go to university

So I received a packet from the college Financial Aid office – informing me that I have to prove to them I am indeed, poor and made way, WAY less than they think I should have for basic living expenses last year. On top of this they want my parents’ information which—when you’re estranged from your parents, is kind of difficult to obtain.

Feeling very pessimistic about this at the moment. The last thing I really wanted to be reminded about is the fact that I can’t afford an education on my own. If I could, I’d pay for it.

Today I was finally able to register and apply for Financial Aid. Perhaps astonishingly, it’s been a 6 year road for me to do this.

I went to apply when I was 19 and was denied unless I provided my parents informtation. Having left home due to bad and abusive circumstances, I was unable to provide the required information.

I tried again in 2006; due to having had a legal name change, there were issues with my social security number, name, and FAFSA pin number, and once again I was denied Fiancial Aid. I’ve tried on and off again since then to get the problem solved, only to get the run around each time both from FAFSA and from the Social Security office, both of which kept bouncing me back and forth saying it was the other office’s problem to solve.

This time everything went through without a hitch. Now comes the waiting to see if I’ll get it. In addtion, I’m also apparently eligible for a Pell Grant. Here’s to hoping.

Providing this all works, I’ll be getting my second associates degree, this one so I can transfer. From there I’ll start applying to Universities.

... a student once again. I registered for classes at the community college and will be going Spring Quarter on April 2. I will be working toward getting my Associates in Liberal Studies Degree and eventually my Associates in Arts and Science Degree as well – and then onward and upward toward University in England after that.

I registered for History 102: Western Civilization 1300-1815 and Collegiate Choir 50 which is actually a non-credit no pay class (which is all I can do with it at this point since I’ve taken choir as many times as I possibly can for credit there), but being a Music Major any chance for performance is A Good Thing.

Already have my textbook, now I’ve just got to go out and pick up some school supplies today and I’ll be all set. :)

After some careful consideration I’ve decided to go back to community college and finish up there; reading over some of the more in-depth information now that I’m older than when I dropped out before, I discovered that with three more classes I can graduate there with not only one, but two degrees; an Associates in Arts and Science and an Associates in Liberal Studies. That, in my mind makes it worth the return to finish up.

How this works in the overall scheme of things? I’ll be eligible for more scholarships this way for University, plus it will give me a chance to raise my GPA a little more. Both are definitely major pluses for me.

I’ll be going in on Wednesday to re-register. More information doubtlessly to come.

I received my first prospectus from Leeds College of Music in the mail a couple days ago. That in of itself was a big thing – to see the large envelope full of information sitting in the post office box waiting for me to take home and go over. I’m looking forward to getting the prospectus envelopes to the other places I want to audition for.

Last night I chose four places to apply in England; Royal College of Music, Northern Royal College of Music, Trinity College of Music, and Birmingham Conservatoire.

Also figured out what I need to do for the auditions processes. Now to start the research about the application paperwork and look into financial aid and loans.

I’m a college dropout. For the first couple of years I was okay with that, but the more time that passes, the more I feel dissatisfied with myself for it, and frustrated for the reasons – a learning disability that no one was willing to work with me on. Failing college classes dropped my GPA from a 3.9 in high school to 2.5 and I can’t say it did wonders for my feelings of self-worth in the process. I went to college feeling so smart because I was accepted at age sixteen and left feeling like a complete idiot.

Thankfully, in the last little while I’ve discovered this wonderful thing called being an International Student – where I can go to a different country and take classes that are only applicable to what I want to be. The American idea of having a “well-rounded education” is great for some people, but it just doesn’t work for me. Four years of struggling at college with science and mathematics classes proved that much to me.

I’m looking at universities in other countries now, primarily in England. I want to be a music major, vocal performance. I passed 95% of my music classes in college with A’s and the other 5% was class where I got a B, so I hope that will count for something. I hope to gods that I can get some scholarships or loans because I don’t have any family to help me out on this.

It’s going to be an uphill climb and fighting most of the way, but I really think I’ll be a much happier person when I come out on top. When, not if. I’m not going to let this be an ‘if’. It’s going to happen.