So here's my issue: I am on a short-term housing grant for youths (ages 16-25) that expires in just over 7 months. I have been struggling to find a job due to a combination of my mental health issues dragging me down and having no job experience or references, therefore, I am thinking about going back to college instead. Simply put, once my grant expires, I will need a place to stay and a way to make a stable income, both things getting enrolled into university could help me with. I qualify for federal grants and loans and there is a local university that is cheap where I live (under 10 grand per year) so getting funding would be the easy part for me.

However, a barrier for me is being behind on my general education. Because my high school life was an overwhelming struggle for me, I was pulled out because I simply couldn't function due to my emotional state and the fact that I was constantly being bullied by other students and the fact that my mother was a control freak so her solution: pull me out and give me a private tutor that only came to help me once a week. Because I hardly had a teacher's help and my home life was such a living hell, I barely did well enough in high school to graduate.

Therefore, in order to get into a college, I will likely need to take the SAT tests since I don't think there is any way around them. The subject that I struggle the most with currently is math. I can do more visual oriented math (geometry, trig) pretty well but anything above algebra 1 or anything requiring me to calculate percentages or decimals in my head without the use of a calculator I outright struggle with. I also am behind in my writing but not to as much as an extreme. The only subjects that I seem to excel at are history and science.

I'm also been having memory retention issues that I am trying to get over. While I have been doing better since I started dieting and taking dietary supplements, it is still an issue for me when I have to do something challenging. Also motivation sometimes is an issue for me but I am getting around that by forcing myself to go to the library to study since I end up slacking off and playing video games if I try to study at home.

So I guess what I am trying to ask is if you guys have any tips for me? Any advice that I can get to achieve my goal of being college ready in 7 months would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[TishaBuv]

I took the SAT having no preparation for it, and am embarrassed to tell you how awful I scored. But, it didn't matter because I first went to community college for a few classes, then transferred to a university.

Since you have 7 months, you could get a Barron's SAT prep book and practice. You might be so lacking in math that you'll just be guessing the answers like I did.

I thought my vocabulary skills were very good, but the SAT throws out words that you've never seen, too.

Plus, once I got in college, I couldn't do the math classes either, as I had no foundation.

Thanks. I will hit up the library soon and check out some SAT preparation books.

Community college does sound like a nice alternative for me to prepare for the SAT while possibly getting some fundamental skills needed to survive in college, however, I am still worried about how I will support myself when it comes that time because the community college in my area doesn't seem to have any student housing available aside from some overpriced apartments nearby (which I doubt a student loan will pay for) so if I could find a way to pay for my living expenses while attending a community college that would be more ideal for me I think.

[unaluna]

Are you in the united states? Do you mean 7 months from now, as in september 2017? I would contact the admissions office of the colleges youre considering, asap. Did you graduate high school or do you need to get a GED? i would hope that, given the unusual circumstances of your high school years, a college will give you special consideration in the admission process.

I am in the US and 7 months from now as in late October when my housing grant expires.

And yes, I have a high school diploma.

[unaluna]

Again, i would say to contact the college. You usually apply to begin classes at the beginning of a semester, in september, january, or may (approx). Some schools require the sat, some the act, so i would definitely check.