Leaving Marshall University, Not accredited High School

[JKPoenaDare]

Hello all, I'm currently a student at Marshall University, this semester I'll have 12 credit hours (Would need 15 to be considered a High School Graduate), I'm currently a freshman. My High School Diploma isn't accredited (Or the USMC won't accept it, even though Marshall did)..

Anyway, I want to go now, I'm tired of college, I don't want to do OCS, I want to get my hands dirty, 0300... I would need to get my GED, and my recruiter tells me there are very few slots for GED applicants, if I chose that route.

So, with a high ASVAB if I went and got my GED would I be a good candidate? I took my ASVAB over 3 years ago and got an 83 or something.
Any advice? I won't settle for joining the Army....:usmc:

[davblay]

Hello all, I'm currently a student at Marshall University, this semester I'll have 12 credit hours (Would need 15 to be considered a High School Graduate), I'm currently a freshman. My High School Diploma isn't accredited (Or the USMC won't accept it, even though Marshall did)..

Anyway, I want to go now, I'm tired of college, I don't want to do OCS, I want to get my hands dirty, 0300... I would need to get my GED, and my recruiter tells me there are very few slots for GED applicants, if I chose that route.

So, with a high ASVAB if I went and got my GED would I be a good candidate? I took my ASVAB over 3 years ago and got an 83 or something.
Any advice? I won't settle for joining the Army....:usmc:

Not being a actve recruiter, repeat, not being a active duty recruiter, I do know the Corps has a very low percentage of GEDs they can enlist, I mean like 5% or so.

But if you have an outstanding ASVAB with good line scores, you never know, work with your recruiter!

My advice, follow your recruiters advice, he gets paid for that kind of stuff.

Good luck to you, I hope everything works out for you, man!

Dave

[Accord]

Dude, Marshall is a really good school I wish I could be going there right now.

[Patrick Lucas]

JK,
Firstly go herd! My father is a Marshall Grad.

To the matter at hand; As somone who recently got out of the Marine Corps and began college, I understand how bad the college life really sucks regardless of all the fun it is portrayed to be. That having been said I also understand that desire to get into the corps and how trivial and minute everything else seems by comparison.

I will however offer this personal insight for you. I joined the Corps at 18 and served my four, and never looked back, and while i wasn't a grunt I still understand the life.

My strong recommendation to you, would be to stay the course and see your way through school. I had many collegues that did have their degree, but decided to enlist instead, and they hated themselves for it. Being enlisted is great don't get me wrong, but if you are even 1% interested in making a career of the corps you should strongly reconsider your actions.

That having been said from an emotional prospective the logical solution is remarkably close. If you have been advised that GED slots are limited and you are only 3 credit hours from the 15 required you might as well see that through, as that is probably your best bet.

If it is a getting your foot the door issue, another full semester puts you real close to the PLC window as well.

Sorry about the wall of text.

[JKPoenaDare]

I'm extremely happy to have such a response, and honored that you'd take the time to even write it... I've not done so well in school, and I've had some troubles in the past.. (NOTHING MAJOR), but...

[NoRemorse]

I didn't start going to college until after the Corps. I had a GED and got one of those precious slots. I had a high ASVAB score and had to write a paper on why I dropped out of high school.

I had like 18 hours notice before I shipped and almost wasn't able to get my finances and all that trash straight. Back then I had the chance to go to school (had already done vocational school) and didn't take it. I enlisted when I wasn't ready, got broke and carried on. I was an office pogue but I was a Marine office pogue and that made all the difference.

21 ain't too old to be a private. Hell, 29 ain't too old; with the reenlistment process taking so long I may be 29 before I can go back in. Regardless it gives me something to shoot for and that's when I do my best.

School ain't that hard; I let my grades fall because I fell into the bad habits of life as a civilian. Now I'm motivated as hell and I'll be damned if 2k in out of pocket expenses for college is going to stop me.

If you want it, buckle up, knuckle down and work for it. Get those 3 stinkin credits, get yourself where you need to be, and get yourself shipped!

[JKPoenaDare]

I didn't start going to college until after the Corps. I had a GED and got one of those precious slots. I had a high ASVAB score and had to write a paper on why I dropped out of high school.

I had like 18 hours notice before I shipped and almost wasn't able to get my finances and all that trash straight. Back then I had the chance to go to school (had already done vocational school) and didn't take it. I enlisted when I wasn't ready, got broke and carried on. I was an office pogue but I was a Marine office pogue and that made all the difference.

21 ain't too old to be a private. Hell, 29 ain't too old; with the reenlistment process taking so long I may be 29 before I can go back in. Regardless it gives me something to shoot for and that's when I do my best.

School ain't that hard; I let my grades fall because I fell into the bad habits of life as a civilian. Now I'm motivated as hell and I'll be damned if 2k in out of pocket expenses for college is going to stop me.

If you want it, buckle up, knuckle down and work for it. Get those 3 stinkin credits, get yourself where you need to be, and get yourself shipped!

Thanks for the reply :)
I'm from a poverty stricken area, and well... I've got a car that has 2 flat tires and something's wrong with the fuel filter or something, it's an old Diesel Mercedes, and I can't afford to even buy groceries and help pay for rent, much less dish out two-thousand dollars (My tuition is roughly $4,700) per-semester, by the way, Marshall isn't cheap.

[Patrick Lucas]

A nice post indeed sir, <br />
<br />
For clarity purposes I have bolded your statements and arranged them into bullets, if I have missed somthing please feel free to remind me and i will adress that problem as...

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Honestly, save yourself some trouble and just get the 3 more college credits. Most schools have something self paced you can do, whether it is on the internet or through traditional correspondence. Get in one of those classes and get it taken care of. You have 12 credits, one more class won't kill you.

[JKPoenaDare]

Wow, you really took a lot of time to address that post... That's awesome.. <br />
<br />
Okay, I'm going to go ahead and grab my GED anyway, since it's only a $50 test and I won't have to study for it, cake......

[NoRemorse]

Thanks for the reply :)
I'm from a poverty stricken area, and well... I've got a car that has 2 flat tires and something's wrong with the fuel filter or something, it's an old Diesel Mercedes, and I can't afford to even buy groceries and help pay for rent, much less dish out two-thousand dollars (My tuition is roughly $4,700) per-semester, by the way, Marshall isn't cheap.

Understandable. The cost of living here is ludicrously high and I don't get paid that damn much. It's one of the downsides of being located in this part of New York. Cars fail, sometimes you go hungry and schooling is expensive. It applies anywhere.

There are programs out there, there are places where you can apply for aid and there are others on this forum who can provide some more answers for your location.

I let my grades slip as well. Had I let them drop further I'd be assed out on financial aid. I was able to get a few grants because I was a disabled veteran when I started school.

Motivation is key; it will get you through those long, hungry days. Here's the upside; you get through this and you'll be ahead of most recruits at boot. You'll be able to take away that much more because you're used to hard work and making miracles out of nothing.

I can't provide specific answers for you because I'm not on the ground with you. If you were here I'd give you a laundry list of crap to do, places to apply at, and a smoking session whenever you needed it (or I felt like it quite frankly).

Just remember what's at the end of the road if you make: the title of Marine.

[JKPoenaDare]

Understandable. The cost of living here is ludicrously high and I don't get paid that damn much. It's one of the downsides of being located in this part of New York. Cars fail, sometimes you go hungry and schooling is expensive. It applies anywhere.

There are programs out there, there are places where you can apply for aid and there are others on this forum who can provide some more answers for your location.

I let my grades slip as well. Had I let them drop further I'd be assed out on financial aid. I was able to get a few grants because I was a disabled veteran when I started school.

Motivation is key; it will get you through those long, hungry days. Here's the upside; you get through this and you'll be ahead of most recruits at boot. You'll be able to take away that much more because you're used to hard work and making miracles out of nothing.

I can't provide specific answers for you because I'm not on the ground with you. If you were here I'd give you a laundry list of crap to do, places to apply at, and a smoking session whenever you needed it (or I felt like it quite frankly).

Just remember what's at the end of the road if you make: the title of Marine.

Well put
Smoking? Maybe some Marijuana you suggest? Haha, been there, done that... Of course, can't let MEPS know that. As a matter of fact, I've done my share of bad things.... Probably have enough to share with about 20 other people too... I've just been lucky in getting away with/living through all of them. (I know you were talking about cigarettes)

I'll get my **** taken care of for sure, I'll do what I have to ... Hell, theres a vocational school that I can get 30 credits from just for going to for a year and getting my A+ cert, it's only like $2,000. I could probably get at least $5,000 out of my Mercedes just for parts, it's a rarity and in amazing condition, I paid $11,000 for it, back when I had a life savings account.

Thanks everyone for the replies really, I'd be pretty much lost without them. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure will actually affect my life in a positive way.

Hopefully I can earn that title, some day.:usmc:

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Getting the A+ cert would be great, no matter what you do with your life.

I don't know much about the college system in WV, even though I now end up in Huntington on a near weekly basis. But, I'm sure there is some way you can make things work for you, no matter what you're wanting to do.

You have had a motivation problem in college- no big deal there. Plenty of people have had similar issues. It is nothing that you cannot work your way through though. You seem to be quite intelligent and capable. And just as importantly, you own up to your problems and don't blame them on everyone else. That tells me you have all the potential in the world.

Go talk to the financial aid people, hell talk to the National Guard recruiters, talk to everyone. There is a way to pay for your school and keep on the path you want to be on. Or, go get your GED, talk to the Marine Recruiter, and make it happen. The slots may be limited, but there's no reason you can't get one of them.

[NoRemorse]

[quote=JKPoenaDare;424509]Well put
Smoking? Maybe some Marijuana you suggest? Haha, been there, done that... Of course, can't let MEPS know that. As a matter of fact, I've done my share of bad things.... Probably have enough to share with about 20 other people too... I've just been lucky in getting away with/living through all of them. (I know you were talking about cigarettes)

I was actually talking about smoking your ass. Nothing like a little IT to motivate someone even more.

As for all that trash you're not going to tell MEPS. You posted it on the friggen internet.

Ya got potential; you'll figure it out.

[Quinbo]

Speaking of $50 go take yourself a 6 credit hour CLEP test and be done with it.

[JKPoenaDare]

[quote=JKPoenaDare;424509]Well put
Smoking? Maybe some Marijuana you suggest? Haha, been there, done that... Of course, can't let MEPS know that. As a matter of fact, I've done my share of bad things.... Probably have enough to share with about 20 other people too... I've just been lucky in getting away with/living through all of them. (I know you were talking about cigarettes)

I was actually talking about smoking your ass. Nothing like a little IT to motivate someone even more.

As for all that trash you're not going to tell MEPS. You posted it on the friggen internet.

Ya got potential; you'll figure it out.

=) I created this screen name specifically for this site.. Poena Dare is Latin for "To pay the consequence of your actions", JK is my old gaming clan..
Besides that, I don't think my posting of anything on the internet is that closely monitored by Uncle Sam, especially not that of someone aspiring to be an Infantry Marine. Mayybeee a Top Secret > clearance level MOS? (Not saying an Infantry Marine couldn't achieve/be required to have this)

But yeah, CLEP test might not be a bad idea, I'll check with Marshall to see what's available. And I'm not sure really... What I'd have enough knowledge to CLEP out of... Hmm..

Thanks again, for the feedback

[NoRemorse]

[quote=NoRemorse;424593]

=) I created this screen name specifically for this site.. Poena Dare is Latin for "To pay the consequence of your actions", JK is my old gaming clan..
Besides that, I don't think my posting of anything on the internet is that closely monitored by Uncle Sam, especially not that of someone aspiring to be an Infantry Marine. Mayybeee a Top Secret > clearance level MOS? (Not saying an Infantry Marine couldn't achieve/be required to have this)

But yeah, CLEP test might not be a bad idea, I'll check with Marshall to see what's available. And I'm not sure really... What I'd have enough knowledge to CLEP out of... Hmm..

Thanks again, for the feedback

The Marine Corps is an extremely small brotherhood. You'd be surprised at what could come back around and bite you in the ass.

You could CLEP out or you could sign up for FEMA tests. I know my college took all the FEMA tests and applied credits to my transcript. That's like $60 a credit hour if I remember correctly; easier to pass than the CLEP too.

Don't know if the Corps will take 'em though.

[JKPoenaDare]

Alright... So I said I'd update this...
I will be returning to Marshall in a couple of weeks, to attend regular classes as a full-time student... After this semester, I'll be eligible to enter...
I would like to go to a reserve infantry unit, outside of my own state (Combat Engineers around here) and finish out college... That leaves the opportunity for OCS open, and it also pays for my schooling... After I finish, regardless, I intend to go active.

Anyone have a better idea? =P
(Just got the book Spare Parts about the Marine reservist, was told the reserve units get treated a bit like crap...) =/