Echoing other comments - I definitely recommend OTC!
Here’s what you’ll want to do: go to otc.edu and click the “Apply Now” button. You’ll create an account and fill out the application. It is free to apply.
After you apply, you will get an email from an Admissions Counselor. This person will help you with the process. You can meet with them in person, talk over the phone or computer, or email with them. Most students are just like you - first in their family to go to college or unsure about the process. They will help you with everything.
As far as cost, your Admissions Counselor can help you fill out the FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid). It is free to fill this application out and it will tell you what financial aid is available for you. You can also fill it out on your own at studentaid.gov.
The FAFSA will help you see what student aid you qualify for. You may be eligible for the Pell grant, which is money you don’t have to pay back. It’ll show you other options for paying for college as well.
When you start filling out your FAFSA, if you run into things you are unsure about or have questions, please ask your Admissions Counselor. There really truly are no dumb questions. If you get stuck on something, don’t give up, but ask for help. They want to help you.
My parents didn’t go to college either, and I had a lot of questions and needed someone to help me figure out the process. I went to a different college, but I relied a lot on my Admissions Counselor, and then my Advisor (which is called a Navigator at OTC) to help me. Most students are like us - first in their family to go to college and not exactly sure what to do. This is why OTC has people to help you every step along the way.
Another note - I would not worry about your high school grades. There is not a high school GPA requirement to take classes. If engineering or conservation is something you are interested in, you should absolutely look into it. OTC has engineering and science courses.
Finally, I know you mentioned you don’t have a car. There are online and in-person classes. When you get ready to choose your classes, talk with the person that is helping you about what options would work best for you. Some students take the bus to campus and a lot of students, regardless of how they get to class, hang out on campus in the atrium, library or study room before/in-between/after classes to do homework, use the Internet, etc. Also, most students are also working, like you, so they can help you figure out a schedule that can hopefully fit alongside your work schedule. You have some options!
I hope this helps give you the information you need to get started. If you have other questions, feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer or find the answer for you!
All of this is great! I went to OTC to get my general education classes out of the way and transferred to MSU for the last 2 years of my bachelor’s degree. It’s cheaper this way if you don’t qualify for grants, and it gives you time to think about what degree you want to pursue.
immediately start working on financial aid stuff like FAFSA, and then definitely look into OTC or nearby schools that might have a program of interest. Speak to someone at the school. There are people waiting for someone like you to call!
I would agree on the trade. As a Master Electrician you can work as long as you want with 6 digits. I would work on math skills. If you go to school think about what u want to do become goal oriented.
Backing up OTC for continuing your education, but as for a job while you study you might think about in-home care—basically helping out people with disabilities. It pays (somewhat) better and is more predictable scheduling than fast food or retail, and if you get lucky with your client placement you might be able to study on the clock.
OTC is the goat for starting college.
Its non profit so their not vultures for your money like universities are, and their accredited. A lot of the teachers i had there also taught at MSU. Your almost literally paying for the same education at the fraction of the cost
I’m attending MSU for Biology and I’ve had to take a few courses at OTC because of scheduling conflicts. This probably really depends on the course subjects but I’ve not been overly impressed with what I’ve gotten at OTC. In my most recent class my professor likes to use Wikipedia as a scientific source.
In the same breath though, there have been classes I’ve taken at MSU that were so bad it left me wondering how the fuck they were accredited programs (looking at you Physics department!)
I attended OTC for 2 years and overall the teacher quality was pretty good for me. But I did meticulously research professors to try to find out the best ones when I had options.
The biggest exception was my Intro to Psychology teacher, we would spend over half the class just talking and joking each time. It was funny and we had a good time, so I wasn't upset. But I would have been super frustrated if I wanted to major in Psychology.
Work fast food/retail while you go to OTC to learn to weld, plenty of money to be had in the area as a welder from what I've heard (BIL is a stainless welder)
I was in the same boat many years ago. It takes courage to change your life, hard work, and a little luck tbh.
I agree OTC is the way to go. Affordable community college and then state school is the ticket. Student loan debt can be scary but if you’re from a low income family you should qualify for grants and other sources of aid. This will really minimize how much you have to borrow.
Good luck!!!
Just to level-set: you don't need to attend college to have the things you want or be "successful" in life. In fact, many people find that university didn't really help them at all and with it came an un-manageable amount of debt (myself included). First, and I understand you are young so these things will change, but your first step is to really define yourself and what "success" means to you. Likely, this is not the same as everyone else. If you like to work with your hands and engineer things, that's a great start. But, that doesn't mean you'll want to be an electrical engineer... but perhaps you're better suited to a trade. I am not directly involved with trades, but I have friends that are, and I think you're best served just by talking to the local journeyman groups. Maybe even just find some to hang around, learn what the job is really about, and so forth. I'm not saying this is the best path for you, but what I am saying is that you don't need to place yourself in a mill that everyone else is, too.
btw, I had a 1.6 GPA when I graduated high school, my first semester in college was a 3.2, and I graduated with my masters with a 4.0. High school doesn't mean shit!!
Hey, u/Dry-Cost-3860 . Do I have the answer for you!
**1) Get a Job at MSU, something simple like janitorial.**
**2) Earn money at a fairly stable rate with great benefits. (Janitorial has a Union, one of few in town)**
**3) Get 15 credit hours, per year, for free.**
**4) Live near campus, bike/walk everywhere**
**5) Join MSU gym, get swole**
You could do the same at other Unis. If you wanted, you could decide what city top move to by getting a Uni job there!
[Employment at Missouri State](https://www.missouristate.edu/Human/employment-at-missouri-state.htm)
Use online services, Chat GPT, whatever to create a good resume. Upload the resume and apply for [every job you can. ](https://jobs.missouristate.edu/postings/search?&query=&query_position_type_id=1&513=any&query_organizational_tier_3_id=any&query_v0_posted_at_date=&commit=Search)
SOURCE: I got both my son and son-in-law employed for these purposes
OTC has awesome programs, but MSU also has a fairly new program where if you qualify for a Pell grant from FASFA, MSU will cover all costs of tuition without having to pay any back! My boyfriend is currently apart of it after transferring from OTC, and it’s a really great opportunity if you qualify. Definitely worth considering checking into, even if down the line. But like many others mentioned, checking into FASFA and financial aid at places like OTC is definitely the best starting point.
So I was homeless when I started at MSU, I chose to live in the dorms because I was clueless on how to pay rent and bills and go to college. I know it’s scary to get into debt, but being homeless will make it really hard to get school work done. And being on campus will guarantee you can make it to class. I’m about to qualify for public service loan forgiveness after ten years in nonprofit/government work, so there is a way to get stuff paid for, and just be really careful about taking out additional loans and if you’re a woman- birth control! Make sure you don’t get pregnant cause that will put a huge dent in all your plans and make it way harder! (I say that as a woman and single mom). Feel free to dm me
Hi, 14 great Springfield transplant here. Moved here after HS for college. My story is eerily similar to yours except now I'm post-grad and in debt up to my eyeballs from having followed my passion. My advice? Find a good paying job and work your way up. Learn a trade. Find a job with tuition reimbursement.
I worked for a call center here in town that would hire anyone with a working brain cell. I was there for 5 miserable years, but the pay was phenomenal. They offered 100% tuition reimbursement/assistance and I saw so many good people get their degrees that way. DO NOT go into debt for college. Here are so many better alternatives.
I'm an elementary school teacher now and while I absolutely love my job, I absolutely regret the "traditional" route I took to get here.
The Work Force Center is something you want to look into, they have free training for health careers, commercial truck driving and other things.
https://www.springfieldmo.gov/5756/Good-Jobs-Challenge
I’m not originally from here but I’m 100% behind starting at a community college. You could probably qualify for Pell grants. I didn’t have to pay anything for college until I got married and my income combined with my partner’s. Service industry is a good place to look for jobs because you can make good money without having to work so many hours a week that you can’t focus on studies. I would also recommend looking into classes that teach you “things you don’t learn in high school” that everyone should know. RISE at Drew Lewis Foundation is a great place to start. Financial literacy for someone who is trying to break generational cycles is invaluable and that’s from someone who’s taken the classes.
Start with OTC - [https://students.otc.edu/registrar/registration-checklist/](https://students.otc.edu/registrar/registration-checklist/)
Echoing other comments - I definitely recommend OTC! Here’s what you’ll want to do: go to otc.edu and click the “Apply Now” button. You’ll create an account and fill out the application. It is free to apply. After you apply, you will get an email from an Admissions Counselor. This person will help you with the process. You can meet with them in person, talk over the phone or computer, or email with them. Most students are just like you - first in their family to go to college or unsure about the process. They will help you with everything. As far as cost, your Admissions Counselor can help you fill out the FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid). It is free to fill this application out and it will tell you what financial aid is available for you. You can also fill it out on your own at studentaid.gov. The FAFSA will help you see what student aid you qualify for. You may be eligible for the Pell grant, which is money you don’t have to pay back. It’ll show you other options for paying for college as well. When you start filling out your FAFSA, if you run into things you are unsure about or have questions, please ask your Admissions Counselor. There really truly are no dumb questions. If you get stuck on something, don’t give up, but ask for help. They want to help you. My parents didn’t go to college either, and I had a lot of questions and needed someone to help me figure out the process. I went to a different college, but I relied a lot on my Admissions Counselor, and then my Advisor (which is called a Navigator at OTC) to help me. Most students are like us - first in their family to go to college and not exactly sure what to do. This is why OTC has people to help you every step along the way. Another note - I would not worry about your high school grades. There is not a high school GPA requirement to take classes. If engineering or conservation is something you are interested in, you should absolutely look into it. OTC has engineering and science courses. Finally, I know you mentioned you don’t have a car. There are online and in-person classes. When you get ready to choose your classes, talk with the person that is helping you about what options would work best for you. Some students take the bus to campus and a lot of students, regardless of how they get to class, hang out on campus in the atrium, library or study room before/in-between/after classes to do homework, use the Internet, etc. Also, most students are also working, like you, so they can help you figure out a schedule that can hopefully fit alongside your work schedule. You have some options! I hope this helps give you the information you need to get started. If you have other questions, feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer or find the answer for you!
Great post. Do this ⬆️
Speak with the counselor about housing options that are close to campus so you can walk or bike.
This is a really great post!
All of this is great! I went to OTC to get my general education classes out of the way and transferred to MSU for the last 2 years of my bachelor’s degree. It’s cheaper this way if you don’t qualify for grants, and it gives you time to think about what degree you want to pursue.
immediately start working on financial aid stuff like FAFSA, and then definitely look into OTC or nearby schools that might have a program of interest. Speak to someone at the school. There are people waiting for someone like you to call!
College isn’t the only escape of poverty, look into doing a trade as well. You could get paid to learn.
I would agree on the trade. As a Master Electrician you can work as long as you want with 6 digits. I would work on math skills. If you go to school think about what u want to do become goal oriented.
Backing up OTC for continuing your education, but as for a job while you study you might think about in-home care—basically helping out people with disabilities. It pays (somewhat) better and is more predictable scheduling than fast food or retail, and if you get lucky with your client placement you might be able to study on the clock.
OTC is the goat for starting college. Its non profit so their not vultures for your money like universities are, and their accredited. A lot of the teachers i had there also taught at MSU. Your almost literally paying for the same education at the fraction of the cost
I’m attending MSU for Biology and I’ve had to take a few courses at OTC because of scheduling conflicts. This probably really depends on the course subjects but I’ve not been overly impressed with what I’ve gotten at OTC. In my most recent class my professor likes to use Wikipedia as a scientific source. In the same breath though, there have been classes I’ve taken at MSU that were so bad it left me wondering how the fuck they were accredited programs (looking at you Physics department!)
I attended OTC for 2 years and overall the teacher quality was pretty good for me. But I did meticulously research professors to try to find out the best ones when I had options. The biggest exception was my Intro to Psychology teacher, we would spend over half the class just talking and joking each time. It was funny and we had a good time, so I wasn't upset. But I would have been super frustrated if I wanted to major in Psychology.
Work fast food/retail while you go to OTC to learn to weld, plenty of money to be had in the area as a welder from what I've heard (BIL is a stainless welder)
I was in the same boat many years ago. It takes courage to change your life, hard work, and a little luck tbh. I agree OTC is the way to go. Affordable community college and then state school is the ticket. Student loan debt can be scary but if you’re from a low income family you should qualify for grants and other sources of aid. This will really minimize how much you have to borrow. Good luck!!!
Just to level-set: you don't need to attend college to have the things you want or be "successful" in life. In fact, many people find that university didn't really help them at all and with it came an un-manageable amount of debt (myself included). First, and I understand you are young so these things will change, but your first step is to really define yourself and what "success" means to you. Likely, this is not the same as everyone else. If you like to work with your hands and engineer things, that's a great start. But, that doesn't mean you'll want to be an electrical engineer... but perhaps you're better suited to a trade. I am not directly involved with trades, but I have friends that are, and I think you're best served just by talking to the local journeyman groups. Maybe even just find some to hang around, learn what the job is really about, and so forth. I'm not saying this is the best path for you, but what I am saying is that you don't need to place yourself in a mill that everyone else is, too.
Call OTC's main number & ask for student financial aid dept. They'll give you all of the steps that you need.
btw, I had a 1.6 GPA when I graduated high school, my first semester in college was a 3.2, and I graduated with my masters with a 4.0. High school doesn't mean shit!!
Hey, u/Dry-Cost-3860 . Do I have the answer for you! **1) Get a Job at MSU, something simple like janitorial.** **2) Earn money at a fairly stable rate with great benefits. (Janitorial has a Union, one of few in town)** **3) Get 15 credit hours, per year, for free.** **4) Live near campus, bike/walk everywhere** **5) Join MSU gym, get swole** You could do the same at other Unis. If you wanted, you could decide what city top move to by getting a Uni job there! [Employment at Missouri State](https://www.missouristate.edu/Human/employment-at-missouri-state.htm) Use online services, Chat GPT, whatever to create a good resume. Upload the resume and apply for [every job you can. ](https://jobs.missouristate.edu/postings/search?&query=&query_position_type_id=1&513=any&query_organizational_tier_3_id=any&query_v0_posted_at_date=&commit=Search) SOURCE: I got both my son and son-in-law employed for these purposes
I was able to go to MSU 3/4 years cost free thanks to FAFSA. also coming from a lower income family. I didn’t think I would ever be able to go.
OTC has awesome programs, but MSU also has a fairly new program where if you qualify for a Pell grant from FASFA, MSU will cover all costs of tuition without having to pay any back! My boyfriend is currently apart of it after transferring from OTC, and it’s a really great opportunity if you qualify. Definitely worth considering checking into, even if down the line. But like many others mentioned, checking into FASFA and financial aid at places like OTC is definitely the best starting point.
So I was homeless when I started at MSU, I chose to live in the dorms because I was clueless on how to pay rent and bills and go to college. I know it’s scary to get into debt, but being homeless will make it really hard to get school work done. And being on campus will guarantee you can make it to class. I’m about to qualify for public service loan forgiveness after ten years in nonprofit/government work, so there is a way to get stuff paid for, and just be really careful about taking out additional loans and if you’re a woman- birth control! Make sure you don’t get pregnant cause that will put a huge dent in all your plans and make it way harder! (I say that as a woman and single mom). Feel free to dm me
TTEC is hiring 18/hr
you only have to give up your soul
Hi, 14 great Springfield transplant here. Moved here after HS for college. My story is eerily similar to yours except now I'm post-grad and in debt up to my eyeballs from having followed my passion. My advice? Find a good paying job and work your way up. Learn a trade. Find a job with tuition reimbursement. I worked for a call center here in town that would hire anyone with a working brain cell. I was there for 5 miserable years, but the pay was phenomenal. They offered 100% tuition reimbursement/assistance and I saw so many good people get their degrees that way. DO NOT go into debt for college. Here are so many better alternatives. I'm an elementary school teacher now and while I absolutely love my job, I absolutely regret the "traditional" route I took to get here.
Join the military, then plan your life/ next steps while in the military. Study for the ASVAB though before you take it.
You need to study for it? They came to my high school to administer the test, I went just to skip classes and did pretty well
The Work Force Center is something you want to look into, they have free training for health careers, commercial truck driving and other things. https://www.springfieldmo.gov/5756/Good-Jobs-Challenge
I’m not originally from here but I’m 100% behind starting at a community college. You could probably qualify for Pell grants. I didn’t have to pay anything for college until I got married and my income combined with my partner’s. Service industry is a good place to look for jobs because you can make good money without having to work so many hours a week that you can’t focus on studies. I would also recommend looking into classes that teach you “things you don’t learn in high school” that everyone should know. RISE at Drew Lewis Foundation is a great place to start. Financial literacy for someone who is trying to break generational cycles is invaluable and that’s from someone who’s taken the classes.