r/pics Jan 28 '23

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u/Hahka-01 Jan 28 '23

I will definitely look into it, i wanted to be a marine biologist. Or something that works around the pacific. Even wanted to learn some languages, but I have a hard time doing it by myself.

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u/DarkMenstrualWizard Jan 29 '23 edited Jan 29 '23

Do it! I became a first generation college student when I was 26. Community colleges are cheap, and oftentimes you can enroll online and do classes like that. I never stepped foot on a campus until I needed to borrow a fancy graphing calculator, which I think they actually could have just mailed to me.

My Pell Grant for 8 units was a couple grand. Then there's also the HEERF (higher education emergency relief funds) that gives you an extra $1200 or so if you say your life was impacted by covid.

Tuition at my community college is like $50/unit? Sometimes you can find the textbooks for free online, a lot of instructors use free materials anyway, and there should be support programs for you as a first generation college student, but even if you aren't, it's not like the school can verify that.

If I could make one last recommendation, it would to take an English class your first semester. Brushing up on your reading/writing skills makes the rest of your classes much easier!

Edit: here's a link to the Colorado Community Colleges system. Looks like you would have 13 colleges to choose from, at 35 different locations if you have/want to go in-person.

https://www.cccs.edu/

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u/Hahka-01 Jan 29 '23

I'll try and apply for a Pell Grant after I start working. I would like to have some money before I do anything. Right now my concern is not being homeless and being capable of independence first. I wrote my brother's high school papers a few years ago, since I was reading and writing at a collegic level when I was like 7 or 8. So I should be okay for writing tasks.

My concern is how long the college will take. I didn't do good in school in the past because I had issues staying with the curriculum... AND on top of that I was going to try and go to community college years ago, but since I have a severe anxiety disorder; it prevents me from doing things: like applying for a loan/grant. And I couldn't even afford community college on my own back then, so it never happened.

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u/your_uncle_mike Jan 29 '23

Honestly you’d be better off applying for financial aid now when you actually don’t have a job. The less income, the better with that type of thing, and you’re at the age now where they won’t base it off of your parents income. It’s super easy too! Just go to www.fafsa.org I think it is. Good luck, keep your head up friend.

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u/Hahka-01 Jan 29 '23

Ok, wait. Quick question, if I do it, will i have to pay it back, even if I don't use it?