In quest of an education

i'm not an expert on financing college--but I'm pretty good at strategies for convincing families.

Scrape together the tuition money for one course at a local college--a community college will do. Then use your good grade to support your lobbying with your family.

Contact your local community college and ask about financial help.

Bricklaying pays enough to finance college tuition, a class at a time.

noddy's advice is good. I worked and paid my way through a degree course - check on how many years you have to complete in and how it would fit in with work - and go for it. Get those entry qualifications and skills first though

[quote="T@lie§in™"]
Is it too late to go to college at this late stage in my life?[/quote]

Welcome to A2K!

It is never too late. I finished college in my mid thirties. My mom got her sheepskin at 75!

I too think that Noddy is giving you good advice. I would suggest that you work, and take a course or two in the evening. Go slowly. You have been out of school for awhile, and need to adjust to the rigors of student life.

Are you aware of what a person needs to do to become a lawyer? Check this out:

http://bls.gov/oco/ocos053.htm

Good luck!

Also, take a look at these:

http://www.parac.org/svrp.html

http://www.heic.org/disabled.htm

http://www.college-scholarships.com/

A day without learning is a wasted day. Learning is what leads to that rather ill-defined term, "education". One may have a wonderful education and never spend a day in a classroom, and there are others who have excellent degrees who never learned much of anything. Those are the extremes.

Acquisition of degrees is satisfying, and academic life for some is life complete. The academic world like everything else has its upsides and its downsides. There may even be a Anthropological/Sociological dissertation or two delving into that tribal culture. Students come to the academy from a whole range of motivations, and with goals that are just as varied. Some want to be independent of their families for the first time. Some want to avoid going out into a risky world of work. Some want to Parteeee. Some are looking for an easy pathway to a life of success and wealth. Some go to college because their parents did, or because its expected. Some want to build social networks, and learn some sort of trade. Some want to become faculty and become the doctrine/dogma bearers of future generations.

Finally, there are some who enter academic life because they love learning. These are people of all ages who have an abiding curiosity about a subject, or about the foundations of knowledge and wisdom. These folks tend to read and spend much of their time thinking about what they've read. They tend to be keen observers of the world around them, and they have many more questions than answers. If they are unable to spend much of their time within the covers of books, they will experiment with the common details of their everyday life. These sorts of students are a professor's dream come true. The academic world is the natural habitat for those who love learning, but it is not absolutely necessary, for these students will get a great education just by living their lives with full attention and consideration.

What kind of student are you? What is your motivation for going to college? What subjects and degrees are you interested in? What do you want the rest of your life to be like? It is very common for undergraduate students to switch majors at least once, and some several times before graduating. A smaller number go on to Graduate Work that leads to the "professions" (another relatively ill-defined term).

Becoming a lawyer generally means completing a four year degree, and then spending two or more years studying Law before taking the Bar Exam. Many undergraduate degrees can lead to the Law. Because the Law requires extremely good communications skills, and an appreciation for historical precedents and trends, History and English are very common degrees for Law students. A life in the Law is a life where study and education continue without end. The Bar Exam is intended to keep the number of lawyers from growing too large, because competition for legal business is brutal. Most new attorneys go to work for large law firms where they perform unexciting legal research for which they are poorly compensated. The Law is seldom glamorous, and little is more stulifying that to specialize in tax law. Only a small percentage of lawyers ever go to court, and then Perry Mason-like trials are very, very rare. Most who go into Criminal Law either work for the Public Defender's Office, or as a junior member of some Prosecutor's Office. Both are relatively poor paying compared to many other jobs. On the other hand, Law is one of major foundations of civilization and as such is a fascinating subject to study. Our way of life is highly dependant on the Constitution, and Law is a wonderful way to study the political foundations of society. Oh did I mention Justice? The Law does have Justice as a goal, but more often it must be satisfied to settle for "legal". Law is not for everyone.

At age 27 you are not too old to embark on a serious academic career, but you do need to be clear in your mind what it is you what you expect to derive from it. What are your life goals and how much are you willing to sacrifice to achieve them? Let us assume that your motivations are to learn as much about the world as possible. That you can accomplish by wearing out your library card, associating with other enquiring minds, and by observing and experimenting with those things/behavior/events/etc. that you come across in daily life. You can live a life of learning, even as a bricklayer, and ... you may find being a bricklayer to be far more satisfying than some other profession ... maybe not.

Perhaps, you want to open the gates to greater opportunity in the business world. After all, college graduates do make more money during their working lives, and they do tend to get the more desirable jobs. For this you can begin by attending a local two-year Community College. Most are either "free" or charge only nominal tuition, and they are generally not difficult to get into. At your age with only a GED and no solid academic preparation getting into a "regular" college might be a bit of challenge. At the Community College you can explore just how difficult academic studies can be, and begin to learn the discipline necessary for successful study at larger institutions where the competition is much more intense. By beginning at a solid Community College you can probably work almost full-time and save money toward future education. Community College courses are a good preparation for English, History, basic Math skills, and other fundamental academic requirements required for a Bachelor's degree. In addition, Community Colleges frequently have many courses that lead directly to good-paying jobs that don't necessarily require a formal college degree. Community College is a good way to prepare and test your discipline and resolve to enter formal academic life.

I have a 32 year old nephew who has spent most of his life working in construction. We urged him to take education more seriously when he was young, but for one reason or another he preferred an "active" life to sitting for hours reading and thinking about what is found mostly in books. He is a wonderful guy, a friend to all and a good father. Often he makes "bad" choices, but he gets along. Frequently he is out of work, or has to live apart from his family to earn a living. He has been injured on many occasions over the years, and his life style is certainly aging him before his time. He loves hunting, fishing and hanging out with friends. A few years ago this nephew came to me and said, "Uncle, you were right about getting a better education. I need to find something better to do with my life. I'm ready to get an education now. What do you suggest." I hadn't spent much time with this nephew, so I asked him how much he read? "Well, I read the sports pages pretty regular, but the last book I read was a thriller five or six years ago". I sighed, "what do you want to study in college", I asked. "Well", he replied "I thought maybe I could be an Archeologist. I've been watching some TV documentaries on the pyramids, and that might be fun."

How successful do you think my nephew might be in college? Not a reader used to reading the 2-3 books every week that is required of a serious student. A young man who likes standing in hip-deep water, or getting up before dawn to sit in a duck blind. This is a man who can't afford to work part-time while learning the academic skills he failed to acquire earlier in life. His stated goal "to study the pyramids" was based on a few TV programs with no thought as to the practicality. He never considered that most archeologists are Phds' whose careers are deeply rooted in academic life. There are next to no jobs available for BA Archeologists, and there aren't a whole lot of transferable skills in the discipline. This is one of my favorite nephews (the others are college graduates, or have parlayed their skills into high-paying jobs), but a regular academic college is not likely to be a good choice for him. He hasn't the mental discipline, or educational foundations to avoid flunking out in his first semester. He has a family to support, and needs to have a reliable income sooner, not much, much later. I suggested to him that he might enjoy becoming a certified airconditioning specialist. That would be a natural extension of his construction skills and experience. It would let him continue to work with his hands, without requiring him to sit for countless hours pouring over often text that is dull even for the enthusiast. Airconditioning would be a steady job that pays well and isn't so hard physically on a man who needs less risky work. As an Airconditioning specialist, he can leave the job after 8 hours, and then forget it. You just can't do that for many of the jobs that require a lot of academic preparation. Doctors and lawyers carry their careers with them constantly, and if they begin to lose their focus they can face serious complications. That plant manager can't turn off his concerns, worries and stresses so easily at the end of the day, because his responsibilities won't allow it. Not everybody is meant to have those jobs that look so "cushy and glamorous".

Know thy self. Know what you want, and what you are willing to sacrifice to get it. Don't confuse education with learning, or a fancy job description with job satisfaction. Pay attention to all around you. Think and continually work to improve yourself. Live in reality, not an unattainable dreamland. Remember that, within your own limitations (and you know what they are better than anyone else in the world), you can achieve anything if you are patient, intelligent and diligent in your pursuit.

I returned to college late in my late 20s and am just now finishing up. Because I already had kids when I returned, I took the maximum student loans available in order to pay for childcare. I was also eligible for federal financial aid and was the lucky recipient of two scholarships. There is money out there for anyone who really wants to go.

I would pick a nearby college or university that has a good reputation. My opinion is that smaller is better. Apply and immediately fill out the FAFSA -- you can do this online. This will tell you what is available to you in both grants and loans. Based on this you can figure out whether you can afford to go full time or part time.

My opinion is that it is well worth it to go into debt to finance an education as it is something that cannot be repossessed should you be unable to pay. Also, I am biased in favor of going full time if you do not have other obligations that prevent you from doing this. My feeling is that, at least for the first degree, it is easy to lose sight of the prize if it seems too far in the distance.

Also, in all likelihood you will do better in college now that you are older than you might have done when you were younger. You are more focused and sure of your decision than you might have been right out of high school. You know yourself and your limitations better. And your story, just from your post above, would make a really good entrance application essay.

Congratulations on your decision and good luck. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

in quest of an education
Hiya,
I fully support your desire to go to school. If everything seems too overwhelming, why don't you try your local community college. I do not know what part of the country you live in, but; for example-----I know that the University of Maryland has a school called University College. It is for adults who did not go to college. twenty seven is not too old for anytging. Go for it and you'll prpbably have one of the best experiences of your life. Good luck, Cheryl Powell

About half of all college students these days are "non-traditional"--meaning older than 18 to 22.

Yea, I am 19 and I am attending community college in san jose cali... It's awesome... Hard to pay for it.... But I work and my parents help me... Try community college... Then you can transfer... Thats what I am doing.....

Wow, I cannot believe the overwhelming response to my post. Thank you all for the comments and offers of congratulatory remarks. I agree that a community college would be the safest route for me, but my mom insists that I need to go to a four year college in order to be accepted into a law school. Otherwise she says it would be a waste of time and money. I live in Culpeper Virginia. 45 minutes away from UVA. The closest community college to me is Germanna Community College, and from what I understand, they do not offer any kind of a bachelors degree. I appear to be stuck.

The reason I'm resolved to becoming a lawyer is simple. I love the law. I would be happy working for little compensation if I was doing something I loved to do. I don't want a Perry Mason lifestyle, and I have not been watching too many episodes of Law & Order. My great grandfather was a lawyer, and he became they youngest Judge to sit on the bench as a judge in Sarasota Florida. Even though he has passed away, he still holds that record. My great uncle is a practicing attorney in Sarasota still, unfortunately I do not know him well enough to ask advice.

I also worked as an Air Conditioner Installers helper. It was the most brutal experience of my life. I was only 18 years old at the time, but the hot summer days spent outside, or crawling around in an attic, getting cut on pieces of ductwork, or dragging acetylene torches from place to place is extremely laborious.

Thanks for the idea of convincing my family by paying for my first term to show them I am serious. I'm sure it will work.

Phoenix, the websites you shared were most helpful and it shares an abundant amount of insight I had no idea about.

This is by far the best chatboard I have ever been a member on.

Ask UVA what credits they will accept from the local community college.

Be warned, they may not accept any course credits if you've earned less than a "C"--or even a "B".

I made an appointment today for tomorrow with Germanna Community College and I plan on discussing if I can take the core classes here, and transfer to George Mason University. I also went ahead and made another appointment with Lord Fairfax community college. Thank you all for your help. You all have offered me hope, something that has been in short supply around here lately. God Bless.

That's great! Good luck with both appointments. Let us know what you find out.

Your local Department of Rehabilitation should be able to help you as well, including possibly contributing to your education. They are more likely to do this at the community college level than the University level, in my experience.

Here's the Virginia DRS:

http://www.vadrs.org/

Additionally, you may be eligible for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) -- not sure if ADHD qualifies, but worth a try:

http://www.ssa.gov/notices/supplemental-security-income/

Good luck!

(And as an aside, go FreeDuck! Going to college while raising kids... yoiks.)

I took the Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool for you using what little info I know (27, recently diagnosed, etc.), and it said you may be eligible. Here's the rub:



I don't know if ADHD is considered a "serious condition," or whether the "lifelong illness" you mention would qualify you.

Thanks, soz. It's really worked out well. I guess that's why I'm so excited for our new friend here and really hope it works out for them.

adhd grants
hello, after reading your note i was suprised to see someone else with the same disability, i myslef have a sever case of ADHD and also OCD(obsessive compulsive disorder) the ocd is very mild. anyway there is a grant for adults coping with the ADHD dis. but to attain this grant you have to be being treated or under the care of a phychiatrist st the present time of your application...i have been on medication since i was 5. i have also been in and out of research hospitals all my life, my disoreder affected me to the point that i wasnt going to school at all, i also have a h.s.e.d ....and i know attend the University Of Wisconsin-Oshkosh a fine school, where i am going for a masters in philosophy.....you can do it i cant find the info right now, but i will look for the website and keep you posted, or you could call any grant office and they will tell you about the adhd grants and the pre requsite for attaining it....hope that helps....feel free to leave me a message or im me on aim if you ever need to talk

Thanks alot pyschmajor. All the information I have received on this board has been helpful, and I appreciate everything. I see my doctor at UVA on Thursday, and he already has drafted a letter for my financial advisor at Lord Fairfax Community College. After that, my F.A. says that college for me will almost be absolutely free! Isn't that amazing?! I still have to pay a small portion, but I have enough to pay for one full year of community college. My F.A. also has a full listing of employment opportunities that will prepare me financially for next years tuition.
Again, I cannot stress enough how thankful I am for all of your help. My parents have even come around and are fully supportive of me. Thank ya'll from the bottom of my heart!

Wow! That is great! Really, the best of luck to you.