06-08-2008, 06:50 PM
[quote vision63]Many many kids don't even recognize that it's "possible" for them to even "go" to college. I didn't think it possible for me to go until I was in the middle of the 11th grade and an outreach student from UCLA took us on a trip across town to the campus and showed us around. I thought I was too stupid to go to college until then. I thought that was for people other than me. I got good grades too. We sat in on a gigantic math class that was studying Trig and so was I at Washington High. The college students were stumped by something the teacher was trying to express. I raised my hand and answered the question. From that moment on.... it was ON.
I was kind of in the same boat-- also didn't think I'd be able to afford college. A combination of dwindling grants and aid (Reagan's cuts were just being phased in), working full time during breaks, music scholarships, and state funded schools made it possible. My grades in high school were horrible-- barely graduated, at the bottom of my class, usually didn't even make it to school until lunchtime for band practice. I still have dreams now and then that I realize at the end of a semester that there's a class I completely forgot to go to.
The cost of college is probably what made me take it seriously. I had pretty much an A average off the bat, was amazed that I was suddenly magically above average scholastically, and upped my hours to 21 from the recommended 15 to get the most for my money.
I was kind of in the same boat-- also didn't think I'd be able to afford college. A combination of dwindling grants and aid (Reagan's cuts were just being phased in), working full time during breaks, music scholarships, and state funded schools made it possible. My grades in high school were horrible-- barely graduated, at the bottom of my class, usually didn't even make it to school until lunchtime for band practice. I still have dreams now and then that I realize at the end of a semester that there's a class I completely forgot to go to.
The cost of college is probably what made me take it seriously. I had pretty much an A average off the bat, was amazed that I was suddenly magically above average scholastically, and upped my hours to 21 from the recommended 15 to get the most for my money.