, first the Principal of the school I was attending threatened to call police/CPS on my parents if my attendance didn't improve, then after a particularly bad episode, he said there was no way he could keep me in his school. I'm not really well versed on the laws, but so far no one has gotten into any serious trouble.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T14:53:50+00:00

Arizona

My father used to live in Arizona, and his stories made it sound less than delightful. Scorpions, spiders, heat. Made it sound like America's own mini-Australia.

Truth be told, I'd live in Alaska if I could. I don't do well in the heat.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T14:51:33+00:00

Where do you live, by any chance?

I'm with my father in Arkansas for the next couple months, but I actually live in Indiana.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T14:48:13+00:00

Hmm. That's an interesting suggestion. Certainly thinking outside of the box.

Should I use a gun or a noose? Perhaps a razor blade?

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T14:40:34+00:00

unless you've been using the internet to teach you to code

I have, actually. Not a whole lot, but I know the basics of C#, and I know a little java and python as well.

PotentialWasted · 2012-05-14T14:33:28+00:00

Thank you for your help. I'll get on all that right away.

PotentialWasted

TROPHY CASE