I mean, it's just not impressive. My GPA suffered at the end. I withdrew from a bunch of classes and didn't even get the degree I set out for, although I did graduate. It was a degree I settled for, too — not the one I would have chosen if I weren't in hostile territory and trying to figure out my lifelong anxiety issues.

Am I kidding myself thinking that there is more school in my future? Employers may not care about my transcript, but schools do. Just... damn it.

My brother had a "C" average in his undergraduate years. When he wanted to go to grad school after a military hitch, he enrolled as a special student, meaning not on a degree track. Once the school saw that he could do the work, they admitted him as a degree-seeking student.

By "do the work" I mean getting all or mostly As. That is what is expected in grad school. You approach it in the same manner as you would a professional job. You achieve or you're out. No one will play around with you. If you want to do grad school, you will need to make sure that your anxiety issues are addressed beforehand. It can be very demanding.

C-D, what I would recommend is getting some work experience under your belt. Whatever field interests you, see if there is a way that you can do something affiliated with it now. My brother and I both benefitted from maturing a little bit before going back to school.

For instance, if the law interests you, you could go to a local community college to get a certificate in paralegal work. That way you could dip your toe in before committing to four years of law school. Or if you wanted to try teaching, you could work as a substitute teacher, or even possibly full time at a private school (they're hiring for the fall right now.) It not that I really recommend either field, just that it gives you an idea.

I like your advice. It makes me think that I still have a lot of growing up to do. Maybe my need to jump back into school but not really knowing which or why is just more escapism on my part.

Is this a millennial thing or a Mormonism thing? Maybe it's both.

School is all that you have known. When I first graduated from college, it was disconcerting to realize that life doesn't come in neatly bundled four-year segments.

summer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> School is all that you have known. When I first
> graduated from college, it was disconcerting to
> realize that life doesn't come in neatly bundled
> four-year segments.

"neatly bundled four year segments is HARDLY how I would describe the pablum of attempting to graduate from BYU.

I am willing to bet that it take MORE than 4 years for the majority of graduates, and that there is another majority on the matter, - the students who do not graduate at all from that black hole abyss posing as a college.

I like that advice on getting work experience first. You can take care of your physical needs and be self-sufficient, gain confidence, and find out where you want to be.

Also, you've been through a lot emotionally with leaving the church, going to BYUI, and family drama. I think you'd benefit by focusing on getting to a good place emotionally and just learning to live.

I don't say that bit about learning to live lightly. I've been through some struggles as a caretaker. For many years it seemed like one crisis after another for people I cared about, and that there would never be time or money or choice to do what I wanted. Now that is changing, and I'm just starting to figure out what I want to happen next. It's an uncomfortable place to be. But I do know the answer isn't to just dive into something that will keep me busy so I don't have to think about it.

And I want to say something about your 'millennials' comment: Give yourself a break. It's a tough situation. You aren't being a snowflake. Really.

https://bornagainminimalist.com/2016/10/17/the-gaslighting-of-millennials/

In my experience, grad school was a different kind of hard. There was a lot of work, but it was easier to get good grades. That was probably because the classes are more focused to things that interested me. It was less rote learning.

That being said, I highly recommend working first... and make sure you want and need to go to school before you take the plunge. I earned two master's degrees and am now an "overeducated housewife". Fortunately, my husband is a good sport and is paying off my loans.

Oh... and I didn't go to an especially prestigious college, get great grades, or have excellent GRE scores. But I was a Peace Corps Volunteer and that's probably why I got into all of the grad schools I applied to. It's not just about grades.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2017 01:10PM by knotheadusc.

I agree with Summer. You need to address your anxiety issues first and foremost. Then pursue day to day living with a job and a social life outside of the job.

I have a daughter who is an attorney. She hated every soul sucking moment of working as an attorney. Why did she become an attorney? Because she liked being a paralegal and thought, naturally she'd like being an attorney. But the reality of billing hours, the demands of the professionals at the firm (an up or out mentality like the military) took every minute of joy out of the work.

If you think you might be interested in being a paralegal, I say go for it.

I highly recommend some very practical skill-building classes at your local community college. Classes in some area that is immediately marketable.

I have a four-year degree that isn't marketable in a practical way. About ten years after I got it, I graduated from a short-term community college program that gave me some very marketable workplace-friendly skills.

The BA shows employers that you have an education. It's the door-opener for a lot of jobs, but you still need to be able to do something well. Think accounting, computer science, software skills, business skills, trade skills, technical stuff...

Community colleges have a lot of short-term programs that don't require another degree. The coursework is regionally accredited. Even one or two classes can get you in the door at a job, provided you choose those classes well.

Good luck!

If and when you're ready, some schools will let you take extra courses to improve your GPA -- some of them are good schools, too.

Here's the truth about life. I have 3 degrees, two from the zoo. I have worked on three continents. Seen the world. My take - put your ego in your pocket and pick something where you will always have opportunity, including your own business. Learn how to weld, fix diesels, electrician. Some of the happiest and most weathy people I know get crap under their fingernails. I live in rural Utah. I wish to gawd I owned his auto repair shop!!!

Another vote for what summer said :)

BYU was not my finest hour, either. Didn't do terribly but as an exmo, hate that I'm stuck with it on my resume for grad schools that may not look favorably on it. (Maybe business and law are ok with BYU but get the feeling with liberal arts grad programs, not so much.)

Have gotten to the point where am thinking may have to do a 2nd BA from another school before applying to grad schools. Unless it's possible to transfer Y credits over to a new school. Have to check into this.