23 yrs old, leaving military, do i go to community school or state school?

Question

so check this out. last time a had homework and went to class and stuff was in high school 5 years ago. im getting out of the marines in 2 months. i will be going to school next year august 1 2009 when the new post 9/11 GI bill chapter 33 kicks in effect.

meaning i have the choice of going to the most expensive state school for 36 months of paid tuition.

with that said im very rusty in everything i learn in high school.

i want to get a bachlers degree. im not sure what i wanna do yet but im thinking something with computers/networking/technology

or maybe even criminal justice i got a year to deside.

but to be honest i dont know anything about college, how it works and all that good stuff. today in a class i learn that a college semester is only 4 months, d**n i thought it was 6 months.

so do i start at a community college? or dont waiste my opportunity and just go to the best state school i want?

but i dont know i want to go in to a state school and know jack sh*t

what do you think?comments

Answer 1

Well, I just got out last year after serving 5 years as well. I went to community college because Jim Webb's new GI Bill hadn't gone through. In your situation you can still register for spring semester, and collect on the old bill. You should receive about $6k for a full spring semester. I received 5k last spring, but they increased payment from $1100 each month enrolled to $1300 each month enrolled starting the 1st of this month. Not only will community college kick off the rust, but it will give you the opportunity to apply to a University over a State school. It is sooooo much more worth it to go to a University now that the military is covering the full tuition to either school. The best state schools don't accept freshmen in Spring anyway, so it makes sense to get started this spring in community college.

If you knock out some summer school you can finish community in 1.5 years, and transfer to a 4-year with 2 years left on your G.I. Bill.

Answer 2

Do you have a state school in mind?  

I'm thinking that you should start at a community college due to the fact that's soooo much cheaper.  I went to a community college that would have transferred all my credits to a particular state university. . .and kept my tuition at the community college rate.  They were trying to get more people from my part of town to go and stay in college.   You might look for a deal like that.

Also, English 101 is English 101, so why pay top dollar for it?  

Answer 3

I would suggest going to the best state school.  The Wallstreet journal just put out an article that it is the name of the school that matters when it comes to salary.  

First find out if the military requires you to go to school full-time in order for them to pay for your tuition.  If not then just take a few classes first to get your feet wet and get use to studying.

Let me let you in on a secret, teenagers fresh out of high school are not prepared for college either.  You have a greater advantage then them.  You are in the military, so I assume you have discipline.  College requires this to do well.  Also you are an adult, you have goals, priorities, and life experience.  This means that when you go to school, school will be your focus (learning will be your focus).  Nothing can prepare you for college, but the same is true of everything.  So if this is what you want to do, then go to college.  A community college cannot give you a bachelor's degree.

BTW, the trend has been for the last ten years for major universities to move their remedial classes to community colleges.  

Some majors that will get you in the area you want to be in (as you said computers/networking/technology) would be business, engineering, graphic design, mathematics.  However, you do not have to pick a major until you have reached your junior year (that is accumulate the amount of credits required to be a junior).  Most of your college career will be taking what is called General Education Requirements which allows you to take a class in every area of study, so you will find out what you like and don't like soon enough.  I applaud you.  I hope this helps.  I have so much I can tell you.  I have two degrees already and am on my third.  Good luck to you!

Answer 4

Go to community college first so you can brush up on your academic skills since it's been a long time.