fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2388 ]

[ SECRET POST #2388 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2388 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

__________________________________________________

02.

[Val and Matt]

__________________________________________________

03.

[My Chemical Romance]

__________________________________________________

04.

[Little House on the Prairie/GoT]

__________________________________________________

05.

[The Venture Bros.]

__________________________________________________

06.

[Once Upon a Time in Odessa]

__________________________________________________

07.

[Gabriel Knight]

__________________________________________________

08.

[Dangan Ronpa]

__________________________________________________

09.

[America's Cup]

__________________________________________________

10.

[Legion]

__________________________________________________

11.

[Trailer Park Boys]

__________________________________________________

12.

[Warehouse 13]

__________________________________________________

13.

[Sugar Bits]

__________________________________________________

14.

[Touhou Project, Assassins Creed, Madoka Magica, Rise of the Guardians]

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 030 secrets from Secret Submission Post #341.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 1 - broken links ], [ 1 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I never went to college (and I'm closer to fifty than twenty), and am being poked a little bit about 'you should go to school and get a degree'.

It might be cool. It might be useful. But I'm completely freaked that I won't be able to pass the classes. I can't remember a single thing about algebra or science, and I just don't know if I can actually do it.

Ask if you can audit a night class or something? Try before you buy, etc.

Okay, if you're in the US you should be able to take a state exam that should give your local community college a rough idea of what class to put you in with regards to reading/writing/math - in fact, you may be required to take it, but idk if that holds true outside of my state.

Also, I'd recommend starting with a community college if you can. The classes tend to be smaller, so you get more attention from the prof, and it's a *lot* cheaper to take your basics there, then move to an actual uni/college when you get to the higher level stuff they may not have. Plus, there are a lot of people who are older and taking classes there [at least, in my experience that's been the case].

If you're not in the US...then, idk. Sorry.

This is all written assuming you're in the US.

I went back to school after 15 years and it's a lot easier now than it was then. Most colleges won't fail a student that does the coursework, so don't worry too much about that.

Taking refresher courses is a great way to get yourself prepared before starting your degree. I would recommend NOT doing it through community college or any other kind of college; you don't want those on your transcripts. Paying out of pocket for an adult education course through a learning center is the best thing you can do to both prepare yourself to go to college and also preserve your academic reputation. If there isn't a place nearby where you can go, look online for such courses.

You can also check your local library for books in the courses you need a refresher. The Homework Helpers series is marketed for schoolchildren at the level of each subject they address, but the books are not written as though they are for children. I bought the Algebra one from Amazon for about $10 and it was a huge help to me without having the side effect of making me feel stupid or talked down to, as many books like that tend to.

"Most colleges won't fail a student that does the coursework"

That *really* depends on the college, actually. The ones where I live - including the community college, actually will. Some profs don't but...yeah. I really wouldn't recommend relying on that if you're going for a degree.

"Most colleges won't fail a student that does the coursework"? "Preserve your academic reputation"?

I have NO idea what you're talking about here. Have you attended most colleges and quizzed the professors in order to find out that they don't flunk people anymore? Who have you spoken to who said that a student shouldn't attend community or four-year colleges because it would damage their "academic reputation"?

Checking out library resources is a fine idea, but the rest of your advice sounds dodgy as hell.

I haven't attended most colleges, but I audit them for a living. Colleges are first and foremost businesses. They need ever increasing success rates to compete against each other as well as continue to receive funds from other sources.

As for preserving academic reputation, I'm not sure what you're confused about. Taking prep or remedial courses may help a student's preparedness, but it hurts their record. It also raises the cost of education for that student.

DA.

Colleges are first and foremost businesses. They need ever increasing success rates to compete against each other

Ayup. And those ever increasing rates fuel education inflation. Used to be good enough to have a Bachelors, then a Masters, now only a PhD will do. What comes after that? They're going to have to invent a new category to keep everyone coming back to pay more tuition.

I am in the US, and in small-town US, so I don't have tons of choices. There are two community colleges here, and that's it. Any actual university is a two or a three hour drive away, so that's not an option.

They both require pre-class testing. Just looking at the sample questions made me want to go hide. My brain is just...so unused to anything like that anymore. It's really pretty damn sad.

Probably, also, I would only be getting some kind of 'business' degree so I can get a job that's not fast food or cleaning hotel rooms, which is about all there is around here unless you want to be a nurse.

There's usually a website that will give you sample questions/tests so you can get a feel for them. If they don't, you can probably use the sample test that is on the SAT website.

Also...IDK if this applies to you, and if it doesn't I apologize [and feel free to ignore it], but there are a lot of people who end up taking remedial classes and - speaking as someone whose been in one - it can *really* help.

I'm only seventeen, on my way to college this fall. today I took a placement test for math. the average time spent on it was 60 minutes. it took me three and half hours and I only got a 50. (I haven't taken math in a year.)

I'm scared too because I also didn't take science my senior year, and I was horrible at it before anyway. but there is always time to learn and relearn. it may get you down from time to time (I know I was pretty upset today; I'm really self conscious about my lack of mathematical ability) but it's better to try than to just assume you can't do it. regardless of your age there will be plenty of people in the same boat as you and I bet those "poking" you now will be there for you as well! good luck.

Meh. I was okay in math as a kid/high schooler. I passed and all, but it wasn't my favorite thing. But now...it's all gone. Aaaaall gone.

Thanks. :)

Some colleges have entry level algebra classes for people who don't know anything about it or just need a refresher. Like you, I'm closer to 50 than 20, and it's been ages since I had any math so that's what I'm going to do this fall. You could look into that as a possibility, maybe.

I don't know why a previous anon said not to go to community college "because you don't want those on your transcripts". It sounds like basic prejudice against community colleges, which is common but may not be entirely rational. The local community college in town has smaller classes, more flexible class schedules to accommodate people who can't go to school during the day, etc.

Community colleges are very, very used to dealing with returning students like yourself-- people who are going back later in life, and possibly doing so while juggling a job and family. You might consider going in and talking to an academic counselor to discuss some of your concerns, or as someone else mentioned, auditing a class just to get a feel for what it'd be like.

But I think it's probably a good idea to also have a think about what you want to get out of it. What degree would you aim for? Is there a particular field you're interested in? Is there something that might be useful to your current job position or future job positions? Going just because it's something to do seems a little unfocused. I mean, if you have the money and just want to explore, go for it! But otherwise, maybe figure out what goals you have in mind before investing your time and money, and good luck! :)

Yeah, I thought that was a little weird. There won't be 'transcripts', anyway. Comm. college is all I can afford, and all that's realistic, considering my location.

I'd like to go for something like an English or History degree, but that's useless for a job here, and my current 'HS Diploma only' self is only hireable at fast food places or maid-service type jobs. Not what I want to do for the next however many years.

So something like 'Business Technology AAS' degree, which has a hope of getting me a job. And no, I have no money to spare and would be doing this via student loans, which is ANOTHER thing to freak out about.

DA

Realistically english and history aren't viable degrees anywhere. There just aren't many jobs and either field and...well. -shrugs- Otherwise I'd be right there with you, OP.

DA

That anon actually said not to take prep or remedial courses at community college so they aren't on your transcripts, not to not go to community college.

I don't know what Business Technology AAS is, but is it something you could get at a tech/trade school where you live? My brother went to one after a semester at community college because it didn't cost as much and the school did job placement after he got his degree.

Congrats on going back to school and best of luck to you!

Eh, more often than not they don't appear on your transcript anyways, so they don't impact anything other than *maybe* your GPA - and that's a grey area.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ SECRET POST #2388 ]

Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

OP: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: OP: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: Back to college. Maybe.

OP: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: OP: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: OP: Back to college. Maybe.

Re: OP: Back to college. Maybe.