<p>Wow, what a terrific outcome! 
I think St. John’s sounds awesome for you!! I agree … work like crazy over the summer & save it all. You can make this work. Congratulations!</p>
<p>I feel like it would be good of me to reply to this thread and update ya’ll who were so (are so!) kind and supportive to me.</p>
<p>While St. John’s is currently at the top of my mind, and I continue to work at all available opportunities, there have been no steady jobs out in LA. It is extremely frustrating, as I know it is for all searching for jobs. I’ve gone out every day up to six hours canvassing and (almost begging!) asking store managers for anyanyany work. I’ve written a few articles online and done an editing job, babysitting, and yard work…but it amounts to nowhere near what I need.</p>
<p>Although I hold out hope that all this hard work will pay off, that isn’t entirely realistic. Summer jobs have essentially been depleted (occasionally there are drop outs), and since I have no diploma many employers won’t even look at me. My parents have told me that if I don’t get a “real” job, they won’t let me go (even if I earn money through alternative methods and odd jobs). Which makes perfect sense in my mind except for the fact that I have yet to find anything, and I have till August 1st to find something. I’m getting desperate, and I really don’t want to be stuck here again. Also…to add the mandatory angsty note, this “rule” is somewhat of a double standard. My two older siblings were not required to find work, and I [feel like I] was never/will never be recognized for the small feat it was to get into college without graduating and with a messy transcript and personal history.</p>
<p>It seems like I always post here with bad news! But I felt compelled to update, and I’ve received around 15 emails and 12 PMs to date about this thread whether it be strange advice or people who have gone through/are going through similar issues. I’m happy that my recording of all this drama hasn’t been only to my benefit (though at times I had to censor quite a bit of material!), so I think I’ll post a few more updates.</p>
<p>As a side note, and although this has been posted elsewhere, I’m not actively checking my PMs so it may take me some time to get back to you, and I am not editing essays right now (although when I have time again I may dip back into that, since CC helps so many stressed out kids)!</p>
<p>Thanks for your update. I’m sorry that it couldn’t be more positive at this point. </p>
<p>Keep plugging away. I again wish you every good thing–such as a good job!</p>
<p>Hey AlexandraF., I was just wondering about you. Glad you posted. How about contacting the school to see if you can set up a part time job once you get there? If you explain your situation, might they be able to help you? If you figure out exactly how much $$ you will need to make up the gap and let them know, might they be able to make sure you will have a job of some kind? Also, if the condition your parents set is that you find a job, might they be able to give you a post for a few weeks in summer helping to get school ready for incoming students? Sometimes there are programs for Freshmen to come a few weeks early to do some work and the advantage of this is you are a bit settled in / familiar with the campus and surroundings when school starts.</p>
<p>Thanks for the update! Keep on keepin’ on.</p>
<p>Alexandra:</p>
<p>Just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you today and hope that things are working out for you…</p>