I want to attend college but I did not do well in school

Try community college one class at a time to get your grades up before applying to a four-year school.

All great advice. Start with the end in mind. Do you want to stay in the nursing field or do you want to branch out into management?

For example:

Some CNAs do more than progress through the CNA career ladder – they become administrators. This is a career for those with a solid academic foundation as well as strong people skills.

Being an administrator requires specific managerial skills and is related to managing programs / offices in hospice, nursing home / home health care (which is becoming very popular). These positions also require a license throughout the United States. Requirements vary from state to state, but the position generally requires a bachelor’s degree. In some states, a person can legally become an administrator with an associate’s degree, but it’s difficult to secure a position with this level of education. Individuals may pursue a degree in health care administration or a related field. A limited number of schools offer degrees specifically in nursing home administration.

BTW, the pay is much better and the hours tend to also be less erratic.

Beginning salaries range from about $50,000 to $60,000 a year. A mid-career nursing home administrator should expect to earn between $65,000 and $90,000, though some earn more than $100,000. Salaries vary widely depending on the region of the United States, the size of the facility and type of ownership.

When you say that you don't do well in school, what does that mean? Does it mean that you don't comprehend the material or that you don't know how to study / take tests?

Many community colleges, especially those that feed into a four year state school (and I recommend these because they are cheaper than the for profit schools) require baseline classes in math, English and study skills before you can even take other classes, especially if you are transferring their credits to a four year state school.

Also, if you go year-round, full time, you can get through the associates program (community college) in 18 months.

If you are a minority, female, first college attender in your family, there are many programs still active that may help cover the costs of the tuition and books. This may also require that you give up your apartment and save your money by living in a room in a house, or move in with relatives who are willing to put up with you until you complete your degree.

All great stories. I flunked out of college, went into the military, got out and went to community college, then back to a four year school at night while working and on to my masters and CPA. If you make up your mind to want it bad enough you can do it.

peppermintpudgy wrote: »

Try community college one class at a time to get your grades up before applying to a four-year school.

I think this is really good advice. Take a class or two at a community college to get your feet wet. You MIGHT find, as many people do, that you do much better in school as an adult. You have some maturity and discipline now that maybe you didn't have before.

Life changes. There are paths to what you want. Education is a great path which has many paths through it as well. What you have done in the past? Its the past. You can't forget it, it follows you everywhere but you can put it behind you by kicking *kitten* going forward.

Its amazing what happens when you connect your passion to your studies rather than being force fed a curriculum of general everything.

Also, while they have their purpose, I recommend staying away from trade, technical and for-profit institutions.

And have fun doing it.

ignore all of the advice above this post; it's all horrible.

there's really only one option moving forward:





I can't think of a single community college where everyone on campus wears a cool hat.