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Hey,

I do have to agree with Kate though that excuses like "My parents wouldn't do XYZ" won't fly in college. I don't know your situation but I had to do a lot of the things myself, such as ask people for letters or recommendation and request my official transcript from my guidance counselor at school. Even if you aren't in school anymore you can always give the guidance counselor a call and they'll probably be more than willing to give the transcripts to you in a few business days. I don't know if they're there right now because of the holiday, though, but maybe on January 2nd or 3rd you can give them a call. The secretary will probably be happy to direct you to who you need to talk to.

You don't necessarily have to convince your parents. Take initiative. Tell them "I am going to apply to X, Y, Z school" and then DO IT. A lot of the time the applications will tell you what you need to do, such as including your GPA, writing an essay, or mailing in a copy of your transcript. Of course, definitely do ask questions if you need help on any part of the application because you don't want to do anything wrong, but take initiative.

As far as transportation goes, it can be based on your schedule. A lot of schools even offer free or reduced bus passes for their students if they can work a deal with the local bus company, so that's an option. My school happens to be near a train station so people even take the train. If you have friends going to the same school you can ask for a ride, or you can ask family members. You can offer gas money, or sometimes I'll pay my friends in food or things like that if they prefer. Of course, depending on where you go and your financial situation another option is living on campus.

A lot of people do take a year off from school, and a lot of my friends from high school aren't in college now for whatever reason. I'm a sophomore, so they'd be "behind" too, if you want to look at it that way. But that's okay. A year off from college will give them time to enjoy their adult life after graduation without having to worry about classes and things of that nature.

But being younger in college isn't really that huge of an issue. I actually have friends who are as old as 26. Actually I know quite a few people who decided to go to school later in life, so you won't be that far off. I have friends in every grade level, and there are a wide variety of ages. Honestly, in college nobody really cares how old you are. What matters more is that you're actually there to learn and don't act immature. You're bound to fit in with people.

The thing is, you have to take initiative to fit in with people as well. Join clubs and social groups, that is the BEST advice I can give you. I'd still be pretty damn alone on campus today if I didn't do that. But that's how I met all my friends, of a variety of ages.

Most schools have a disability resource center (that's what they call it here) or similar program, where if you have a disability you can meet with them and see what can be done to help. This can mean things like having a note taker or longer test time, or whatever else they think will help. Nobody I've talked to who who has used our DRC has felt any sort of stigma surrounding it. While there will be letters that you can give to your professors so they know what's up and can work with you, they will NOT share this information with your classmates, so they won't know.

It won't fly to simply say the classes are too hard though. It's college, and as harsh as it sounds, teachers aren't normally going to baby you. That being said, they WILL help, but you have to take initiative. Find out when their office hours are and ask for one-on-one help. Attend tutoring sessions and study with your classmates, since two heads are better than one. The work is meant to be harder. This is higher education and you are meant to be learning, not breezing by.

That being said, though, there's no shame in dropping classes sometimes if you think you'll fail. I've done it twice now. Just don't make too much of a habit of it and you should be fine.

College classes are mixed, so it's likely you won't be with people of the exact same age anyway. I've been in classes as a freshman with seniors, for instance. Nobody really pays much attention, and it doesn't really matter. That shouldn't be the only reason to keep you out of school, but if it is going to be a huge issue for you I strongly urge you to make use of a counselor who may be able to help you work through these feelings. It's nowhere near the same thing as failing a grade. Some people just start later for a variety of reasons. There's no shame in that.

I agree with Kate that you could always try to get into a community college and then transfer into a four-year university. Just try to ensure the credits transfer. This could actually make things cheaper for you in the long run, too, because community colleges generally cost less, and you can get some of your general education requirements out of the way before transferring into the more costly four-year university.

If you really want to gain a college degree, don't let something like having to wait a year hold you back. Go out and get it, you'll be glad you did.

-Dez