Sorry to break the chain (sort of), but I have a bit of a hybrid view on things.
1) I took a year off. I really wanted to fly airplanes, but couldn't afford it, so I figured I would think about it. Next thing I know, it was a year later. This is the pitfall that catches most people. You figure, "I'll just work while I figure stuff out." Next thing you know, you wake up one morning and 10 years have gone by and you haven't done anything along the lines of what you wanted. Time goes by with or without you, so you must plan carefully, and think ahead, but not sacrifice the opportunities of today either.
Hey, nobody said life was easy.
Anyway, back to the story.
My dad finally pushed me to apply and to go for financial aid because he knew I hated my job, and really wanted to go, but was afraid of the money. He also knew that the longer I waited, the less likely I was to go. He didn't want me to end up like him and wake up at 45 one day, realizing that half of my life had been wasted.
2) I applied, I went, and am now a month or two away from completion. I have one independent study course, and the actual flight training for my Commercial Certificate. I owe everybody a boat load of money, 10X more than many people kill themselves for; but at least I am doing what I love.
Even though it created a whole bunch of new obstacles, I would rather do what I love and owe everybody money, than to force myself into servitude in some field that I hate. You may as well be dead if you have to live like that. Maybe that is why so many people on this planet are miserable.
The reason I started out with a story like this is because like most things, there are advantages and disadvantages to each.
I agree with Deev in that you should at least take some CC classes. Most CCs offer a variety of courses that will allow you to get your feet wet and figure out what it is that you like to do, and it is cheap and close to home. It will also keep you in the school mentality like everyone else said.
This is a very good thing, because you can quickly burn through large sums of money and time if you just truck off to University and don't know what you want to do. I have seen it many times. Most of your classes will be required study, so even if you don't like them, you will have to take them.
On your dime at a CC, you could maybe take 1 general ed class per semester, to count toward a full degree, and one elective that you think interests you. After a few semesters, you will quickly get a feel for what you like or don't like.
You can also work while taking classes, which will allow you to not have to commit to the Top Ramen and PB&J diet of the average college student.
Once you have a feel for what you like, then you can start looking for schools that are good for what you want. They are like people, they all have strengths and weaknesses...
Plus, the addition of good college transcripts (I assume you would work toward good grades) gives you an opportunity to bolster any weak areas you had in your high school transcripts, which may allow you to get into a school you may not have been accepted to in the first place, or maybe get you additional grants and scholarships.
If you ask yourself about your interests and pursue them, this process could be as little as 2 semesters, maybe less. It isn't necessarily a 10 year thing.
I was lucky in that I knew what I wanted to do from about the age of 6. Most people don't have that luxury. You need to get to know yourself, and then go full bore towards what you want. You will change and adapt as you get older, but your education can change and adapt with you. You should never stop learning.
The year off ended up being a good thing for me, because it gave me an opportunity to exist in the real world long enough to understand the responsibilities of being an adult and having duties that HAD to get done.
That helped me manage the responsibility of school when I finally got here. It also focused my attention in mostly the right direction, because I knew I didn't want to stay where I was.
Of course, I did learn a lot once I got here, and I drank a lot, and was distracted by girls. But that is all par for the course.
I guess in a round about way, I am trying to say that you should get yourself moving in the approximate correct heading, and then refine it from there.
The world is your oyster, but you have to be willing and focused enough to go get it, because nobody is going to give it to you.
Good Luck, and I hope everything works out well for you.
Most schools have already started, and the application process normally take at least a few months, so at this point you are probably going to have to wait about a year anyway, at least a semester.
Also, I am not a Financial Aid counselor, but if you have any funding questions, I would be happy to try and send you in the right direction. I have probably dealt with everyone that you have heard of. LOL!
1) I took a year off. I really wanted to fly airplanes, but couldn't afford it, so I figured I would think about it. Next thing I know, it was a year later. This is the pitfall that catches most people. You figure, "I'll just work while I figure stuff out." Next thing you know, you wake up one morning and 10 years have gone by and you haven't done anything along the lines of what you wanted. Time goes by with or without you, so you must plan carefully, and think ahead, but not sacrifice the opportunities of today either.
Hey, nobody said life was easy.
Anyway, back to the story.
My dad finally pushed me to apply and to go for financial aid because he knew I hated my job, and really wanted to go, but was afraid of the money. He also knew that the longer I waited, the less likely I was to go. He didn't want me to end up like him and wake up at 45 one day, realizing that half of my life had been wasted.
2) I applied, I went, and am now a month or two away from completion. I have one independent study course, and the actual flight training for my Commercial Certificate. I owe everybody a boat load of money, 10X more than many people kill themselves for; but at least I am doing what I love.
Even though it created a whole bunch of new obstacles, I would rather do what I love and owe everybody money, than to force myself into servitude in some field that I hate. You may as well be dead if you have to live like that. Maybe that is why so many people on this planet are miserable.
The reason I started out with a story like this is because like most things, there are advantages and disadvantages to each.
I agree with Deev in that you should at least take some CC classes. Most CCs offer a variety of courses that will allow you to get your feet wet and figure out what it is that you like to do, and it is cheap and close to home. It will also keep you in the school mentality like everyone else said.
This is a very good thing, because you can quickly burn through large sums of money and time if you just truck off to University and don't know what you want to do. I have seen it many times. Most of your classes will be required study, so even if you don't like them, you will have to take them.
On your dime at a CC, you could maybe take 1 general ed class per semester, to count toward a full degree, and one elective that you think interests you. After a few semesters, you will quickly get a feel for what you like or don't like.
You can also work while taking classes, which will allow you to not have to commit to the Top Ramen and PB&J diet of the average college student.
Once you have a feel for what you like, then you can start looking for schools that are good for what you want. They are like people, they all have strengths and weaknesses...
Plus, the addition of good college transcripts (I assume you would work toward good grades) gives you an opportunity to bolster any weak areas you had in your high school transcripts, which may allow you to get into a school you may not have been accepted to in the first place, or maybe get you additional grants and scholarships.
If you ask yourself about your interests and pursue them, this process could be as little as 2 semesters, maybe less. It isn't necessarily a 10 year thing.
I was lucky in that I knew what I wanted to do from about the age of 6. Most people don't have that luxury. You need to get to know yourself, and then go full bore towards what you want. You will change and adapt as you get older, but your education can change and adapt with you. You should never stop learning.
The year off ended up being a good thing for me, because it gave me an opportunity to exist in the real world long enough to understand the responsibilities of being an adult and having duties that HAD to get done.
That helped me manage the responsibility of school when I finally got here. It also focused my attention in mostly the right direction, because I knew I didn't want to stay where I was.
Of course, I did learn a lot once I got here, and I drank a lot, and was distracted by girls. But that is all par for the course.
I guess in a round about way, I am trying to say that you should get yourself moving in the approximate correct heading, and then refine it from there.
The world is your oyster, but you have to be willing and focused enough to go get it, because nobody is going to give it to you.
Good Luck, and I hope everything works out well for you.
Most schools have already started, and the application process normally take at least a few months, so at this point you are probably going to have to wait about a year anyway, at least a semester.
Also, I am not a Financial Aid counselor, but if you have any funding questions, I would be happy to try and send you in the right direction. I have probably dealt with everyone that you have heard of. LOL!
I also took a few one-class semesters. Finally, I also took some overloaded semesters.
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