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Old 02-11-2012, 10:13 PM
 
52 posts, read 61,776 times
Reputation: 10

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Okay well I'm from the East coast obviously and I graduated High School on June 16th of '11. I pretty much was forced to take the year off due to my horrid home life (believe me), and during the year I spent some of my savings on a trip throughout California and honestly that was the best week of my life.

Anyhow, I really want to get my life started now and if possible, I'd like to do so in California. I heard it's cheaper to go to colleges with 100% acceptance rates as well as community colleges.. especially out of state, and I saw quite a few schools.

Is it a dumb idea for me to go all the way there to start a new life? I want to go for GE(General Education).

The plan would be to get in a school with campus housing, get a job, and during breaks and summers and what have you, just get housing off campus.

I seriously dream about California and honestly the West in general since I've been all across it. I want to achieve my dream before it's too late and I feel like if I stay here I'll just waste my life and be nothing. I'm a smart guy.. I have dreams and aspirations.

Anyhow.. is my idea possible? Is it ridiculous?

Thanks!

 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:26 PM
 
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
2,190 posts, read 6,835,918 times
Reputation: 2076
You're most likely going to get a lot of discouraging posts in response to yours.
I'd just take the practical / logistical advice and let the negative words go.
I always say follow your dreams ... go where your heart leads you ... follow your own internal guidance system, etc..
But, do be very practical and realistic about everything as well.
I can't advice you on the education scene as i know nothing about the details of it all.
Good luck.
Now let's wait for the nay-sayers.
 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:29 PM
 
Location: The High Seas
7,372 posts, read 15,961,068 times
Reputation: 11866
 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:30 PM
 
52 posts, read 61,776 times
Reputation: 10
Honestly I haven't been happy in years and that week I spent across that state was the best time of my life. I don't know if this is possible though. I DO have an opportunity to move in with my grandparents in Jacksonville, Florida.. while better, it's not where my heart is.
 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:33 PM
 
Location: Omaha, NE
163 posts, read 375,654 times
Reputation: 183
Not a stupid idea, really. You just have to worry about execution.

The biggest hurdle in any long distance move is setting up a cash source. For just about everybody, that means a job. I know you mentioned attending school, which is good, but I have a point to make about that: You'll spend significantly more as an out of state student. Since you seem to want to keep California in your long term plans, it would be beneficial to qualify for in state residency. Basically, live, work, and pay taxes in the state for one year. That's it. A condition of this is that during this year long qualifying period, you can only take a capped number of credits at any college. (I believe 5.) I imagine that's something you don't want to hear, but depending on where and for how long you'll go to school, residency can make a 15 thousand dollar a year difference in tuition.

Do you work now? One path you could take is to get a job at a national company with locations in both your home state (New York?) and wherever in California you'd like to move. Even a generic retail job--- Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc., would be better than going in blind. Transferring (officially or unofficially) within a company is a much easier option than hoping to land a job within whatever window your savings allow you to live in withput employment.

So to answer your question, no, there's nothing stupid about what you're doing. Just think it out as much as possible. Good luck.
 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:37 PM
 
52 posts, read 61,776 times
Reputation: 10
I appreciate it. I DO have 5,000 dollars right now in the bank to go, so that's positive.. To be completely honest I wouldn't mind starting off in Nevada or somewhere cheaper and THEN going to California. No I do not work currently. Basically I want to go out there and just.. start anew. My life needs to start and I need to be successful like I know I can be.
 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:48 PM
 
52 posts, read 61,776 times
Reputation: 10
I have no idea if this idea is ridiculous or whatever.. but currently the best I could think of is the following:

1. Fly out there
2. Get a cheap hotel or something and live there for a week or two while I find a crappy job that can land me in a studio apartment
3. Do that for a year
4. Get in state tuition
 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:48 PM
 
11,715 posts, read 40,359,370 times
Reputation: 7585
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetsNY1986 View Post
Honestly I haven't been happy in years and that week I spent across that state was the best time of my life.
You spent a week in a new place with no responsibilities. Of course that makes almost any place look good compared to life back home.
 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:48 PM
 
Location: Declezville, CA
16,806 posts, read 39,820,324 times
Reputation: 17684
A kid fresh out of high school who communicates in a rational, adult-sounding way with good grammar and spelling? Get your ass out here.

EDIT: And he's not a Yankee fan. Even better.
 
Old 02-11-2012, 10:50 PM
 
25,619 posts, read 36,563,976 times
Reputation: 23293
The grass is always greener..

Go west young man...

Some where over the rainbow...

Life is a journey.....
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