Education

I want to go to a community college and I already know what major I want to go into. The problem is I had a lot of issues in my past with high school. I graduated with a Diploma. My worries are that I'm not prepared enough. I have past memories that can make me angry. Someone told me that this is a new chapter in my life and it's hard to believe completely.

I will also be driving to and from the college and I'm a good driver. Also the major I picked is realistic and the college I feel is realistic too. I do question if I have a learning disability and had a Neuropsychological evaluation done. The group that I'm seeing currently does not believe I have a learning disability.

My other issues is I do not know what accommodations to ask for such as a note taker. I do believe I might need tutoring. I also do not have close friends and I would be stepping into a college where I don't know many people. I would also say that the way I am currently is a lot better than in the past. Does an IQ really matter or not?

I also took a placement test in the past and decided not to attend. I believe I did well in reading and not so well in mathematics. The major I'm going for isn't drenched in mathematics. The other issue I have is waking up consistently since I will have to transport myself to and from on time. I also do have some OCD issues and I have confidence issues with education. I'm worried and I feel that I do have negativity as well since my past was not good.

Hi, moon, welcome to PsychCentral (PC). I think it is great you are considering community college and exploring what you might need to do well there.

I would go to the college and talk to the people there and see if they have a study skills center and/or class you can take to answer some of your thoughts about whether you will do okay. Harford Community College You had the school's placement tests? That is to make sure you start in courses you probably should be able to handle (hence, doing not so well in math means you are in an "easier" math course to start -- that you don't need math for your chosen major is even better, the couple of courses you will need for your general education requirements you won't have to care quite as much how well you do, a "C" would be fine).

Community colleges often also have commuter lounges/centers and ways to get ride share partners, etc. Find your community college's site on the Web and explore it, call a likely number and explain you have questions and would like to come talk to someone and they should be glad to set that up and even give you a tour, maybe schedule more testing to see if you should start with a tutor/note taker or at least explain to you how they manage all that.

The other problem I have is I want to get into the actual major for the 2-year associate degree. I don't want to deal with extra classes that aren't toward the actual major. I find it boring and not needed. I feel that my preparation before should have had that so I don't have to do it now. If I have to take it I will but it bothers me cause I just want to get in and get done. I want to get into the interesting classes that are toward the degree. How do I get my mind to deal with these issues?

Part of the degree is the "extra", sometimes boring classes that are not the specific major classes but everything helps with what we learn. If you have had a lot of prep beforehand, there are often some courses you can test out of so you get credit for them without having to take them. They look at your tests, past preparation, all that is required for the degree, etc. and then tell you what you need. Sometimes their rules are strange/unpleasant. I had a 4 year degree in sociology and wanted to get a 2 year degree in business so I would have background to take the professional accounting exam and they required a "science" course (even though I had had two to get my 4 year degree but they said they were too long ago) and they had something titled something like, "the science of sociology" I could take. So I pointed out, "excuse me, but I have a 4 year degree in sociology. . ." but they were not amused/swayed.

The way I get my mind to deal with that stuff is to just accept, "Okay, I have to take this course, what can I get out of it for myself?" and I make it my own. Even if I am using it just for the challenge of getting myself to work on something necessary that I do not like, practicing my concentration and discipline (like scales in music) to improve how I do when I get to the "good" stuff, often I find something in the course that will interest me. I did realize as I got older that just about everything is connected to everything else and looking for that connection and how I can use it to better understand my chosen subject helps me too. When I was getting my 2nd major degree, I treated courses not in my major as if they were. All my English papers were about history subjects, LOL. My second degree was done online instead of in the classroom so everything was done/graded by writing papers. All my papers were on history subjects. Math class? Paper on some aspect of the history of math :-)

Thanks a bunch!

The other problem I have is that I have memories stored and they aren't good memories in the past. What would you do if these past memories are somewhat effecting me now presently. I do have a therapist and a doctor. The medications only do so much. I have old memories where I had a lot of trouble in school. I got a diploma and it's over with. I just feel there is some anger even though it is currently over with. Mainly, it's about school and problems getting what was needed in the past. Then having to deal with school officials and a lot of other stuff. It just makes me sort of feel like I could have had a good education and ended up in a better position with college and being more prepared for it. I do have a story but I really don't want to dig it up and make myself more angry. Presently, I just want thing to work out and not have that effect me now. I feel that I am doing A LOT better and I have better feelings about starting a new chapter in my life.

Hi moon66, well, I entered college at not the best time (I'm still attending). I did have a lot of things to "make up" in college from high school, but I found out that it's very normal. Besides, you may catch on better to what is taught then the same course in high school. I think as long as you take the classes and learn what you need to, in the end, it reaches the same result.