[nabs-l] making a decision about college

Sun May 4 19:35:30 UTC 2014

Hi Sami,

I completely agree with the afore mentioned comments. If you believe
at all that you could benefit from training, then go to a center for
that gap year. I am saying this from the perspective of someone who
was overconfident before college and who did not get the full college
experience because once I actually went to college, I was intimidated
by the real world and actually lacked confidence and relied on my
friends too much. So go to a center in that gap year!

I have a friend who volunteered for a year. That is a wonderful thing
to do if you have the time and a place to stay. Volunteering can
really enrich your experience. I think that too many college kids know
little about the real world when they graduate. So whether you take
time off school to volunteer or go straight to college, just try to
have well rounded experiences during your summers and get a part-time
job during school or get very involved in a volunteer organization in
the community.

However, to me, training should come first if you think that is
necessary. It is best to do it as soon as possible so you maximize
your years on earth with great blindness skills and the confidence to
try new things and get great experiences. Plus, you will likely not
have another time in your life that is as convenient to get traning.
Once you start having to pay bills, you have to work, and often when
you start working, you have to quit your job to go to training as you
can't get that much time off. You can also volunteer in your free time
while you're at a center.

Cindy

On 5/4/14, Suzanne Germano <sgermano at asu.edu> wrote:
> I think the only reason to take a year off is if you think you need to go
> to a center to gain blindness skills or if you were doing something like
> volunteering for a year and it would benefit your degree or if you really
> do not know what you want to major in and do not want to end up taking 6
> years for a BS because you change majors and have to take extra classes.
>
> But that won't necessarily happen. My daughter started in civil engineering
> and ended up with a BS in biology and has extra courses like differential
> equations and surveying that she did not need for bio. She still graduated
> in 4 years Summa Cum Laude but had one semester with 21 units and had some
> summer courses..
>
> Your parents are wrong. Most college freshman are 18 and straight out of
> high school. Most people do not take a year off. If you take a year off you
> need to expakin that year to future employers.
>
> I returned to school at 48. My Calc 3 class last semester was almost all
> kids straight out of high school and 18 years old.
>
> Suzanne
>
>
> On Sun, May 4, 2014 at 10:55 AM, Antonio Guimaraes
> <freethaught at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> You may not have the sufficient training ad skills to take a year off and
>> get job experience.
>>
>> You'll speed things up a lot if you go straight to college, or take time
>> to get needed blindness skills as needed.
>>
>> Do I read it right that your mom thinks you should not be 18-years old ad
>> interact with older students? Welcome to the world, and to becoming a
>> adult.
>>
>> Whether you are ready, feel ready, or your parents feel you're ready to
>> face the world, you must at some point puss off of their protective
>> wings.
>> They are not against you, but they probably fear loosing the parental
>> control they naturally have now.
>>
>> Good luck.
>>
>> Antonio
>>
>> On May 4, 2014, at 10:07 AM, sami osborne <ligne14 at verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>> > Hi all.
>> >
>> > I am currently a junior in high school, and will therefore be
>> > graduating
>> next ywhar.
>> > My intention is to go to college after I graduate, as the jobs I want
>> > to
>> do require at least a college degree.
>> > However, my parents and I have been talking about whether to go to
>> college right after high school or taking a gap year (a year between the
>> end of high school and the end of college).
>> > Only thing is, this is a really tough decision on my part, since first
>> of all I know that it is my decision, and not my parent's, in the long
>> run.
>>  Secondly, this is also a hard decision to make because I know that there
>> are benefits to both.
>> > I know that in college you can study for the kind of job that you want
>> to do, and in taking a gap year, you can for instance get more training
>> in
>> daily living skills.
>> >
>> > So I'm therefore asking, what would you guys advise me to do, go
>> straight to college or take a gap year and then go?
>> > I would really apreciate it if you could help me with this decision.
>> >
>> > Also, another thing, my mom told me that if I go strasght to college, I
>> would be 18, I would be on the young side of the other students, do you
>> think she's right?
>> > Also, if you advise me to do the gap year, what sort of activities can
>> > I
>> do during this year?
>> > Thanks.
>> >
>> > Sami.
>> >
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-- 
Cindy Bennett
Secretary: National Association of Blind Students

B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
clb5590 at gmail.com