Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Not so torn on where to move .... an irresponsible teenagers discussion

genuinegirly · 12-20-2008, 08:11 AM

Ok - so you'd like to go back to school and you're 21. You'd like to live in a city. You're on the east coast already so it makes sense that the first big city you dream of is New York.

You're going to have to plan things out well if you don't want to get destroyed by NYC. Remember Hal is in NYC - read his blogs as well as Cyn's. Hal did something similar to what you want to do - he moved out there fairly impulsively with only a high school degree and has run into a few brick walls along the way - but of course he doesn't regret the move.

Here's what I want you to do: Think.

What about a city environment appeals to you?
Make a mental list.
Can you find all of these in another setting that will be less expensive than NYC?

If not, move.

But first - ask yourself if you're ready.

Since you have your GED, you should consider attending junior college. This is something you can start right now (classes start mid-January at most schools). With straight A's on a junior college transcript and an AA / AS degree, you can transfer to just about any university with ease.

By the time you're 23, you want to be ready to transfer to a university. Why? At age 23, you're considered completely independent of your parents for financial aid purposes. You're going to have grants and low-interest loans thrown at you left and right the minute you apply for them. These won't come from the federal government - they'll come from the school itself. Scout out universities that offer full tuition stipends plus a bit of cash for living expenses to low-income students. All University of California schools offer such a perk, including UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Riverside, UC Merced (it's called the UC Grant in Aid). Almost all reputable private schools offer such a perk: Harvard, Stanford, Yale, etc (if you can get in, they'll pay your way).

Be smart about this. You're a smart guy. I expect you to succeed at life.

12-20-2008, 08:11 AM	#5 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Ok - so you'd like to go back to school and you're 21. You'd like to live in a city. You're on the east coast already so it makes sense that the first big city you dream of is New York. You're going to have to plan things out well if you don't want to get destroyed by NYC. Remember Hal is in NYC - read his blogs as well as Cyn's. Hal did something similar to what you want to do - he moved out there fairly impulsively with only a high school degree and has run into a few brick walls along the way - but of course he doesn't regret the move. Here's what I want you to do: Think. What about a city environment appeals to you? Make a mental list. Can you find all of these in another setting that will be less expensive than NYC? If not, move. But first - ask yourself if you're ready. Since you have your GED, you should consider attending junior college. This is something you can start right now (classes start mid-January at most schools). With straight A's on a junior college transcript and an AA / AS degree, you can transfer to just about any university with ease. By the time you're 23, you want to be ready to transfer to a university. Why? At age 23, you're considered completely independent of your parents for financial aid purposes. You're going to have grants and low-interest loans thrown at you left and right the minute you apply for them. These won't come from the federal government - they'll come from the school itself. Scout out universities that offer full tuition stipends plus a bit of cash for living expenses to low-income students. All University of California schools offer such a perk, including UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Riverside, UC Merced (it's called the UC Grant in Aid). Almost all reputable private schools offer such a perk: Harvard, Stanford, Yale, etc (if you can get in, they'll pay your way). Be smart about this. You're a smart guy. I expect you to succeed at life. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy