ok so i got accepted into college BUT

ok so i got accepted into college BUT (Read 1582 times)

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RedScythes

#61 March 19, 2009, 09:53:18 am

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Anyone know if taking a "gap year" is a good idea? I have about 6 grand saved up and I can probably work full time a few months to save up more and then do something interesting. (Visit other countries do some volunteer work and etc) I know volunteer work sounds dumb but I'd seriously be interested in helping out in South Asia because I've traveled around the region and people with illnesses/disabilities/etc have a really tough time. I know some organizations are popping up that help those kinds of people get aid and rights. I was thinking of doing work for those causes in the far future (after college), but I want to experience that kind of work first hand before going to college. Besides that I also wanted to explore some of my own interests like hiking or getting into something new like learning an instrument or some martial arts or something. I've read up on it and it seems most colleges will allow you to defer admission for a year. Has anyone taken a year off before college, and if so, how was it?

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Vellfire

#62 March 19, 2009, 11:26:07 am

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Quote from: RedScythes on March 19, 2009, 09:53:18 am

Anyone know if taking a "gap year" is a good idea? I have about 6 grand saved up and I can probably work full time a few months to save up more and then do something interesting. (Visit other countries do some volunteer work and etc) I know volunteer work sounds dumb but I'd seriously be interested in helping out in South Asia because I've traveled around the region and people with illnesses/disabilities/etc have a really tough time. I know some organizations are popping up that help those kinds of people get aid and rights. I was thinking of doing work for those causes in the far future (after college), but I want to experience that kind of work first hand before going to college. Besides that I also wanted to explore some of my own interests like hiking or getting into something new like learning an instrument or some martial arts or something. I've read up on it and it seems most colleges will allow you to defer admission for a year. Has anyone taken a year off before college, and if so, how was it?

I guess it depends on your personality, but my guess is that you'd end up not doing any of these things. Why not go on to school and do these things during the summer? I'm pretty sure going to college will give you more opportunities to get involved with those types of programs anyway, I see tons of applications for these types of things all over campus. Going to college doesn't mean you'll never get to do these things again, if anything they give you more chances (you could take music or martial arts lessons THROUGH your college).

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`~congresman Ron paul~~

#63 March 19, 2009, 06:41:08 pm

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i think only like a quarter of people who take gap years end up going to college because they either quickly rack up debt or find themselves in positions where they really just can't make it part of their plan anymore.

That’s right, you have the young gaming with the old(er), white people gaming with black people, men and women, Asian countries gaming with the EU, North Americans gaming with South Americans. Much like world sporting events like the Wolrd Cup, or the Olympics will bring together different nations in friendly competition, (note the recent Asian Cup; Iraq vs. Saudi Arabia, no violence there) we come together. The differences being, we are not divided by our nationalities and we do it 24-7, and on a personal level.

We are a community without borders and without colours, the spirit and diversity of the gaming community is one that should be looked up to, a spirit and diversity other groups should strive toward.

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VinceP

#64 March 19, 2009, 07:37:42 pm

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I agree with that COMPLETELY. That's a big reason as to why I wouldn't want to take a year off. I probably just wouldn't feel it by next year.

Anyway, I just got an email back from Toledo. They say it will be fine if I miss the deadline, but to get it in as soon as I can. I'm making arrangements to get together with my dad this weekend so he can help me fill out the FAFSA. Now I just wish they'd hurry up and send me my damn PIN.

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Barack Obama

#65 March 20, 2009, 08:30:04 am

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Quote

I'd seriously be interested in helping out in South Asia because I've traveled around the region and people with illnesses/disabilities/etc have a really tough time.

Well the thing is that most organizations that recruit people to go over to places like that and help out generally seek folks with some skills to offer and a college education. You just graduated highschool, how useful could you possibly be somewhere in south asia not knowing how to speak the local language and completely lacking any hospital/rehabilitation/policy experience? Maybe you could travel there on your own dime and probably find some place to volunteer at but that's a lot of money to piss away that you'll be missing sorely when you're a poor student.

just go and get your education, it's only 4 years, you can go chase dreams after that.

Last Edit: March 20, 2009, 08:34:55 am by DietCoke

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RedScythes

#66 March 20, 2009, 11:45:06 am

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Yeah, the gap year seems like a bad idea. I sort of figured I was tired of school and really losing focus, so taking a gap year would help me regain some focus and figure out what I wanna do because I've seen so many people waste years going to college only to change majors several times or end up with a degree that isn't really useful or with a job/career they hate. But I like what Velfarre said about going to college and doing this kind of stuff at the same time, because chances are it'll be cheaper if its a program from the college.

Another question: how useful is college in terms of preparing you for getting a job/career?
I know high school was pretty useless because I forgot most of the things that I learned, and the only things that were retained were things that were used often. As for job skills, I got those almost completely from actual jobs and internships. Is it the same in college? Do you basically take meaningless classes to get a piece of paper and then get training when you actually land a career? I know you obviously need some of the classes but I feel like the majority of the things taught in the current education system are forgotten in the long run.

Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoy some of those "meaningless" classes, it just seems like if they cut back on that, they could shorten the number of years you need to go to school/college and cut a lot of costs.

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Vellfire

#67 March 20, 2009, 01:14:02 pm

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A lot of times the college degree shows an employer that you can stick to things. It means you could go there for the four years and keep up with the work and do a good job. So what if the classes are bullshit? You might think some work-based assignment is too. They want to know that you can still DO it. They don't want to bother training you if you're going to get bored of it and leave a few months later. By looking at them as meaningless classes and college as a place where you go get a piece of paper that qualifies you, you're looking at it the wrong and you're going to have a harder time getting through it.

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rpg1hero

#68 March 20, 2009, 10:17:35 pm

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Your taxes don't have to be done in order to fill out the FAFSA. As long as everyone has their W2's you're good to go.

Can creativity be consistent?

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Barack Obama

#69 March 21, 2009, 12:19:19 am

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how useful is college in terms of preparing you for getting a job/career?

Extremely useful if you take advantage of all the internship opportunities that are available. It also depends on your major.

If you sit around on your ass doing nothing but going to class, majoring in some bullshit like comparative literature, and step out into the workforce with nothing but a degree to your name then you'd have probably been better off skipping college, learning a trade and getting a library card.

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Maximo

#70 March 23, 2009, 10:33:30 pm

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Quote from: Beasley on March 19, 2009, 03:03:31 am

ill probably be letting Colorado University at Boulder know im enrolling there tomorrow.

anyone here have opinions on the school/know people who attended anything like that. i'm looking forward to it, it's a good school.

Lucky ass! You will fucking love it up there. Both my parents went and i have a cousin that goes there now and everyone I know that goes there loves it. It's a really great school, and also, Boulder is one of the biggest party cities in the United States, if not the biggest.

What's funny is everyone thinks that, but Boulder is nothing compared to FoCo (Fort Collins) CSU baby!! That's where I wanna go. But I'm going to Metro State for my bachelors because I'm broke as a joke haha.

Put some sand in my roommate's sheets today...

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Marmot

#71 March 23, 2009, 10:44:05 pm

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Quote from: DietCoke on March 21, 2009, 12:19:19 am

Extremely useful if you take advantage of all the internship opportunities that are available. It also depends on your major.

If you sit around on your ass doing nothing but going to class, majoring in some bullshit like comparative literature, and step out into the workforce with nothing but a degree to your name then you'd have probably been better off skipping college, learning a trade and getting a library card.

science majors are a little less useless btw except if you market yourself well

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Marmot

#72 March 23, 2009, 10:44:35 pm

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i mean i can do a calculator shouldnt that count for something?

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Marmot

#73 March 23, 2009, 10:50:40 pm

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but fredbez is a history major heis in worst circumstances (heis readin right now)

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Barack Obama

#74 March 23, 2009, 11:08:09 pm

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Quote from: Marmot on March 23, 2009, 10:50:40 pm

but fredbez is a history major heis in worst circumstances (heis readin right now)

His best bet would be to save up money and go to law school or become a highschool teacher. Either way he's gonna have to kiss his soul goodbye.

If he's down for making a pact with satan he could go get his MBA along with countless divorced women in their late thirties and fire people for a living in an HR department

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Ryan

#75 March 23, 2009, 11:10:28 pm

thx ds k?
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before i got into music i was considering majoring in international relations. what kind of jobs could you get with a bachelors in international relations???