skybytch 273 #1 May 9, 2006 Don't tell my parents I said this, but I shoulda listened to them. When I was in high school they said "Get good grades so you can get into a good college!" I didn't listen, and hey, I got accepted into a good college anyway based on my SAT scores (I didn't go, but I did get accepted). Since I chose the school of hard knocks instead of higher education after high school, I've been pretty sure over the past 23 years that my crappy high school GPA stopped mattering the day they handed me that diploma. I applied for financial aid for the next school year a couple of months ago. I don't want to take on any student loans while I'm attending a community college but there are a variety of grants available - through the school (tuition waiver), through the US government (Pell Grants) and through the state I live in (Cal Grants). Having already received a tuition waiver and a Pell Grant for the current school year and having already been notified that I'm eligible for a tuition waiver for next school year, I've been pretty confident that I'll be eligible for Pell Grants and Cal Grants for next year. Guess what? That high school GPA still matters. Got a letter from the Cal Grant people the other day - I'm not qualified for one because my high school GPA was too low. There is another batch of grants available in early fall but those will also be based on my high school GPA since I won't have completed the 16 units required to "reestablish" my GPA based on courses taken at a community college. Yup. I shoulda listened. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #2 May 9, 2006 Thanks for posting this. I have a son who is resistant to doing any work in school. He's extremely intelligent and scored really high on the PSATs (he's a freshman, but scored better than 80% of the juniors who took the test). He is convinced that his grades won't matter. I'm going to make him read this when he comes home from school today. Sorry you are having a tough time Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #3 May 9, 2006 QuoteI have a son who is resistant to doing any work in school. He's extremely intelligent and scored really high on the PSATs (he's a freshman, but scored better than 80% of the juniors who took the test). He is convinced that his grades won't matter. You've just described me at his age. If you do make him read this - the following is for him (not that I'd expect him to listen; at his age I wasn't going to listen to anyone): Your GPA matters far more than you think it will. High SAT scores alone might get you into a non-competitive program at a good college but they won't get you competitive financial aid, they won't get you into a competitive program at a good college and they definitely won't get you into a great college. If you think that financial aid isn't important, it is. Because my GPA sucked and I'm not willing to take out student loans yet, I'm going to be working to support myself while carrying 15-18 units per semester. That's going to suck far worse than getting good grades in high school would have sucked. QuoteSorry you are having a tough time Like every other tough time in my life, this is my own fault. I console myself by remembering that getting through college is going to be worth all of the effort I have to put into it. BTW, I would like to thank every person who pays taxes in the US for the opportunity to go to school that government provided financial aid is giving me and millions of others. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites wmw999 2,589 #4 May 9, 2006 Ah, but Lisa -- putting yourself through school is a really good way to feel supremely proud of yourself. I graduated from college almost 30 years ago; I paid for the last 2 years with savings, grants, work, and loans (the loans being small and low-interest in my case). I still feel proud of that, and I'm not real big on pride-in-self. I lived in crap housing much of the time; had a roommate, ate a lot of mac-and-cheese, drove a heap, and made about 30 jumps a year during that time (jumps were cheap then, too). Totall worth it. You go! You'll look back in a few years with the same pride, and you'll totally deserve it. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites freeflir29 0 #5 May 9, 2006 QuoteThat high school GPA still matters. Damn............and you're OLD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ACMESkydiver 0 #6 May 10, 2006 Fudge the grades, they never check! J/k, honestly I don't know if they do or not, but I doubt it. ~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Icon134 0 #7 May 10, 2006 A highschool classmate of mine that graduated HS with something like a 1.2 GPA... Upon graduating he joined the Navy... became a SEAL which essentially woke him up (he was never a stupid kid...) after completing his tour he went to college on the GI bill... he did well enough in college to get a full ride in a graduate degree program in Political Science. The past doesn't have to haunt you...Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites popsjumper 2 #8 May 10, 2006 Wife #1.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jumpjunkie2004 0 #9 May 10, 2006 Thank you again for posting this. I did make him read it - I hope it has some impact on him.Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skydemon2 0 #10 May 10, 2006 Whats a mistake?Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone! I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites soulshine 0 #11 May 10, 2006 QuoteWhats a mistake? Perfect people such as yourself wouldn't know. Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity! ~DEVIOUS BEEF~~FGF #69~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skydemon2 0 #12 May 10, 2006 QuoteQuoteWhats a mistake? Perfect people such as yourself wouldn't know. Is that water under my feet? the water is very deep why arent I sinking?......Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone! I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. 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wmw999 2,589 #4 May 9, 2006 Ah, but Lisa -- putting yourself through school is a really good way to feel supremely proud of yourself. I graduated from college almost 30 years ago; I paid for the last 2 years with savings, grants, work, and loans (the loans being small and low-interest in my case). I still feel proud of that, and I'm not real big on pride-in-self. I lived in crap housing much of the time; had a roommate, ate a lot of mac-and-cheese, drove a heap, and made about 30 jumps a year during that time (jumps were cheap then, too). Totall worth it. You go! You'll look back in a few years with the same pride, and you'll totally deserve it. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #5 May 9, 2006 QuoteThat high school GPA still matters. Damn............and you're OLD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACMESkydiver 0 #6 May 10, 2006 Fudge the grades, they never check! J/k, honestly I don't know if they do or not, but I doubt it. ~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Icon134 0 #7 May 10, 2006 A highschool classmate of mine that graduated HS with something like a 1.2 GPA... Upon graduating he joined the Navy... became a SEAL which essentially woke him up (he was never a stupid kid...) after completing his tour he went to college on the GI bill... he did well enough in college to get a full ride in a graduate degree program in Political Science. The past doesn't have to haunt you...Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #8 May 10, 2006 Wife #1.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpjunkie2004 0 #9 May 10, 2006 Thank you again for posting this. I did make him read it - I hope it has some impact on him.Jump, Land, Pack, Repeat... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydemon2 0 #10 May 10, 2006 Whats a mistake?Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone! I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
soulshine 0 #11 May 10, 2006 QuoteWhats a mistake? Perfect people such as yourself wouldn't know. Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity! ~DEVIOUS BEEF~~FGF #69~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydemon2 0 #12 May 10, 2006 QuoteQuoteWhats a mistake? Perfect people such as yourself wouldn't know. Is that water under my feet? the water is very deep why arent I sinking?......Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone! I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
