school/living issues

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 11:23 pm

Gee Cran,
Aren't you glad you wrote in!
What a bunch of good suggestions.
They had me convinced that New Orleans would be your place,
and now they start talking about Berea in Ky.
What an interesting sounding place that is.
I'M glad you wrote in, and I sure hope you find a good home
and meet lots of new friends that make you feel
secure and happy in your life.
Lolly

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 2:14 am

I can't offer any practical advice from this side of the Atlantic, but I would just like to comment on how moving I find this thread. It restores my faith in humanity in general and C&F in particular. You haven't had an easy life so far, young Crannog, but there are a lot of people around here who care about you even though we don't know the real person behind the persona.

The whole issue of the funding of higher education is one on which there are major differences between the US and most of Europe, and a lot of people in Europe are concerned that we seem to be moving towards the expensive US model, which works well when you do the econometric models on rates of return on investment but seems to produce a lot of human collateral damage. For example, I couldn't but be struck by how many of the individuals who received unwelcome notoriety in recent times in Iraq had only joined the military in order to be able to pay for an education. But the positive side of the US setup is the extent to which people and institutions try to help others overcome the difficulties.

Berea seems to be the way to go for you, Cran, but if that doesn't work out just think what a great place New Orleans would be for a music-lover. And bear in mind that, with humidity like that, you should never have any reed problems if you decide to add to your existential problems by taking up the uilleann pipes

.

lilymaid · Post by **lilymaid** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 2:17 am

jim stone wrote:You are, by the way, about five times too bright
for a community college.

The people there mayn't be generally very bright but it can be much cheaper to go to a community college. There's nothing wrong with getting a few courses out of the way there, I think. Just make sure they will transfer before you do.

skh · Post by **skh** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 2:21 am

jim stone wrote:P. S. New Orleans is beautiful. There are palm trees,
azalias come out in February, magnolias, big oaks covered
with spanish moss, it's a green city, a river runs through
it, the Quarter is full of used book stores, there is
good cheap food, there is a lot of music on the
streets....

Now I want to go to New Orleans...

As difficult as life is for you now, Cranberry, I envy you the opportunity, the choice, the new beginning. Good luck.

Sonja

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 2:57 am

Quote @ Roger O'Keeffe

You haven't had an easy life so far, young Crannog, but there are a lot of people around here who care about you even though we don't know the real person behind the persona.

I'm one of those people who don't know the real person. I'm not even sure if I exist, remember? :roll:

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Fri Jun 04, 2004 5:07 am

Hmm, yes, I'd forgotten that episode.

It's an age thing, after a while you just find you're too busy getting on with your life to be bothered wondering if you have one or not. But at the earlier stages it can seem a bit bewildering. Hang on in there, being young was never easy, and I don't think it's getting any easier.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 3:57 am

lilymaid wrote:
jim stone wrote:You are, by the way, about five times too bright
for a community college.
The people there mayn't be generally very bright but it can be much cheaper to go to a community college. There's nothing wrong with getting a few courses out of the way there, I think. Just make sure they will transfer before you do.

That's like a junior college? Seems like I may've gone to one.

Caj · Post by **Caj** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:24 am

I concur with Jim.

If you want to live in a reasonably large city, there are plenty of them that are far cheaper than NYC of SF, and which offer more than enough of people, jobs, opportunities, schools etc. Stay in the cheap half of the US.

If you move, you probably need to worry about residency, because you'll want to go to an in-state college. If you must wait a year before getting in, that's cool, because a year to get your bearings isn't so bad.

As for community college vs. university: it's not just a matter of how good the teachers are. Universities will have more students, more campus life, more organizations, and more and larger academic resources like libraries.

Caj

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:55 am

I would really work on the Berea College idea, Cranberry. The students work at all sorts of jobs to support themselves---they provide most of the support staff for the college. When we were there we stayed in a hotel which was staffed primarily by students. The ones that do the craft things are the ones that want to do that sort of thing----but it is definitely production work. I think if you talked to someone in person about your records they would help you figure out what to do. My husband went there as part of an accreditation team and he thinks it is a very fine place.

I personally would vote for keeping on with trying to go to the community college and not giving up on the housing until the day school starts. And if you think you know what college you want to transfer to, as someone mentioned, check with the college you want to transfer to about what credits they will accept from the community college. If you don't know, then just accept that some credits may not count.

Or, if there were a small city fairly close by where you could work and live until going to Berea or some other school next year that might be good too. I myself would find going to a big city on my own without money or a job lined up to be something I could not do. But that would just be me.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:50 am

Just so people know they're not being ignored, I believe Cranberry is taking a break from the board currently. This thread was recently revived from last June.

I'm sure the advice will still be appreciated, though.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:58 am

Thank you avanutria!

So is it that Walden, who is the first recent poster, is playing a joke on us?

ChrisA · Post by **ChrisA** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:11 am

Hmm. I went to Foothill Community College in Los Altos. I didn't notice them turning
away bright people, but maybe I was too dim to see it...

Eh. Anyway, I think, didn't Cranberry post -after- this thread about going to a small,
private college somewhere, with a dormitory housing situation? So, I think, probably
the dilemma was resolved that way.

--Chris

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:18 am

Cynth wrote:Thank you avanutria!

So is it that Walden, who is the first recent poster, is playing a joke on us?

The very one.

I was puzzling over the seamless flow of conversation with nearly a year's break between posts.

Naughty Walden. Go to your room, if you aren't already there.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:28 am

Dang, I am so slow! But it was a good joke, that little rascal.

I do remember Cranberry recently talking about going to school and asking about living in a dorm. A school with Jesuits I think...

ChrisA wrote:I went to Foothill Community College in Los Altos.

My husband went to Foothill for two years (a long time ago) and then transferred after two years and he liked it. I think it is considered (or was when I lived in CA) to be a really good community college. I took 3 classes at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz as an adult, and two were really quite good, one was very bad. It all depends on the instructor I believe. It could also vary from state to state I think as far as the level of teaching---some might be concentrating more on helping people catch up, etc.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:58 pm

Wombat wrote:
Cynth wrote:Thank you avanutria!

So is it that Walden, who is the first recent poster, is playing a joke on us?
The very one.

I was puzzling over the seamless flow of conversation with nearly a year's break between posts.

Naughty Walden. Go to your room, if you aren't already there.

'Twas no joke. I was addressing a post, and some just failed to notice the age of the conversation prior.