Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with college

Help with student loan

Black_Umbrella — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:17:05 -0800

I am looking for the best general student loan company. What are your experienes with specific student loan companies? So I have managed to pay for the first 4 years of my 5 year program. But now I am completely broke so I need a student loan.

I have talked to a financial officer at my school who more or less said "most are good". What I would like from the hive are some of your experiences with specific loan providers.

Perhaps you may even know the "best of the best" loan providers if you have recently spent time researching this.

My permenent address is considered to be Maryland and my school is located in New Jersey.

I already recieve federal perkins and direct loans.

Misc. Information:
I NEED the loan to cover everything...i.e.: food, housing, books, tuition, etc

I just put myself into credit card debt by flying back to my school from Australia (study abroad). Can I increase my loan to pay off this debt and consolidate it under a better APR?

Am I allowed to increase my loan by a few grand, 3K - 4K, for my own personal use during my last year? Most will be spent on drinks, concerts and the occasional weekend trip - so not exactly a school expense, just a little NECESSARY relaxation.

Computer science? yea or nay?

frettchen — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:21:24 -0800

Should I major in computer science? If yes, what career options are available? I have always loved computers, and considered studying computer science in college. I first tinkered around with Linux when I was 14, loved working on the command line, and created websites with html and php. However, I abandoned that goal as I wanted to do things that make a difference in people's lives and work with people, not mainly by myself in front of a computer. I also haven't been that great in math, and that might hinder me from exceeding in a computing field.

I started my undergraduate studies with the goal of majoring in psychology, and I have been satisfied with my studies so far as I am fascinated by it. But there is always this nagging doubt in the back of mind - that I should do what I really love. I don't really see a future of a career in psychology, I don't think I am cut out to be a psychologist. I would rather do research, but then biological bases are a great impact on human behavior as well and I wouldn't be fully able to understand it (I really dislike chem, and I'm not too big of a fan of bio either). And I do not want to be just another psych major.

So, now I have finished my first year of studies, and I am thinking that I should study computer science as well. I will take my first class in the fall, and if I like it I'll try to minor or major in it (additionally with psych as minor or major).

But - what careers are available to computer science majors besides database administrators and obviously being a programmer? I'm female by the way, if that is relevant.

Balancing work experience and college?

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:58:59 -0800

I am switching from full-time college with a part-time job to part-time college with a full-time job to gain more experience. I'm in the Web software development industry. How do I keep motivated and not get discouraged? I have had a part-time/full-time job since I was 15 developing a niche Web application. I've since graduated from high school and completed my freshman year at a nearby university working 30+ hrs/wk with classes 15 hrs/wk (not including studying) with a 3.5 GPA. The job is going downhill quickly with new management and many of my smart coworkers leaving for bigger out-of-state companies. If I could, I'd work somewhere else, but there isn't a lot of companies doing what I do in this area.

That's why, a few months ago, I resolved to quit the job by the end of summer to focus on getting my degree in Computer Science while living with my parents to cut expenses. I planned on doing some consulting type work, not for the money per se, but to keep my current skills.

A month ago, an ex-coworker called me asking if I'd be interested in joining their team at a company I always dreamed of working for. It's at a relatively large company in California. I decided that I should give it a shot because I have noting to lose-- and got the offer. It's definitely not over my head but it'll give me a new challenge. The job will start out using the skills I developed at my present job and I'll have the opportunity to learn more as I continue to work there. I'll get paid a lot of money and can live on my own. The people are great, I feel wanted, and the environment rocks.

The only problem is that I'm not through school yet! My friends and family think that this is a non-issue because I'm getting relevant job experience and the company will pay for school. My parents argue that continuing with school here will leave me without relevant experience when I graduate. Indeed, many of my coworkers are working below market to gain Web app experience-- and they have CS degrees from the university I have attended.

At the same time, I recognize the need for a good education. I know that the "CS theory" & math skills I have must be improved on if I want to continue a career in this field because the Web isn't going to be using my current skills forever. I plan on going to a local community college part-time with this full-time job. There is a university nearby but, of course, my admission there isn't guaranteed.

I'm concerned that I'll be a greater risk of getting discouraged with school. I'm concerned that I should be focusing on school to potentially transfer into a better school. (Basicially, that I should be a "traditional student" and not going part-time.) I'm concerned that if I don't take this job opportunity doing what I love, I'm going to regret it forever. However, I could leave this job after a year and return to the same university.

I'm looking for advice. I'm pretty much committed to taking the job right now but I'd like to get some perspective from others who have more experience than I do.

Here are a few starting points:

How do I transfer from a community college to a university as a part-time student? Should I look into online or distance education? Any gotchas? Should I be concerned about 7-10 year time limits on undergrad degrees?

Any wise words to keep me motivated to get through school and work? Will this job be an asset or a liability to applying for a university in a couple of years (think application essay and/or my knowledge gained on the job)?

Thanks everyone! You may contact me here: workingstudent@rocketmail.com

How do I tell people I'm not going to work in an office?

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:47:45 -0800

I am almost done with college. Since I've started, four separate times I've taken a semester off to study abroad, work overseas or do unorthodox things in the name of adventure. I've come to terms with myself and I know that this is I want out of life, and I know that when I graduate I'm not going to get a steady job with benefits or any of those other things that responsible people are supposed to do. How do I explain this to the people I care about in a way that makes them feel good about me? In the years since I graduated high school I've gotten pretty good at politely blowing people off when they ask me when I'm just going to finish university and get a job. "lol i dunno" usually works fine.

That's not really an acceptable answer for people close to me, though. My parents are starting to ask what kind of job I'm going to get, how I'm going pay for health insurance, what my degree is good for, and the respective answers are "I don't know, maybe I won't, probably nothing." I care about my parents and my close friends too much to cry "Nobody understands me!!!" and ignore them, but at the same time I worry that's the case.

I'm convinced I'll make out well no matter what I do, but I'm concerned that everyone I know thinks I'm a bum and is worried about me. How do I answer the question "What are you doing with your life?"?

My resume is very unhappy

danb — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:29:02 -0800

How do I mitigate my lack of experience when searching for jobs? I just graduated last month with an oh-so-practical degree in English and music. Even worse is that I have next to no job experience. I didn't work while at college, and so now all I really have to show is a couple summers of being a camp counselor and some miscellaneous short-term volunteering.

So yes, I was dumb to not get work experience or find an internship when I had the chance, but what should I do about it now?

Academically I did quite well -- high GPA, summa cum laude, various awards, etc. -- but in looking for jobs the requirements seem slanted much more towards practical experience than good grades. I'm not sure how to get an interview when I'm not suited for much of anything on paper. Any advice? I'm not picky about fields at this point.

How do I locate small scholarships?

sugarfish — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:33:19 -0800

What is the best way of locating small scholarships? I am going back to college this fall, to finish my undergraduate degree. The first time around, I went to a relatively cheap state school with a hefty scholarship, and fleshed out the difference with student loans. Now I'm going to attend a private college and federal loans aren't even going to cover tuition.

I've been looking for small scholarships -- those $250 and $500 awards that I scoffed at when I was a stupid teenager. I've done some searching around on the various scholarship search engines like Fastweb but I'm often not qualified because I don't meet their criteria, because I'm not just graduating from high school, because I've been out of school for several years, or because the scholarship listing looks like spam and I don't want to give them my email address.

My local library does not keep a listing of local scholarships.

The school I'm going to does have a few awards for transfer students, but with my always impeccable sense of timing I decided to apply for admission literally a week after the final deadline for those scholarships.

I want to avoid taking out as much loan money as possible, and if I could avoid private loans I would be ecstatic. I expect to be in school for another two years or so. This first semester, I'm only going to go part-time but my plan is to go full-time after that.

Is there something I'm missing? Should I just apply for everything, even if I'm not qualified? Does anyone have any success stories about paying for college as an adult?

Help me get my math on

baphomet — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:09:27 -0800

I need to brush up on my basic college math skills for a course readiness assessment in a week. What are some good resources online and what should I focus on? I'm going back to school in the fall and have my math course readiness assessment in a week. Unfortunately the last time I took a math class was in high school in 2001, and it was never my strong suit to begin with. I'm thinking that the degree I'm going to pursue (BA in Geography) is going to require basic math skills, and I have to complete at least one college-level math course to graduate anyway.

At this point my math skills are extremely rusty- things like FOIL, order of operations, etc, are all in the dusty nether-reaches of the stuff I forced out of my brain after high school. I know this is really basic stuff I learned in 7th or 8th grade, so it's kind of embarrassing to admit that I couldn't simplify to save my life, but there you have it.

I'm not looking for any advanced placement- I know that I'll need to take a basic college algebra class. That said, my fear is that I'll place below those courses and in the realm of courses that I'll need to pass- and pay for- but not receive college credit for before I can take algebra. I'm confident in my ability to catch up and re-learn this material, but what are some good resources to help me along with that?

Let me teach the children how to shoot themselves into space

greenland — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:38:52 -0800

Night school for an eventual Science Education degree? In NYC? Does it exist or must I find some other way to (eventually) blind the middle grades with science? I live in NYC and am trying to pursue an undergraduate degree in science education (preferably for middle grades and up). However, I'm near 30 and can't afford to lose my daytime income. This thread was inspiring, but lacking in specifics regarding pursued majors/degrees.

CUNY/Hunter/City College, Columbia, and NYU all offer programs in science education, but I can't seem to find a school or program with night classes I can take towards this eventual goal. (I also can't seem to find a General Science Education degree, but that might be a whole other AskMe.)

I've never been to college, so it's quite possible that I'm just not looking in the right places. Any advice about how to tackle this problem, or am I just out of luck?

How to go about paying for a college education?

shangomoons — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:38:21 -0800

How to go about paying for a college education? Here's the situation. I went to college right out of high school and pursued a degree only to find out a year away from getting that degree that it's not really what I wanted to do.

The problem is that my credit is just about maxed out after taking on a pretty substantial student loan in order to pay for the unfinished degree. I'm ready to go back to school now, but am having difficulty trying to finance it. My mom's credit isn't great after enduring some pretty hefty medical bills, and I'm not entirely sure that federal money will get me by while making payments on the earlier student loan. Between my rent and my student loan payments, I'm at about $1000 per month in bills (plus internet, phone, etc.). If I go back to school my income is likely to drop so that I'll not be making enough to cover those bills. I could defer the previous student loan, but I'd rather not if possible, to keep knocking down my debt.

I've looked at some sites like Fynanz and GreenNote. Anyone have experience with these? I hate asking family and friends for money honestly, but am more afraid that if something were to happen to me they'd be out the money.

In talking with some friends, apparently some companies have programs to help you pay for school where you work for them at a reduced salary while going to school and they help pay for it, and in return you agree to continue working for them for X years after you graduate in order to "pay them back." Haven't had much luck in that department with the companies that I've expressed an interest in.

Any other creative ideas for paying for a college education?

To purposely make myself below-average to avoid being average?

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:39:57 -0800

What looks, uh, the least bad on a transcript - a C or a D w/ an A or B as a repeat grade? Basically, I want to know from a school or employer's point of view, is the better to have received a grade of a 'C' or to have gotten a non-passing grade 'D' or similar with a higher grade the next quarter when I'd retake the course? The original grade will not factor into my GPA, however it would still appear on the transcript. I'm confident I'd do much better the second time around, but is it even worth it or should I just try to finish off the course strong and most likely, end up with a C or C+. It should be noted I have to achieve a C- or worse to be eligible to repeat the course, so getting a D would be on purpose.

I ended up with a 4.0 GPA. Now what?

icarus — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:52:14 -0800

I ended up with a 4.0 GPA. Now what? Are there any real advantages? Are there any decent US or Canadian scholarships I could apply for? Any programs/internships I could look into? After being a college dropout for close to 3 years I decided to go back last spring. To my surprise I received an A in every single course and now have a 4.0 GPA.

I switched from my normal program to honors shortly thereafter because supposedly I'm more likely to receive scholarships if I'm in honors.

I'm afraid I'm letting this opportunity slide, mostly, since I'm not sure what kind of options are out there. The advising office in my college is useless, by the way.

New friends (or lack thereof).

reductiondesign — Fri, 30 May 2008 20:22:08 -0800

Insecurity/CollegeFilter: Making new friends in a new place (college)? So: This August, I'll be moving from Atlanta to Santa Fe for my first year of college; I'm attending CSF, which has an enrollment of ~700 students.

I'm terrified of making new friends and meeting new people.

I've lived in the same town my whole life--and I've kept the same friends this whole time. I'm not overly concerned about losing my current friends; I'll stay in touch with everyone I feel necessary. I'm more concerned about finding new friends, and especially a new best friend and/or girlfriend. Everyone I know now are all on great terms with one another: hugging to say hello/goodbye, having worthwhile conversation, etc.

I know that everyone says the same old thing: "You'll make all kinds of new friends in college! The best you've had!"

I just need help believing that.

Can I skip college math?

Dreamcast — Sat, 24 May 2008 16:04:25 -0800

Is it possible to bypass a math course requirement at a community college? I'm considering going to a community college (the only college that's in my area) because I'm interested in becoming a composer, however, I've been told math is a required course. I'm terrible at math, and I always have been. I just don't seem to comprehend anything more advanced than addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Teachers, tutors, parents, and acquaintances have all tried teaching me the more advanced math (fractions, long division, etc.), and I've never been able to comprehend it. I've even tried recently, on my own, to learn some of the math that will be on the basic arithmetic portion of the ACCUPLACER test so I could at least pass that, but I didn't understand any of what I read. In short: I just don't get math.

Is there any way I can bypass the required math course, and perhaps do something else in its stead? If I take the ACCUPLACER, and fail the math, I'd probably be put in some kind of remedial math course, and they'd eventually expect me to take and pass a real math course. This is definitely going to be a problem.

Does anyone have any ideas in regards to this? I'm not sure how appropriate this question is for this site, but I'm hoping someone here has some experience with these kinds of things and can help me out.

Help interpret this ACT score

caroljean63 — Fri, 23 May 2008 20:25:06 -0800

Help me interpret this ACT score & figure out what to do with it... My son took the ACT last year (9th grade) and again this year (10th grade) mostly just for practice. We didn't send it to any schools. Both years he had the same composite - 22. However, his science score went up 4 points and his reading went down 2 points. Everything else was pretty much the same. For whatever reason he had a brain cramp and had trouble with the one reading section (He said he had trouble focusing). Is there a way to tell what his composite would have been if his reading score had stayed the same? Here are the score (9th grade listed first):

English: 20/20
Math: 19/20
Reading: 23/21
Science: 24/28
Composite 22/22

Also, would there be any benefit to sending the scores to colleges at this point (he's interested in a science field).

Thanks!

Summertime (working) Blues

genefinder — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:13:38 -0800

My 17 year old son has been looking for a part time job for several months, and now would like a summer job before heading off to college. The problem is, he doesn't seem to be able to find anything. He is a good kid, an honors student and athlete, involved with many school activities, and well liked by his school's faculty and administration. He has applied at almost every local restaurant and retail store we can think of, but no luck. Their reasons range from "We can't hire anyone under 18" (which won't happen for a few months) to "We can't hire someone who won't be around after September." The most frustrating are the ones where we don't know why they won't hire him. He needs to save some money for college, and I am out of ideas.

Any advice on where we should be looking that we may be missing?

Help a college kid help college kids, online.

clearly — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:07:23 -0800

What would be some good practical web resources for college students? My university pretty much has the course resource and website thing covered, but I would like to implement a section on practical information pertaining to the college student. Some resources I think would be helpful are cheap and good places to eat out, professor reviews, course strategies, a textbook marketplace, and a forum for general discussion.

Do you have any ideas I could implement?

Where should a geek go to grad school to study urban planning?

zvs — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:20:10 -0800

Where should a computer science geek go to grad school to study urban planning? I've just graduated with a BS in computer science, but realized not so long ago that it wasn't really where I wanted to be in five years. What I really want to do is study urban planning, a pretty radical departure from my past academic career. That said, computer science is still where most of my skills lie, and I'd like to pursue a path that merges the two interests. I'll probably never escape technical work entirely.

Aside from MIT and Berkeley, I'd love to know if anybody has hints on where I could find a fairly nerd-oriented course of study in planning. I've heard good things about Waterloo, but I'm mostly working blind at the present time. My grades as an undergraduate engineer were OK (not good enough to guarantee MIT/Berkeley or anything), and at a well-regarded institution.

Thanks in advance!

[P.S.: I'm an American who also holds Schengen citizenship, so schools within either the US or the EU are definitely within the realm of possibility -- if they're taught in English, Spanish or Dutch.]

[P.P.S.: This is my first try at Ask, so if I'm breaking protocol please feel free to abuse me appropriately.]

Gift ideas for H.S. grad going into architecture

JeremiahBritt — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:50:28 -0800

My sister is graduating high school and heading to Lawrence Tech. to study architecture. What are some gift ideas for things she'll find useful/necessary in her classes? She already has a drafting table and some of the basic t and l-square things, and the university provides laptops. I'll probably be getting her a nice set of Prismacolor markers, but I'm not sure if there is a basic set that will have all that she'll probably need without going over the top.

I don't know that much about architecture to begin with, and I know that X field of study has different material requirements in the professional and educational fields.

Other than the markers, are there any other items a budding architect would find invaluable in their toolkit?

Send me back to skool

sambosambo — Sun, 11 May 2008 13:00:07 -0800

How does a 25-year old college dropout go about getting a fresh start at a new university? I dropped out of San Jose State about 2 years ago. I want another shot at getting my degree, but I have no idea how to go about choosing a school to attend.

I chose San Jose State mostly out of fear and laziness, as it was the closest and cheapest university that I was accepted into. After an on-again-off-again relationship with the school, I eventually dropped out. It's been 2 years now, and I have a better idea of what I'd really like to study, and have glimpsed what the future holds for me without finishing my education.

For a number of reasons, I don't want to go back to SJSU. The top reason being that it just wasn't a good fit for me. The second reason is that given the amount of credits I'd have to makeup I'd simply prefer to use the time to start over again rather than play catchup.

I'm very open and would love to get away from the SF Bay Area and California, so how do I narrow my choices and find schools that will fit me?

What are the most interesting issues in your field?

btkuhn — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:14:20 -0800

What are the most interesting emerging topics in your field of study? I am about a year out of undergrad, and considering returning to school at some point to pursue a Phd for a career in academia or research. I've always thought that I would go for a Phd in one of the biological sciences or chemistry since it's the area I did research in during my undergrad, but I've been exposed to so much that I'm interested in since then that I'm considering choosing something totally new. In thinking about this, I realize that there are so many subjects I haven't been exposed to despite my fairly broad liberal arts background. For instance, I have always been aware of the broad field of "Finance", but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I discovered how fascinating the emerging research in behavioral finance is, and it's a subject that I'd consider for a PhD. Or alternatively, take a field like American History - I admit that I have no idea what the "new" research being done in American History would be - I'd imagine that historians aren't just rehashing arguments about why the civil war was fought.

So I ask you, mefites, what are the most interesting areas of inquiry or recent publications in your field of study? What is "the future" of your field, at least for the next 10-20 years? What would you study today (within your field) if you were entering as a new researcher?

I am 21 and bored with life

thegmann — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:45:52 -0800

I am 21, male, and I'm pretty bored with life, I feel stressed about doing nothing. I am having trouble figuring out what it is I really want to do with all of the time I have right now, and I've definitely been stagnating. Give me some advice! I've run a small computer business since I was about 14, and now I've gotten completely bored with it, but I have so much of it automated and outsourced at this point I really do very little (probably 4-6 hours a week) and all of my bills get paid, and I have enough to let me be comfortable for the month (hang with friends, go out, etc.). I recently got my motorcycle license because riding a motorcycle sounds like a ton of fun to me and I've been looking at motorcycles but I can't afford to pay cash for one. I don't want to take on the debt of a loan for something I could possibly destroy within weeks of owning it.

I've always been very motivated but I tend to love having a creative outlet. In high school I was in every play I could get into and I would take extracurricular classes that sounded interesting. I didn't apply for any schools after high school as I was working, but now I am planning on starting at my local CC come fall because I miss the social environment school gave me. In my current work I don't meet anyone new and my daily life is for the most part spent inside or out with my old high school buddies doing nothing very productive.

I have a huge urge to travel but again money comes to mind. I don't want to get a salaried job- I've only worked one in my entire life and while it was an interesting place to be in it didn't challenge me at all.

I feel like I'm just rambling now, I know I'm lucky to be in the position I'm in, I'm in Southern California with all of the time in the world, given my position, what would you do?

Help Poodus find a University...

fake — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:58:14 -0800

My younger brother is starting to look into colleges. He has a knack for (and interest in) math and engineering. However, he is also a skilled musician(QT) and photographer. What universities or educational paths would best combine these two interests?

What. to. do.

brynna — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:49:45 -0800

How can I reconcile two different and conflicting plans for my future? (long-ish explanation) I'm about to graduate from college and have been thinking a lot about my "future" as it were. I'm graduating with a degree in Literature and a vested interest and passion for education. I also work in a restaurant to make money.

I've worked in restaurants for a few years now and love the subculture, carefree attitude and flexibility that it affords. Recently, I've considered moving to Hawaii when I graduate and just spending time there, working in a restaurant (the place I work for has multiple locations in Hawaii - Roy's) and hiking, surfing and cooking during the days.

I've also considered joining Teach for America or a similar organization after graduating and going straight to the classroom. I'm really passionate about education and am an advocate for educational reform, especially in under-resourced schools.

The problem is basically this: I would love to go to Hawaii and THEN start teaching in a classroom (I feel a little ridiculous jumping into a classroom and spouting out life-lessons at 21), but I can't shake the feeling of selfishness and guilt at not devoting everything to the cause. I guess I'm trying to decide whether my life for the next few years should be a sensual or a humanitarian one.

Can anyone recommend some books, articles, etc that would help me find some direction? Also if there are any teachers that have experience teaching straight out of college, would you recommend it? I just need some perspective and general life advice at this point.

How to 'fess up to slacking off.

jacalata — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:24:54 -0800

I haven't done any work yet, but I swear I will soon - (how) do I tell my thesis advisor? I'm doing my final year Engineering thesis, but I haven't really done anything yet. I'm always a terrible procrastinator and work to deadlines, and the sheer size of this thesis project makes me panic and stare at the wall when I just start trying to break it up into tasks. I have weekly meetings with my advisor where she asks me what I've done, and I talk about the deliverable for that week (meta stuff like a Lit Review, a project timeline, etc) and gloss over the actual work that I thought about doing but didn't. It's week 9 and I haven't even run half of the software I'm supposed to be working on yet.

On the bright side, I recently saw a doctor and got some antidepressants and an appointment with a psychologist (not just thesis stuff). I'm trying to cancel the job I had lined up for midyear holidays so I can spend them working on my thesis instead. It's not due till October, so I'm pretty sure (assuming meds and therapy help) I can get back on track. But I feel ridiculously guilty and don't know how I can tell my advisor where I'm actually at. (I think I'll have to, really, because some of the questions I need to ask are obvious 'I'm just getting started' material).

Summary - I don't want to go into gory personal detail and tmi, but I don't want to just give a glib "by the way, I haven't actually started yet. How do I turn this thing on?" So, what's a nice medium? What does she actually want to know? Should I not bother trying to say anything until I can say 'I have started doing x' instead of 'I'm going to start doing x' (in case I don't follow through)?

What was your favorite course in college?

bobber — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:21:22 -0800

What was your favorite course in college? I have a few electives over the next couple of semesters and I would love to fill them with some great classes. I'm looking for classes that you couldn't get enough of or classes that now, five years later, you wish you had taken.

Answers don't necessarily have to be specific classes; they can be a type of class such as computer, math, english, music, religion, foreign language, etc.

Personal Info: Junior Human Resources Development major attending a university with over 5,000 students.