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Would working in California a year to get instate tuition be worth it?

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Spic-N-SpaN
Posts: 2002 - Karma: 1,465
Figuring out my life after high school has been hell. Spent a semester in Utah, went through a little depression that I should have stayed and fought through but instead I promptly moved back home, and instead of looking for schools during that time I just snowboarded basically every day. Now it's summer, I have no job, I can't snowboard, and I still don't have solid idea of what I'm doing in the fall or with my life, and basicslly enough money to go to an out of state community college or a state school in idaho, my home state. My fall back is University of Idaho, but Id really like to get out of here, Moscows a shit hole and the nearest place with a resort and lake and not miles of farm land is my home town, 3 hours away, populated by the same douchbag hick assholes I've been trying my best to get away from.
One of my options is to move to California. I don't have the money to afford out of state tuition. But I have a ton of family down there, in every major southern city. So one option Im looking at is moving down there, either living with an aunt/uncle/grandma or apartment with my cousin, working a year, then going to either a CC or university in the fall.
But would it be smart to put off school for so long? If I did that, I wouldn't be starting school till Im 20


I don't know. I just need someone to bounce ideas off. My parent haven't really been much help and have had the attitude of "oh you'll figure it out someday" and don't seem like they care if I stayed with them another 5yrs. But I'm ready to get out

I'm I'm mobile so sorry for any grammar and spelling errors
Jun 29 2012 2:29PM
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werndog
Posts: 253 - Karma: 176
It sounds like all your problems originated from snowboarding so I'd suggest learning to ski.
Jun 29 2012 2:45PM
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DirtYStylE
Posts: 3635 - Karma: 8,774
Working in California for a year would be worth it
Jun 29 2012 2:46PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
if you can find a job you don't hate, yes
Jun 29 2012 2:48PM
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,131
Nice.
But better late than never for college.
Jun 29 2012 2:49PM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
This is very close to what I did. I couldn't stand to stay in Minnesota and after learning about the tuition costs in CA, it seemed like a great idea. I bucked it up and paid out of state for a year. Right decision at the time and I dont regret it, but it could have been smart to take a year off.

If you have already taken a year off, it seriously won't hurt to do another, especially if cost is a concern. You can go to a pretty decent school for $4000. You can go to a phenomenal school for about 9000. It's entirely worth it. Don't be to concerned about age. I was amazed at first in how many older classmates there were. It's so popular to go back to school that no one will notice. That and sometimes the basic classes are hard to get into or only offered certain times during the year, so the freshmen class thing really doesn't exist. I took "freshmen" bio my 3rd year, after I had already taken my upper devision bio courses, because it just never fit well with my schedule. There were a lot of students in this same situation. It really didn't matter.

As far as clubs and so forth, there were girls in my sorority that transferred in at 23. No one thought it strange.

So I guess the question isn't should you do it, it's will you still have the motivation to go after a year?

Just an idea, there is an incredibly cheap community college in Mammoth Lakes that offers a lot of really great classes. The town is decently affordable and so many people in town take classes that it's a bit easier to focus education and skiing than some of the other CC's I've seen.
Jun 29 2012 2:49PM
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Alex_G
Posts: 11902 - Karma: 1,018
live in santa barbara go to SBCC for 2 years then go to UCSB.
Jun 29 2012 3:29PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
Why would you want to go to a California School? Biggest set of over rated institutions I know of. Plus you have to live in a nanny state that values the livelihood of criminals over citizens...
Jun 29 2012 3:51PM
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TheRightCoast
Posts: 314 - Karma: 4
I was thinking about doing the same thing since all of my brothers live in California.
Can you go to a CC for a year and pay out of state then transfer to a university and pay in state since youve been there for a year.
Jun 29 2012 4:00PM
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Gypsy_Skier
Posts: 2666 - Karma: 5,237
No rush for college man. here in switzerland the average student finishes high school at 20. and thats if he doesnt stay back which is pretty common since the education system here is set to a much higher standard then US in "advanced" high school. (you legally can stop school here at the end of middle school. after that there are different levels of high school, some more prestegious than others, or you can get a paid internship then start working.)
Jun 29 2012 4:06PM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
My experience with Switzerland has been a bit different than the way this post makes it sound.

my understanding is that the swiss aren't entirely fond of the Germans at the moment since so many germans move to switzerland for university since the jobs pay so much more. However, since the jobs straight out of high school pay well and you can do internships straight away, a lot of swiss opt for not going into university. This is creating an influx of foreign workers in higher paying jobs and the swiss going into university later.

Vs. In the US, it is extremely common to go to university straight out of high school and be done by 21. There is no issue going in later, but 18 is becoming typical. Masters degrees are also becoming more common with many finishing by 24.

I'd say your university system is superior, but I'd say the education received coming out of a swiss masters program is comparable to a student coming out of a US masters program. None of my peers I am meeting have superior educations to the one I received and I seem to be just as well off. The difference is that I finished my degree several years ago while they have just finished or are finishing up now.

Another thing to consider is that we cannot stop after middle school. So you may have more students in Calculus, but virtually all of our students are taking at the very least advanced algebra. We also have wonderful programs for students who want to take advantage of them. Some of my swiss friends are surprised that I was able to take calculus, physics, geology, astronomy, anatomy, chemistry, and programming in high school. A lot of programs are lacking and we have a far greater diversity in quality, but that doesn't mean that you can't find quality.

Of course, this is just from my time in Luzern/Zurich, I can't say that it's better or worse in other cantons.
Jun 29 2012 4:22PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
Seeing as I left California for school out of state, there's no way I would advise you to come here and deal with school.

That said, a possible option you could get into would be taking 1 or 2 classes at a JC in CA (you can take up to 6 units or so without encroaching on gaining your residency, I believe) while going to school - if that is you REALLY think moving here would be a good option for you.

Honestly, there's no real rush in school. I didn't graduate on time, and neither does the average college student today... only about 25% or so of college students graduate with a bachelors in 4 years or less after high school, so no pressure or shame in getting that piece of paper quickly... Take your time and find out what to do.

As for California's education system... the UC and CSU systems aren't bad, and are similarly priced to other states, but the cost of living in CA is pretty brutal if you don't have a free place to live for free (assuming you're going to want to move out of grandma's house sometime within that span...).

I moved up to Oregon, and swallowed the 50% extra cost of tuition or so over an in-state oregonian, in order to take advantage of the 66% lower cost of living, and lack of sales tax - all while having a high minimum wage and an adequate amount of job availability.

During school, I paid somewhere around 350-400 a month for really nice housing in nice areas close enough to walk to campus. In California, where I went to JC for two years, I had to take on 2 jobs just to help afford the rent which was at least twice as high, in a place that had crackhead neighbors, and had to still commute through traffic for 25 minutes and then deal with trying to find parking...

Granted I was living in an urban area, and those things are usually true for almost any area with a large population, but still. Brutal.

On top of that, getting classes in California schools is fucking ridiculous. If the class doesn't fill up before you get a chance to get in, the system's bureaucracy will probably find a reason why you can't sign up for it when you need to... making it so you have to waitlist and probably not get into the course. I realize this is the case almost everywhere now, but in California, where the population is 10% of the rest of the country, there's that many more students in your position that you have to compete with.


So... I'd weigh out the costs and stuff here on your own a bit before jumping straight into it.
Jun 29 2012 5:36PM
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jeR.
Posts: 1325 - Karma: 58
starting at 20 isnt that bad, you'd be done by like 24, if you wanna go to school in cali go for it...
Jun 29 2012 5:50PM
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Spic-N-SpaN
Posts: 2002 - Karma: 1,465
Thanks for all the replys. In to answer the question of why California, it's many because I have family alround there with places I can stay, and I also have cousins the same age as me that could help me get to know people and let me do things with them. I've also been thinking of doing the samething but moving to Oregon, Washington, or colorado but I'm not sure living down there going to a community college without knowing any one there would be a good idea
Jun 29 2012 5:59PM
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MACAQUE
Posts: 2811 - Karma: 696
Why don't you apply for financial aid? If you can't afford tuition a lot of schools give out a ton of need-based scholarships.
Jun 29 2012 6:01PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
Even with finaid, you still end up spending an assload on tuition if you don't acquire in-state residency, or at least some kind of scholarship.

By the way OP... if you're from a state that's in the west, you can qualify for the WUE scholarship. (I did this when I went to Oregon) and go to a whole shitload of differen't schools without dealing with residency - you still have to pay more than in-state, but it's not quite as bad (that, and if you spend your summers still in school, you'll end up getting in-state tuition during summer terms at most universities - so you can limit your total spending)

http://www.wiche.edu/wue/
Jun 29 2012 6:07PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
goarmy.com / marines.com > 3 year enlistment > Post 9.11 G.I. Bill > Everything is paid for including cost of living!


Jun 29 2012 6:11PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
>potential loss of limbs and having to get yelled at on the daily!

(not to mention, having to get your head shaved. fuck that, broh)
Jun 29 2012 6:25PM
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Spic-N-SpaN
Posts: 2002 - Karma: 1,465
About the WUE, it only applies for people straight out of high school. It's a great option just, won't work for me since I've been out of school a year and managed to fuck myself over.

Dingo, where in Oregon are you? I've been thinking about moving down to bend, but wasn't all that excited about either of the universitys
Jun 29 2012 6:29PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
not to mention joining a fraternity that goes a lot deeper than any of the crap they offer at school.

Hair grows back, and skin gets thicker, and I don't know anyone who is short a limb (or two) that regrets enlisting.
Jun 29 2012 6:55PM
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charmander
Posts: 10636 - Karma: 372
thats what im gonna do, only, im gonna go work in idaho to go to U of I hhaha
Jun 29 2012 7:27PM
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NW_Rider
Posts: 2580 - Karma: 314
that and there are other jobs than infantry, corps of engineers, truck drivers, mechanics, chefs, etc... Only a small portion of the armed forces see actual combat.
Jun 29 2012 9:33PM
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Heart
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 3,462
wat. berkeley is really damn good.
Jun 29 2012 9:50PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
Is this based on your own experience at Berkley, or just from what Newsweek or USA today had to say?
I personally found the atmosphere at Berkley to be highly toxic, and festering with a nauseating stench of the self satisfying arrogance virelant among the ranks of the tenured facualty more interested in masturbating to their own cesspool of academia than on passing the torch to a younger generation of undergrads or even to look outside the tunnel of their own academically induced ignorance and be pestered by the harsher functions of reality.

I would rather conduct my entire undergraduate work at a local community college or even Arizona State, than spend one day in that festering cesspool of liberal arrogance.

YMMV.

Cal tec is the only school (outside of community colleges) in California that should be worth the consideration of any non Californian unless they feel like they will be regected from every other school with the exception of the for mentioned ASU. The state of undergraduate education in the California public schools should serve as an excellent example of what to NOT model for a successful University.
Jun 29 2012 10:13PM
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Heart
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 3,462
Fair enough, all the knowledge I have of Berkeley was based on what I read in the US News and World Report college issue, and what I'd heard from a friend who is attending next year.

You do seem to get the "holier than thou" attitude at large universities. I can vouch for the exact same thing you said occurring when I visited the University of Illinois. Undergrads seem to be shat on by the professors and shown no attention until they reach the graduate level
Jun 29 2012 10:28PM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
So when a school like Cal Poly Slo/Pomona has a top ranked engineering program and is ranked as one of the best schools for say aerospace engineering and has contracts with JPL and NASA... one shouldn't consider it?

I only use that as an example because I went to Pomona and am familiar with the program. But it's near impossible to judge a school as a whole and extremely more effective to judge it by what program you intend on entering and what style programs it has to offer. The benefit of California is that it is exceptionally large and has so many universities that you can find a fantastic program in nearly any subject. The state may not be the best to enter if you are undecided, but taking courses at a CC to figure that out and gain residency is a great fix.

Example, the majority of my upper devision courses had 8 to 15 student seminars. The majority of my lower devision courses were around 30 students. I had 1 class over 100 students and it was sociology 201. There were 115 students. My friends back in Minnesota were surprised when I had courses requiring 6 to 8 page papers weekly, for 1 class. I had a 50 page paper/project on cultural issues in domestic and international law my first year. Field school was incorporated into my program and I spent weekends working on actual archaeology sites.

If you choose the right program, California can be an extremely wonderful place to attend college. When I went, it was 2500 a year. It's now 4000, but that is still significantly less than many other instate programs.


Jun 29 2012 10:34PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
I don't go to a school in Kalif. My aerospace program has contracts with Boeing, Lamborghini, NASA, Aerojet, and work consistently with NASA, Airbus, Lockheed, and others. A big bonus, is not having to live in the Peoples' Democratic Republic of Kalifornia.
Jun 29 2012 11:10PM
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Jewschoolers
Posts: 1785 - Karma: 1,142
you dont have to have everything figured out right now man. just go with the flow
Jun 29 2012 11:13PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
Mehhh.
Jun 30 2012 2:27AM
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saskskier
Posts: 4772 - Karma: 9,984
Unless you know or at least have a pretty good idea of what you want to take, don't worry about going to school right away. I started when I was 20, did two years and then stopped because I didn't know what to major in, my grades were suffering because I wasn't working towards anything, and it's expensive. I worked for three years figured out what area I wanted to work in and then went back to school. I'll be graduating in a couple of months. I'm 27. I might have taken longer than most, but there are still lots of people older than me and way older than you working on their first degree.
Jun 30 2012 10:33AM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
I get it, you're in a good program. Good for you. I also get that you don't like California. That's your opinion. Some of us love California.

But there are wonderful programs in California. Many of them. If a program suits someones needs and is going to be cost effective (if they are worried about that) they should apply.

What I saved on tuition, I spent on housing (not entirely since I was only paying $470 a month in student housing for my own room). But I went to a great program for what I wanted a degree in. It was significantly less than staying instate and my education was better. That and I got to be part of a ski club/team, have a sick job, and had a great time.

Of course there are situations like this all over, but $4000 for tuition can't be beat in a lot of situations unless you have a great scholarship.

This kid obviously has an alright reason, he wants out of his house and has family in CA where he can probably live for free and work. Then he can get stupidly cheap tuition and maybe continue living for free and likely go into a solid program. For someone who wants to be money conscious in their decision, it's not a bad one.

California isn't for everyone, but you don't have to be so incredibly negative towards the people who do love it and call it home. I could never move back to Minnesota, and I have no desire to move in with my parents in North Carolina, but it doesn't make those bad places.
Jun 30 2012 10:49AM
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21061 - Karma: 8,366
Do you ever have anything positive to say about anything other than yourself?
Jun 30 2012 10:59AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
You have a slight point in this... but none of it is the whole "nauseating stench of liberal blah blah blah" that you were talking about.

Truth is, schools like UC Berkeley or UCLA or just about any other UC tend to be full on research institutions - of the likes end up usually being better suited for post-graduate education. This means, your English 101 course usually puts you in the hands of a graduate student rather than the actual professor.

Many actual UC Berkeley professors actually teach more GE courses at other institutions (they get more grants if they teach a class or two at a JC or something, because it adds more schools to their bill) this same thing goes for most states out there, but with those lower division courses being what they are, you don't really always need some hot shot professor teaching you the basics, anyways. Besides, at Berkeley, or UCLA or whatever, they usually wrote the book that you're learning from.

If you're going for a bachelors, I'd advise against the UC System, for the most part, as the CSU system (or any other state system for that matter) is plenty adequate for getting your BA or BS done. If you plan on Grad school however, UC Berkeley, or UCLA are fucking fantastic options.

That said, having grown up in the East Bay Area, and having attended classes at Berkeley (I did Open UC exchange for a year), my experience was far more positive than how you outlined the situation there. You'll find closeminded, arrogant, tenure teat-sucking people and faculty at any institution you go to.

Arizona State isn't some polar opposite more than it is similar in respect to, say, at least many other UC's outside of Berkeley (I found nearly the same exact campus vibe and feelings when I visited UCSB, ASU, and SDSU back when I was first applying to schools). Berkeley's just a little bit more... well. It's Berkeley. haha. What the fuck did you expect? the 1960's Wavy Gravy's to have disappeared?
Jun 30 2012 3:27PM
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roddy116
Posts: 10622 - Karma: 7,397
usc- university of spoiled children
ucla- university of chinese and lost asians

but ya i mean the schools in california are so insanely overrated, but if you have the scores to go there and stuff and you really want to then go i guess...
Jun 30 2012 3:32PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
There are over 30 public 4 year institutions in California. Hands down not all of them are overrated, much less 'insanely' overrated.
Jun 30 2012 3:41PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
If we are gonna start calling them 4 year institutions, might as well toss in the prison system too, and while I can't personally speak to its qualities, I have heard it is highly overrated as well.
Jun 30 2012 3:44PM
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Mr.Sloth
Posts: 5091 - Karma: 13,469
He has a disorder that turns him into a fascist douchewaffle. Please be accommodating.
Jun 30 2012 3:51PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
What prison term is 4 years long? That would be an odd sentence length.

That said, I would hardly call something like San Jose St. or Fresno St. overrated. I'd call them exactly as billed - decent universities with some decent programs that will give you a decent experience for getting you a decent job for a decent life - all dependent on who you are.

Anyone who comes to California for school, expecting their piece of paper with UC Berkeley or UCLA printed on it to mean jack shit needs to understand the fundamental reason they even went to college in the first place - to better prepare them for life after college. So really, it all depends on the person. You can have a Bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering. It's not going to do shit for you don't know what to do with it.
Jun 30 2012 3:54PM
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Mr.Sloth
Posts: 5091 - Karma: 13,469
Example A
Jun 30 2012 4:11PM
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Spic-N-SpaN
Posts: 2002 - Karma: 1,465
I'm kind of reconsidering. It seems sort of hard to meet people going to school when your older, I don't think I'd get to have that experience of a bunch of young people all together in the same place in the same situation. Instead I'd be that older kid creeping on all the younger peoples space. I'd still like to get of Idaho, but I'm not sure what to do. What if I move to a community college in a college town?
Jun 30 2012 6:49PM
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Rachy
Posts: 4355 - Karma: 2,761
I've never had an issue meeting people. Age seriously isn't that big of a deal. You figure that out more the older you get.

But if you're seriously concerned about it. Why not try a place like Tahoe. You're close enough to you family. You have the University of Reno there if you decide to opt for college and you have community colleges as well. That and so many people are moving in and out of that area, it's incredibly easy to make friends.

Or move into a house with the other kid posting about CA and move to Huntington Beach with him. Then you can go to Saddleback CC and opt for UCI or CSUF or CSULB should you really want College.
Jun 30 2012 7:05PM
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21061 - Karma: 8,366
Trolling douchebag is a trolling douchebag.


OP, don't discount going to a 4 year college just because you're a few years older than the average college student. I guarentee you if you are even the slightest bit sociable, that nobody will care about the age difference. If they do, that's their problem and not yours.
Jun 30 2012 11:58PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
Not to mention, you'll meet PLENTY of people who are your age anyways. Very few people graduate on time anymore, and there's a lot of people in their mid 20's just working through because they realized working at the diner in their hometown wasn't all its cracked up to be.
Jul 1 2012 6:17PM
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rareison
Posts: 10263 - Karma: 218
awesome first post
Jul 1 2012 6:20PM
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Spic-N-SpaN
Posts: 2002 - Karma: 1,465
Just went and visited Bend. Really cool little town, and close to Bachelor. Id probably pack my things and go but Im not sure going to the community college there then transferring to a university (in an other city) would be smart because Id have to start all over socially once I moved.

I think Im going to try to get down to Fort Colins soon, I think its a better Idea to still be able to live in the same city but just transfer over to the University after Im done with the CC.

and other citys I should look at?
Jul 4 2012 1:15PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
You could go to Oregon State's Cascades Campus... They offer like 20 degrees through there. You could go to COCC for a couple years then take upper division courses at either OSU Cascades or U of Oregon in Eugene (they partner through the program as well)

And seeing as Oregon is a small ass state, and the Bend - Corvallis - Eugene triangle is tiny, you wouldn't have ANY problems retaining any social relationships you'd get by going to COCC, as most Benders roll down to Corvallis/Eugene to go on benders anyways.
Jul 4 2012 9:14PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
http://www.osucascades.edu/
Jul 4 2012 9:15PM
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BlackCupid
Posts: 1533 - Karma: 9
Boulder? CU is a much more well-respected school and it's closer to the mountains.
Jul 5 2012 12:13AM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24703 - Karma: 29,680
Boulder is at least an hour or 2 from skiing, right? OSU Cascades is like 20 minutes from Mt. Bachelor, and only 2 or so hours from Mt. Hood... And Bend is fucking sweet.
Jul 5 2012 12:43AM
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