Stuck and depressed - don't know what to do. Advice?

[SisypheanTask]

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@compmom

How about a certificate at a community college, in the areas of accounting and bookkeeping?
Many people get a BA and then do a certificate program, at community college or elsewhere. All sorts of certificates are offered at various schools, for example, holistic health, fundraising, paralegal work, graphic design, paralegal, you name it.</p>

<p>It sounds like your medical issues were not handled well, in terms of accommodations and in terms of the way the school handled your withdrawals. It is possible that with adequate documentation from MD’s, the school could make your transcript a little cleaner, getting rid of some of the “W”'s.

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<p>I’ve given thought to obtaining a certificate of some sort. I’m mostly interested in governmental accounting and, at least in the area I live in right now, the post-bacc certificate in accounting requires 10 core courses. That’s basically the equivalent of what I’m doing now while taking pre-reqs with the intention of going on to a Master’s. I’ll look into transferring what I have (I’m in Intermediate II) into a Certificate program, though, so at the least I have something to show for when all is said and done.</p>

<p>I know the paralegal certificates are essentially required to work as paralegal now in my state. But I do worry, perhaps too much, because the legal sector is experiencing no growth. Lawyers are now working as legal assistants, after all. But I will go back and look into other certificates to see if something catches my eye and do research in those areas. </p>

<p>Regarding the medical withdrawals, well I’m not really sure if they were handled well or not?I always assumed my school just had strict policies. They did everything by the book and left all the Ws on my transcript. I also had to present nearly a thousand pages of medical documentation, hospital stays, treatment, etc. just for administration to acknowledge the semester withdrawals were medical in nature. But there was no cleaning up of my transcript or anything. Not even a notation that the Ws were medical in nature (and 4 Ws were actually never even cleared as medical!). I was refunded my scholarship money and, hypothetically, down the line someone in graduate admissions can fact check my story and see that I’m not lying. That’s it though! I wish there was more that could be done…</p>

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@lmkh70

Pick a skill that you are interested in and start training in it. You might find a job in that field before you even finish (which does happen). It might not take a masters degree, it might take some sort of licensing training. </p>

<p>Good luck!!!

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<p>Great idea but to be honest I don’t even know where to start or even look. I’ve been so set on accounting (and law before that) that I’m a little out of loop here. Nonetheless, I’ll start looking into what skills are in demand and the respective certifications needed for such jobs. </p>

<p>I’ll admit that a part of me wants to see accounting through since I’m in the intermediate sequence and could technically start to applying this cycle for Master’s program. And yet general confusion, fear of my past, etc., etc. is stopping me- rightly or wrongly. </p>

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@GvaMom

Listen, the more positive experience you can garner over time, the less important the more ‘distant’ past becomes. When you do decide what you want to do, make sure you get the experience and those to recommend you and really try to bring in good test scores (GMAT, GRE, or whatever). Graduate schools are more interested in what you will do while there, based on what you have done as a whole. Those W’s from one year in your past are only one small piece of an entire package. You have control over the essays and can use the adversity to show resilience and overcoming obstacles. Don’t focus on the W’s, focus on why it won’t ever happen again.

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<p>I really am hoping the more distance between the incidents’s will help me out. That’s part of what I’m trying to do with taking and doing well in the non-degree courses in Accounting and also working/volunteering for work in accounts payable, etc. at my firm. I suppose I can only keep building on things like that. I guess my concern is that I have 20 Ws (4 semesters worth!). I know I shouldn’t fixate on that but it makes me want to give up on pursuing accountancy and go the certificate route or something where my undergraduate record doesn’t matter. </p>

<p>Thanks for the insight. One question I have though (and it’s a while off, I know), but is the essay section where I should write about overcoming adversity or is that something better served for an addendum ? </p>

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@compmom

On the other hand, if your medical issues are chronic or recurring, and can be documented, then try to make it so that the school has some responsibility for helping you avoid withdrawals in the future. Did you have any accommodations at the school you were attending when you did all those withdrawals.</p>

<p>Students with chronic issues cannot promise that illness will never happen again. They need to register with the school disabilities office and get help that enables them to finish classes, despite illness, and also supports medical leaves when necessary, in a way that does not leave the transcript in shambles.

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<p>My case is pretty unique. I had several things going on at once for those two or so years. I had crohn’s go undiagnosed (and polyps - very painful!), a learning disability (dysgraphia as well as OCD) and issues with addiction stemming from a lot from the physical and mental pain I was experiencing. </p>

<p>I had accommodations for my OCD (extended time) but that’s it. The dysgraphia went undiagnosed until this year and I honestly had no idea I could have anything done via the disability center with the crohn’s (which also went undiagnosed until I was 22 and out of UF) C’est la vie. </p>

<p>I will make sure the disability resource center at USF knows about the crohn’s. Do you, or anyone else, think there is any way I can retroactively approach the administration at UF (my alma mater) about these matters? It would be nice to clean up at least some of my undergrad transcript!</p>

<p>If anyone else has something to add or respond to after getting through this here novel I just wrotel, it’d be much appreciated! If not, thanks to everyone for the suggestions and information! I’ve taken all that’s been said to heart.</p>