what should i do about everything?

Question

Last year i failed out a university. so my parents and i decided that i should go back to community college. my first semester back i got a 1.45. i know i shouldnt have taken a hard course load but i thought i could handle it. now i decided that im going to take summer classes and stay and extra semester at school so i can bring my gpa up. the thing is i dont know where i should go back to school. i really dont want to go back to the university cuz im going to have to retake all of the classes i failed & thats only a waste of time. i really feel that i since i have a chance to start over i should go to a new state or place. so im trying to decided what i should do. Another problem i have is i have bad credit and im in debt. currently right now i am working two jobs so i can try and pay off 20,000 dollars i owe. What other things do you think will help me get back in? Has anyone else ever failed out of college before & how did they survive\?

I was thinking about volunteering somewhere. do you think that would help? Any ideas.

I was thinking about volunteering somewhere. do you think that would help? Any ideas.

Answer 1

I'd start out at the local community college taking only one or two classes that could count towards general education credits anywhere. Community colleges are general cheaper than regular universities, and some 4-year colleges will actually accept the credits towards a bachelor's degree. Do this at the same time as you're working a job. After a semester of only one or two credits, evaluate how you feel about the course load and college itself. If you like taking the courses, do another semester, maybe add one or two more courses until you feel comfortable handling a full load. Eventually, like I said before, you can transfer the credits to a 4-year school, or just finish up an Associate's Degree. In the event that you find you don't like college, consider other venues for career advancement, such as trade schools, an apprenticeship model, or even the military, if you lean that way.

In terms of debt management, talk to your lendors. You can either consolidate the loans into one loan that you take longer to pay off, or you can go into a specific payment plan that accomodates what you can pay right now. Most college loans allow you to defer for a period of years if you go back to school or for some other reason as well. Just make sure that you don't default on your loan, and you should be fine.

Answer 2

I say do what feels right. But set priorities for yourself for what you want to do and longterm goals to keep you on track. So if you go back to school make it a goal to make it through with a certain grade and don't let yourself get off track.

However, maybe you should consider working for a year to just pay off debt. If your parents let you move in with them to save money you could pump a LOT of money into paying off that debt, you could at the very least slice it in half with a little effort. It's worth considering, rather than amassing more debt right now with school or moving.

Oh and lots of people fail at school for diverse reasons, don't let it get you down, if you're determined you can do anything. The best advice there is to learn from your mistakes.

Good luck on your journey.