Am I a poor excuse for a college grad?

Question

I know my mental disabilities, stress, financial issues, family problems, & Hurricane Katrina contributed to me doing poorly in college, but I graduated with a 2.3 avg. & had a 2.8 avg. in my major. I know I could've done better, but the problems I had held me back. Now I'm in a grad PREP program, back in school, trying to see if I can raise my GPA so I can try to get into Grad school, which there's no guarantee I'll get accepted. Now, I got a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish & nothing to show for it, since the curriculum emphasized on Medieval Spanish & "Courtly Love". & very little to do with Grammar, vocabulary, & the language itself. & most of the courses were taught about Spanish subjects in the English language or bilingually, which wasn't any help. & I graduated from college last year & haven't had a Spanish course since 2005. & I lost my vocabulary. Now I have to learn Grammar all over again & study much harder to become the translator/interpreter that I dream to be.

Answer 1

You have been through hard times. I don't see how anyone could have received excellent grades going through what you did.

Things happen in life. Just start again; you will pick it up and get where you want to be. It won't be easy but nothing really is in life anymore is it?

YOU are not a poor excuse for anything.

Answer 2

You'll be surprised at how much progress he'll make one-on-one. Probably you should start by focusing on reading and math, since those are the subjects that really determine what grade level your kid is at. I noticed someone mentioned that your son could take the SAT at home, proctored, through BJUP. I would like to add that he could take the Iowa test at home through BJUP as long as there is someone with a bachelor's degree in ANYTHING registered with them who will give it to him. If you or your husband or a nearby friend or relative has a bachelor's degree, this could take care of the testing. Also, the test will measure your son's performance against other kids his age across the nation. It will not show where the average 7th grader 'should' be, only where the average 7th grader actually IS. I currently live in a rural area where what you are describing is the norm for a 7th grader - about a 3rd grade education. I moved from a much larger area where you'd be LUCKY to find a 7th grader with a 3rd grade education. So the school your son currently attends could be more normal than you think. The last time my kids took the Iowa tests was at the end of 5th and 6th grades, and the fifth grader [who was 9 at the time] scored at a 12.3 level, which means the average high school senior in his third month of classes would have made the same score, and my 6th grader [who was 10 years old] scored 12.9. It was a sad commentary on the education levels in this country that a 10 yo who had completed 6th grade made the same grade on a 6th grade test that a graduating senior would have made. Anyway, I would love to know what the results will be when/if you have your son tested. It could be better than you think.

Answer 3

Sounds like a bit of a mess but, a college degree is a college degree. I would temporarily skip the Grad school for now and focus on getting some work experience. Find a job translating or one that requires you to speak some Spanish anywhere you can. Go to work for a business in a Spanish speaking neighborhood. Surround yourself with Spanish speaking people. They will appreciate your English skills and your willingness to help them. Forget school for now, go to work.

Answer 4

At least you graduated many people have not done that. My suggestion would be to try and live in a country where spanish is the native language, work there for a year, then come back and do your grad prep program.

Answer 5

Seriously, as another Foreign language major to anohter, quit whining and get back INTO it. DO what you have to to attain your goal. why don't you volunteer in a migrant education program, in the Spanish only section? Or in a literacy program for new immigrants from Central America? Or you could find a native spanish speaker who wants to trade off practicing his/her English to your desire to learn more Spanish. These are ALL options for YOU as a former Spanish major if you cannot at this time afford a TRIP to Mexico in a study program. Moreover, these are options, that I as a German major could NOT take--the Amish aren't exactly favorable to outsiders.
In terms of what you learned in undergrad, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with Medieval Spanish and "Courtly Love." In fact, that is a MAJOR influence on Spanish culture. If you fail to understand the motivating circumstances which helped shape Spanish culture, and, ultimately the culture(s) in the NEw World, then you are diminished as a student.
As for whether or not there's a "guarantee," WOW, that's pretty presumptuous of you; there's NEVER a guarantee in anything you do in life. I had a 3.76 GPA, graduated magna *** laude from my institution and STILL only got accepted to 2 out of the 5 schools I applied to. I think you need to look at it more as: Ok, I had these problems, I'm working through them, I recognize what they are, how can *I* make myself better so I can get to the prize? Also, as an aside: I'm not sure what kind of translator/interpreter job you feel you can get in just a MAster's of Arts program, but I'd recommend you work REALLY hard and try for the Monterey Institute for International Studies' program--which deals SPECIFICALLY with translation and interpretation. Competition is fierce to get in, but I think you should try anyway. The networks that this school has is incredible, so once you DO graduate from their ACCREDITED program, you will have access to all sorts of employment opportunities. Good luck

Answer 6

maybe your stressing to much about it, you should just relax it'll come back to you.

you had a lot going on in your life, just be thankful for what you do have is your health.

with out your health, you'll have nothing else.

I hope this help.

Just me!
remember to Share your Smile :)

Answer 7

If you feel you didn't get any knowledge from college, the best thing you can do is to keep trying. Your are never too old or too young to learn new things.

Answer 8

Pls learn to beleive in yourself We have faith in you.

Answer 9

It sounds like a pity party to me. Do you have any more excuses?