go back to college

Taking it slow, figuring out finances while I work towards graphic design.

I’ve applied, and have sent out my transcript requests to my past schools.
Little by little…

Okay… I’m done mapping it.
Now I gotta do it.

I have not been doing anything in an educational setting for quite awhile. I’ve not been stagnant, but If I dont go back this year, I’ll have hit three years of being away from school (a number of no real significance).

Last time I was in college, I was going through a rough time. Not only was I having personal problems, but I couldn’t use the classes I was in as an escape. By the time I ended a relationship that was no good for me, I’d irrevocably screwed up in most of my classes. I even got an F in a class that I’d stopped going to (After asking the teacher to administratively withdraw me).

I’m worried that this go around, my previous grades will prevent me from getting scholarships / grants, and that I’ll have to resort to getting another student loan. (Not a big deal, but debt kind of freaks me out).

I dont know what I should try to test out of, and I dont know what classes I should retain as ‘easy’ classes. I am a photographer. In the past couple years I’ve photographed, worked at a camera store, and taught people (ranging from 5 year olds to 80 year olds) how to take a decent picture. I’ve been a photoshop nut for years and I’m currently engaged in a pretty comprehensive online training program for a number of software applications. I dont know whether I should go for the speed method of getting a graphic design/prepress certificate – test out and push myself to just get it done with, or if I should test out of the classes that are painfully easy, but stick around to see if I can learn more fundamentals of the slightly more complicated things.
I need to get a sylabus from the classes I think I can test out of, to be sure my skills are above the level of the class.

During the time I’ll be in school, I will also need to be working, that’s just a scheduling issue.

It seems so huge, just looking at it from the outside.

I need to map this and start dissecting it.
(For those wondering what I mean by ‘map’ refer to: http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page )