A little bit lost

[Tabby]

Well, I was discharged from the Corps almost 2 years ago and have been a little bit lost ever since. I got married and had planned on going back to college, but then we had a baby. (She's a...

[Wyoming]

I've felt that way since September 1969. <br />
<br />
.

[quillhill]

The great thing about college is the first two years you spend, if you're really smart, getting all of your pre-requisites out of the way. And if you go to a big enough state school, you will have endless options for fulfilling your sophomore level pre-reqs that will be infinitely interesting and may just lead you to your major. The whole point of the first two years is to let you figure out what path you want to take because so many students go to college without knowing what they want to do.
I know that at the University of Washington, they make you wait a while before you can declare your major. I transferred there from Gonzaga University, where they allowed me to declare my major the minute I stepped on campus as a freshman. When I got to UW, they made me wait two quarters, then I had to apply to get into the school of communications (I'm a reporter now), and THEN I was allowed to declare my major, even though I was about 2/3 of the way through it by that point as I was almost done with my junior year.
College was one of the most fun experiences of my life. You have the added benefit of being older and having the discipline of the Marine Corps instilled in you. I would expect you'll have no trouble with school once you adjust. I suggest that once you have room for electives in your schedule you should try to take any class that makes you go, "Whoa, cool! I want to take that!"
My husband took two years off from school and went back at the age of 23. When he left college in 1998, he had a 2.45 GPA and had been miserable. When he graduated from UNLV in 2002, during his time there, he had maintained a 3.5 GPA and enjoyed school more than he had before in his life. You'll find that it's easier to communicate with your professors and TAs, especially because you'll have more in common with them (families, spouses, real life issues) and you'll be closer in age.

Where are you looking at going to school?

Sorry to talk so much. When I was a sophomore in college, I worked in the admissions office. My job was to talk to kids about college, what they could expect and to tell them about college life. And having put my husband through school and him being a 'non-traditional student' as you will be, I've got some experience in this area.

Good luck!

[Cobra0165]

I think we have all been there after discharge, knowing we need an education and not knowing which field will produce the best opportunity for steady and gainfull employment. <br />
<br />
It will come to you,...

[SgtDBrownRet]

I found that it was quite an experience getting out and transferring into the civilian sector. Even though I was Administration in the Marine Corps, civilian office politics is way different from Admin in the Corps. It was hard to fit in with the women because they didn’t seem to have the same work ethics. (Clock-watchers mostly, or “that’s not my job”). The men didn’t know how to act because of the big “sexual harassment” scare. I finally found somewhere that was willing to deal with my “rough edges” and help me make the transition. After 5 years, I still get pulled to the side, just less often.
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Anyway, I would suggest the first thing you should do is file a claim with the VA for any disabilities you may have suffered while on active duty. The reason why is because the clock is ticking. After a year they give you a big hassle about proving whether or not the condition was cause my your military service. Now you maybe young and think you can take on the world forever, but trust me when those ole bones start singing, whew! You will wish you had. Plus, it’s a lifetime of benefits that can be gained through the VA. But, don’t do it alone. There are service organizations out there that can help you with your claim for free.

[Camper51]

Go get the damn sheepskin. You will never, ever regret it. My daughter took seven years to finally get hers and during those years she got married to a fine soldier (yeah a 'barkie' who happens to be in Iraq right now) with a son who had some problems and she managed to help straighten him out and still get the sheepskin. She does not regret it and I am one damn proud pappy cuz she did it after I gave up all hope of her getting her education.............as the commercial says JUST DO IT!!