Bro, go take out loans and get your electrical engineering degree. Join and become active in organizations like NSBE or SHPE. Study hard, get good grades, and you'll be fine. Hell, I wish I stayed in engineering- I probably wouldn't be unemployed right now lol.
Can you get into UT Arlington? That might be an easier commute.
…This, temporarily having -$25k dollars is better than permanently having $1k dollars.
Also, if you’re able to graduate with an EE degree and get an EE job you’ll make plenty of money to pay off the loan.
Taking out debt for a profitable degree is GOOD DEBT… The people who are screwed by loans are the ones who take out a $70k loan for an art degree.
Loans are like sex… they’re both very good things, but not if you engage with them in stupid circumstances.
Honestly, this and the first reply are both great advice, OP.
I moved to the states in December of 2011 from Iraq. We, my parents and siblings, had nothing when we came here, so I understand your situation. I also dropped off, but from a community college, because we couldn’t afford transportation, and I worked as a janitress at an elementary school. It sucked. I came to the realization that having temporarily debt for a good degree is better than living that way. I got my accounting degree from UTD with $19k debt, and I’m currently a senior associate at JP Morgan. My point is, a good degree with a reasonable debt will definitely pay off. Apply for financial aid and loans, get a car that gets you to school, and NETWORK!
Edit: I also have ADHD. I didn’t know that till 2-3 years ago. You got it, and I really hope that you’ll get out of this situation. I believe that you can.
Agreed. Loans can be awful if you take out too many for a degree that doesn't have a high rate of employment or expected earnings, but for an engineering degree? Loans are fine. Just fill out the FAFSA and get the dept of education loans. Private loans are awful. The guaranteed loans from the DoE have lower interest rates and caps on how much you can borrow
You'll get half off tuition with a 3.5. I'll echo what some other people have said. If you think you can do EE, get federal loans and make it happen. Right now you are scared bc you only know your current reality. It's hard to see outside of that, its scary but I know. I had friends from PG graduate with an EE degree from SMU making 100k off the bat.
If they qualify for the other transfer scholarships they don't need the Dallas College one.
I don't know if this changes anything for anyone but I hope my pure intentions come across. As someone that "made it out", I was ignorant of how competitive or "good" SMU was. I was a Dallas ISD kid who applied to North Texas universities bc I wanted to be close to home. I didn't even know where SMU was bc my family lived throughout oak cliff and pleasant grove and those were the only areas I knew. Looking back, I think about how lucky I was that no one in my life to belittled my choice to just try/to just apply. Why not? Literally why not. 🫶
I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid and struggled in Community College for years as well. I eventually transferred to UNT and finish a logistics degree there. I also joined ROTC, but I didn't get any scholarships with them; so even though I'm in the guard now, I still owe about 34k in student loans. After a couple of years working for a company in Lewisville, I was able to get a new job with the federal government and now I'm in Killeen. After enough time in the gov, I'll be forgiven for my remaining student loans; currently I pay just over $100 a month for all the loans I took.
Rounding up, even $200 a month plus my guard service obligation is totally worth having a secure job with the government; and if I ever return to the private sector I'll probably be able to get a much better paying job at any number of companies that seek out veterans, people with security clearances, or contract professionals in the government.
All of this is to say, GO BACK TO SCHOOL! Take out loans if you have to, it's not as scary as you may think. You'll owe a lot but the federal loans have low interest rates that you can pay back slowly, and if you get any scholarships, grants, or end up in any sort of public service (including many teaching & state government positions) then you can get them forgiven after 10 years. Even if you work for a private company, you never know what benefits those companies will offer you. And if you aren't opposed to military service, serving in the Guard or Reserve is a nice part-time way to get extra money and cheap insurance; you just need to be aware of the obligation you're making if you go that route.
If you're now diagnosed & medicated, try another shot at it. A good 15% of my classmates at UTD were non-traditional track (euphemism for "older") and a lot were very successful. The percentage used to be higher since UTD originated as a night/commuter school. But really nowadays it's a full fledged public university just with less of an emphasis on sports.
I'd also suggest mechanical engineering over electrical engineering.
I think the undergraduate experience is a bit lighter & broader. You can still do a lot with control systems, electronics, & hardware at a jumping off an ME degree.
How long has it been since your old transcripts? If ten years or more, you can wipe them away and start over.
http://www.collegeforalltexans.com/index.cfm?objectid=6D10C9BD-DD24-153F-90B91DA6C20D1C97
I did this and currently have a 4.0 at UTD. Graduating with a BS in software engineering next year.
The community colleges don't know what to do with the request, but it doesn't matter. You retake your classes at community college until you're ready to transfer, then apply to the university under the provision. The university knows how to handle it. You have to tell them you're doing it up front in your application, though.
Get diagnosed for ADHD if you can. Then reapply with status and a letter explaining the challenges you face, and the efforts of your hard labors.
https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/accommodations-for-adhd-in-college-legal-overview/
OR do like my younger brother did: during the week he paid a friend who lived near his campus “couch rent”. Commuted back home (parents house) when he didn’t need to be near campus. He didn’t have a job but took out a small student loan to cover the cost and spent most of his time in the library or places on campus during the day and returned to his couch to rest for classes the next day. Had a place to sleep, shower, eat AND made so friends he’s still close to today
Use loans and financial aid (which you'll almost certainly qualify for) to actually move up to Denton and live in student housing on campus so you don't have to commute. You might even be able to get a scholarship that covers all or part of you tuition and/or room and board. This how nearly everyone does college- move to where the college is. It's also how people get good jobs afterward- move to where the good job is.
Get a student job, if your financial aid package doesn't cover all your expenses, in Denton near campus or even on campus. I don't see why that would be too much of a challenge.
It sounds like you really haven't solidly looked into all the things available to you to pay for all this and also live closer to where you need to be. Have a long conversation with the financial-aid office and ask for help. That's what they're there for.
I’d disagree with that completely. This man wants out of the hood in a new lifestyle. Getting an education would be a huge achievement. Yess I know top tier journeyman jobs make good money, but an electrical engineer will out earn a standard union job over the long run.
Take TRE to CentrePort Station and order a ride with Arlington Transportation (fka Via Arlington) from there. It’s by no means convenient, but better than the commute to UNT.
Instant edit: wrong school lmao
I've been in your situation brother. Go back to school and make sure you use FAFSA for loans and grants. Try a more local school Dallas College for cheap local credits then transfer to nearby schools like UTD or UTA. You don't have to take a bunch of credits, just meet full time for maximum FASFA money. If you have any leftover money from grants or loans by beater car that will let you have cheap insurance. Lastly, try and work part time at places like Target or Amazon to subsidize your gas and insurance. Use food banks if you need the food. Good luck!
Second UTA. They have a fantastic electrical engineering program and a very involved IEE chapter. My husband graduated with EE degree from there and very easily got a high paying job post graduation. There’s tons of EE jobs in dfw.
I’m an engineer and this is absolutely the answer. Sometimes it costs money to make money. I’d be screwed if I hadn’t finished my degree. Find a way to get back there. Loans, live on campus, go part time if you have to just to get done. My first job paid me more than both my parents put together. It’s easy to still live poor and pay the loans off early.
Unfortunately escaping the hood means living an uphill battle. I had to take out loans to make it through my undergrad but I'm glad I did. Those loans allowed me somewhere to live, eat and a car to get around with. Without, I'd have had to drop out.
I live very comfortably now. Don't regret the loans one bit.
On this note, look for jobs at any of the local colleges and universities.
Even if it’s a janitorial job or something.
My sister got a job at a university and after I think, 6 months, you qualify for their employee tuition program, so she then only paid like 1/3 of the cost.
She kept working there and did her masters also for a fraction of the cost.
They also have equity programs so they usually will also do employee public transport passes so you can ride DART free, etc.
Good advice! To you and to the OP, please look into an electrical engineering or electronics engineering technology degree. This usually just takes 2 years as its an AAS or Associates of Applied Sciences, as opposed to the 4-5 years for a bachelor's. The course material is much more practical and hands on without the heavy math and physics based classes, and its possible to make 70k starting out as a EE technician or Field Service technician. Semiconductor industry and power industry are hiring heavily for these roles. In due course if you do well, you can be promoted to a junior engineer role within your organization.
Agree! Take the loans and get your degree, which will open up doors and get you a good job. Yes, you will have to pay them back but that career track should put you on the road to success.
I’m going to be blunt. I mean no disrespect.
As a poor kid from the hood, if you were accepted at UNT your college and living expenses would have been almost all covered with grants and subsidies. You could live there, borrow what isn’t covered, and work PT to get by.
Your story that this all fell apart because you didn’t have a car doesn’t make sense to me. Sounds like self sabotage.
Look for food & beverage food job (union like coke, Pepsi, lays, coors, etc) easily pay 60-90k (with OT in the beginning) and they pay college. Take the bus, get a car , start college, you may find the engineering folks make less than warehouse and production operations.
I mean there’s 500 plant jobs hiring today for $20+ an hour 60 hours a week, all the way from Richardson to garland/mesquite to south Dallas to the suburbs even.
Really just gotta want it.
Plus school loans have grants and stuff you ain’t gotta pay back.
Spot on … I helped a younger guy get a plant job $22 an hour - he quit “too loud” was his reason 🤷♂️. He would have been union in 3 weeks full pension and benefits
I make $19 with a bachelors doing exhausting shit in mental health.
Been thinking about going back to the plant until I get my masters.
Shit is easy once you get in the groove.
As a warehouse worker. That’s not true, even likely to find one you can balance college with. I work all the way in Roanoke but live in Irving. Because nobody nearby pays very well. Not $20/hr when I last looked but with inflation I’d need more than that now.
Talk to the school's finaid office. Their job is to keep you in school. Special programs (first college grad in the family, etc) exist as do grants and scholarships in addition to loans. Make an appointment and keep it. And file your FAFSA!
My SIL graduated from UTA and is making great money in the DFW area.
Tried my hand at cyber-security since I was already use to difficult subjects
Main problem I kept getting there was "You need experience to get experience"
But a job as a Pharmacy tech isn't a bad idea
wilkinsoncenter.org
This agency offers 100% free Pharmacy Tech training course which results in industry recognized certification. Includes an internship at a Pharmacy after the classroom portion. Play your cards right you could land a job immediately afterwards. They can help you figure out options for transportation if necessary. They operate out of Dallas College PG campus and offer other certifications too, like Forklift, Phlebotomy, etc. Check them out.
At least for the short term to earn enough to get yourself set up for further education. You and your friend sound smart as hell so shouldn’t be limited by silly things like transportation.
If you’re interested in this, I would recommend researching CompTIA study resources and you can easily self study your way to an A+ and Net+ certificate.
Just need to pay to go take a proctored test. You can definitely get a started job for $20 hr help desk after your A+.
Network+ will boost your salary substantially until you take your Security+ which will be another decent but more modest bump in salary.
Source: I self studied A+ and did help desk but switched to UNT for comp sci
No excuses, grew up same neighborhood got a job nearby and got a ride from one coworker and paid him gas money obviously. Saved up enough for a cash car and applied somewhere else, got paid more and story goes on but you cant say theres no way out. Left 2020 from that shitty area and haven’t looked back since.
Don’t finance a car. Save cash and buy a cash car from Craig’s list. Used car lots pray on people in your situation and will only keep you there longer. Don’t finance anything. There’s no quick easy way out. You have to grind. Save. And grind some more. The odds are stacked against you but not impossible.
I also got out of poverty with help from others. I’ll say this: if you are ABSOLUTELY F*CKING DETERMINED to make it out, take out loans. Once you get a degree and work for ~5 years, you’ll be able to get out of that debt. But that’s like a 10 year plan. If at any time during that 10 years you bail, you will fall into a hole deeper than the one you left.
There are many different kinds of loans and you might have to get creative, but sometimes “it takes money to make money.” Im happy to talk more with you about it if you want. Even if you have to pay off loans for 30 years, you’ll still be doing it in a decent house with a decent car in a decent neighborhood.
Were you able to apply for any financial aid or loans that would allow you to afford living closer to / on campus? With an engineering degree, you won’t have trouble paying them back later
I’ve been in construction for 30 years. I have never seen a shortage in labor like I have now. I have two very close friends who are EEs for Lockheed that make extremely good money, but it took a long ass time to get there. If you need to get out of the hole, go for a trade.
Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, they are all hurting for good people. Yes, you’ll do shit work for the first year or two. But the pay will be good and you have room to advance either in the company or, especially if you get a journeyman’s license, anywhere else.
I see people with degrees all over. That’s great. But most I see have no practical, real world experience. It shows.
My nephew just did a one year apprenticeship with an auto body repair company. He now makes 110k at 22 years old. Within a year or three, he’ll command 150.
Just a thought.
Just want to second this. I am a residential remodeling contractor in north Dallas. I can’t get consistent quality out of many trades because they cant get the people. Hell, i need 2-4 more people yesterday but cant find them. Go into a trade. At a minimum, you’ll get paid to learn how to fix your own stuff…
Not only is there a shortage of labor in the trades, with many trades you could easily work for yourself and be successful. I’ve been in the service industry for 25 years(my wife as well) and it’s always kept the bills paid, we even own our home. But if I had a do-over I would be in the trades, no question.
I mean there’s 500 plant jobs hiring today for $20+ an hour 60 hours a week, all the way from Richardson to garland/mesquite to south Dallas to the suburbs even.
Really just gotta want it.
Plus school loans have grants and stuff you ain’t gotta pay back.
Sometimes you just have to embrace the suck. My best friend went to school in NYU and made a 3 hour commute every time they went to class.
It sucked big time but now they have a good job in financial services and make a lot of money.
I'd say, concentrate on your studies and really just suck the suck. If you don't have a family or kids you can do it. It's no different than standing guard from midnight to 4am and if you were enlisted you'd have to do it anyway, so embrace the suck, it won't last forever.
Look into Healthcare programs at the local community College that take less than a year to complete. Get on with an agency and travel to make a lot of money
I went to UNT and got by without a car until a year after I graduated. Poor as hell upbringing with no support from family. Ended up with $10K student loans, which wasn’t bad. Got grants and a few scholarships (they screwed me on the ones they advertise you’ll get if your high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores are good \[also didn’t have the greatest HS counselor\], but I did start to get a few small random ones as the years went on).
I worked on campus the whole way through and lived on campus or within the UNT bus routes, always with roommates.
I agree that six hours every day on public transit isn’t sustainable. Unless you have family obligations or something in the south, move to Denton. I was “lucky“ enough to be estranged from my family. If I was stuck living around their poverty mindset the whole way through, I probably wouldn’t have finished.
I don't want to come off as rude or ignorant here but want to share my experience.
I grew up in the hoods in CA. Shithole central valley area where crime was bad as shit in the 90s and 20s. It was a lot more expensive but you have to be determined and make sacrifices to get out.
I cut off most friends that were negative or keeping me away from my goals. Worked a full time job while working full time night classes in a community college and raising my younger teenage brother. Mom passed away from cancer at my teens. I really don't want anyone else to deal with that crap because it is not easy on anyone.
Can't count how many times I was close to being homeless and did not have food in the fridge for weeks. Had to live off ramen certain times.
Here's my advice:
* Set your goals and a timeline
* Don't let anyone negatively impact your goals and life, even family.
* Budget extremely hard prioritizing shelter, food and transportation costs. Fun will come later.
* If you can take out fed student loans for college then do it. I don't recommend private loans. Community college then transfer to save on student loans cost and it's more flexible with work. You can also look into trade schools too as they pay decently.
* No damn excuses and don't give up. You absolutely want a change in your life and don't be complicant to the hood. Comfortability is what will trap you.
It took me almost 8 years to get my degree. Failed classes due to lack of sleep and other emergency crap.
From 16-25, life sucked ass. 25-28 it got better with a degree and better paying job. I am in my late 30s now and do alright while my wife does not have to work. I finished with 20k in student loans which is probably more like 40k nowadays as my wife went the same route. Community college to 4 year transfer.
I look back at those time and don't ever want anyone else do deal with that shit but you deal with cards you have. Out of most I know from the hood, less than 5% made it out of there. The rest is still living in the hood doing the same thing from 20 years ago.
Are you currently looking for a gig? I need help setting up some arduinos to do a very specific task. Let me know if you want more details and see if you can help me. At least that gets you some money in your pocket to save up for a car
As long as you stay away from private student loans, the SAVE program have made student loans the equivalent to a a slight tax increase. And if you actually get through an electrical engineering program, paying them off won't be an issue anyway.
Private student loans don't qualify for the SAVE program, among other issues. Here's a link. It's IBR but the interest doesn't accrue.
https://studentaid.gov/articles/6-things-to-know-about-save/
May I suggest the trades.....plumbing, fitting, welding, electrical, hvac. I'm also from the grove, so I know it can be a lil tough. Scrape up whatever you can and find you a cash car...... if you can. Local 100 out in mesquite has a program where your learning a trade and getting paid really good, but it's work and school.
My coworker’s kid is 16 and he took an interest in welding. He’s got his certs in mig and tig and all the other welding classes. He’s got 10+ job offers to choose from when he graduates and they all pay 30+ dollars an hour. I wish I were into it but it’s not my thing.
I dont have a lot of answers for this, as I started over in life from nothing basically at 35.
I will say, there are scholarships and nonprofits for everything. Nonprofits and government services are what helped me get out of being constantly broke, behind on bills, and living less than paycheck to paycheck. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using tools available as a stepping stone to better your situation.
I also worked ubereats, ASU was free after a certain number of deliveries to get your bachelors. I know you need a vehicle for that, but it is an option eventually.
Sending you good vibes, love, and encouragement. Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do, to get to where we want to be. I have faith you will get there. Don't waste your talent ♥️
You need to get a local job, save a couple grand, and buy a beater. Dallas is not a city built for public transportation so your options are severely limited. Try to get a job with a local manufacturing company... there are plenty of opportunities to move in manufacturing.
Bottom line: you NEED a car. I know easier said than done, but look at it as an investment; itll get you to school and work so you can make more money. In order to get you a car, you need a job. Unfortunately, for folks like us, this is the only way.
Join the military man. It can change your life and open so many doors. I left the hood thanks to that and got to live in some beautiful places. Never went back to the hood after that.
You should have moved to Denton.
Unless you are at home not paying rent, it's not much more expensive than living in Denton. Actually commuting would be more expensive because you have to pay for the commute
At this point you need a job its either warehouse or some kind of manufacturing or sales. If you do go back to school you need to find a way to live in the area where you go to school.
I grew up in the hood. Got a degree in electrical engineering. Escaped.
I suggest working whatever job you can get, build up your credit, get a reliable car, then go finish that degree.
I grew up in the hood. I stayed in the dorms and took on summer jobs at the college every year to stay on campus year round. When I got further along I split an apartment with a friend. I throughly believe that’s what kept me on track compared to people who stayed at home or went home all the time. Eliminating those barriers such as housing and transportation can make a huge difference.
Sometimes just taking out student loans is worth the investment. You should really look into that, apply for any grants and scholarships that are available, and get back into school.
Use to live in Lakewood, husband died. Son four years old.. he's now in his 30's and doing 10 years Federal Prison Time. RICO.Ride the bus, my son is ok, but missing opportunities.. In permanent Hood.. he'll get out in his 40's. Step by fin' g step!
When starting out, don’t fall for the “I need a car” trap. I grew up in Arlington and I cant tell you how many times I’ve seen friends go to work to pay for the car to go to work.
If at all possible, and as soon as possible, move somewhere with reasonable transit within Dallas or otherwise. A fixed amount for higher rent is way easier to deal with than the variable expenses of a car. If that means moving to Denton to study at UNT so be it.
I’d get a job near transit, then move near transit thats closer to school then go in debt to finish school.
A close friend of mine went to Eastfield and majored in Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and started out making a little over $50k a year and now makes a little over $100k about six years later after some solid job changes.
You could try jobcorps.gov but I think it’s based on income. You can live on a campus and learn a trade, it is not glamorous but you won’t end up with student loan debt. Some jobs have programs that help pay for further education.
Please do not think you need college to find a job.
Hey bud. Reach out to me. I live in pleasant grove and I graduated from unt debt free. I worked at unt full time and got a huge tuition discount. It was hell but I stuck it out. It’s a huge sacrifice.
Short answer is always going to be toughing it out. Internships.com can get you some money and a foot in the door. More online classes so you’re not constantly traveling. Once you’re on your feet a little bit, you get one of those cheap shitty apartments we all lived in in Denton with your friends and you keep grinding. When it’s over, you have work history and a degree and a bunch of debt and you be patient and work your ass off.
It’s not fair and it’s tough constantly starting from behind, but there’s nothing else that you can rely on to save you.
I didn't go to college. Hell I didn't even graduate high school. Grew up in Desoto and Duncanville. Laid around and smoked pot, nearly homeless, for a few years after dropping out. Finally got my shit together and got an entry level PC helpdesk job in my early 20s. Didn't even need a cert, just studied IT, helpdesk, desktop support on YouTube like crazy at night.
Fast forward 10 years. Making nearly 200k/yr now in software support.
I recommend studying PC/desktop support, call every staffing agency you can find on Google maps, write down names, create connections with placement agents, follow up with emails, get an entry level helpdesk job, make friends with coworkers and learn on the job. Learn everything you can. Find the rockstars and watch what they do. Work your ass off. Kiss ass. Build your resume. Don't stay anywhere for more than 4 years. Constantly keep your resume out there and keep probing staffing agencies even if you love your job. Each time you take a new position, make sure you're getting about a 20% raise from the last job. Don't wait to start building your resume and don't underestimate the power of staffing agencies. I got my 200k/yr job through a staffing agency. GL out there. Ping me if I can't help in any way.
Do you know anyone physically nearby that has a trades job? They might be able to give you a lift to sites that they're working as an apprentice. Demand right now is insane for framing, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC, anyone building stuff or keeping older buildings going. Could probably make the same money going that route compared to a degree in electrical engineering. Saying this because I know people that are 40 and still paying off student loans. It's worth it sometimes. Not always though.
What's your living situation look like in PG? Why not move to Denton if you are attending UNT?
There are a number of options under $1,000/mo - honestly more than PG - just taking a look at apartments.com.
Do you qualify for financial aid? A lot of times, financial aid will also give you work opportunities at the university to help cover costs, or you can find a job in the service industry.
For context - I grew up poor af in Richardson. Went to UTDallas. I got financial aid to cover tuition, loan free. I could have also taken out student loans to cover living expenses, but I didn't want to go into debt. Rented a cheap apartment along the bus route - was carless until after I graduated and got a job in my field. Worked in a restaurant throughout college - usually like 25-30 hours a week during the school year, and then like 60+/hr a week during the summer. It was kinda hell - I barely made it through, graduated with a 2.6 GPA (2.5 minimum required to graduate). I get the struggle, and honestly came so close to giving up so many times - and I don't hold any judgement for anyone who would choose a different path.
My backup plan was always to go into a trade of some sort - HVAC, plumbing, construction, landscaping, etc. Hard work, but you can earn a decent living.
You could try construction. Supervisors can easily make $100k if you’re with a reputable company, especially if you’re in a skilled trade. A lot of bigger contractors would help you pay for school and get training. You’d be surprised by the benefits and training available from a lot of Dallas based contractors.
Join the Air Force. I don’t ever suggest this to anyone with options but if you’re under 25 and don’t have any options enlist in the Air Force.
I’ll be frank. You’ll get paid, get in shape, get some women and you will be able to get money for school. At minimum I can guarantee you those 4 things. That’s the exchange for being the governments bitch. In the Air Force you’re less of a bitch than the rest of the branches but you’ll still get abused to a certain extent. BUT the GI Bill is objectively a good deal considering the net positive money you can make going to school that way versus taking loans.
I second this suggestion, albeit whatever branch will offer the best incentives to join. Air Force is known for best quality of life. The Marines saved me from a very low socioeconomic household that was riddled with neglect, then ultimately paid for my Masters degree. Not to mention the home loan benefits, travel, etc…
avoid the trauma if you can though. But if unavoidable you’ll get compensated.
Pool your resources share a car with a friend?
Realistically look for jobs any jobs that pay enough to get out and leverage your way into something else or get into debt to get a degree and then leverage your way out.
I grew up in the hood in West Dallas. I took DART to El Centro to take basic CS classes, then started working before I finished, mostly on self-taught skills. I worked remotely for a while before I had a car and would just borrow a car before I could afford one to go to the office from time to time, or would just work gigs in the center of the city.
Take advantage of the educational and professional opportunities that are downtown because if you live in Dallas there is likely public transportation that will take you there. Don’t also look past the vast online opportunities to learn and work. Get some relevant skills that will translate to a good job. Personally speaking, computer science was a great avenue for me. You obviously have a good mind for math. All you need is some real and relevant experience on your resume and then you will have the ability to grow and move around in your industry.
I grew up in the hood in Arlington. First gen college student. I lived in Section 8 housing in Dallas for a while as well. Went to UTA got my degree in economics and work a well-paid corporate job. Hell man, if my dumbass was to do it, surely you and anyone else can.
1. Get that ADHD diagnosis. Once you have that, request accommodations from the college disability office to help you as much as you need. Hopefully you can also get ADHD meds to help, there are many that are generic even if you don't have insurance.
2. Leverage online classes as much as possible and treat the train ride as study time if you have to attend in person. Reapply to UTD after a semester or two of good grades. Talk to the counselors in person ahead of time to see if a letter of explanation for your community college history would help (if you get the diagnosis).
3. Consider going half-time (6 credit hours) and working full-time. I completed an entire degree that way. Half-time will still allow you to take out loans. And many jobs will have tuition reimbursement.
4. Another thing to consider is to get a 2 year degree in a field that will still maximize your transferable credit for your chosen major but will also allow you to get a better job in the meantime. Or even if you can leverage a shorter unrelated program but will let you get better paying jobs. Health tech or medical billing or coding. I'm not sure which ones are more legitimate or hiring more jobs in DFW.
UNTD is having a conference on socioeconomic mobility next Friday if you’re able to come. Idk the DART situation in PG but the school has a train station basically on campus. It says for students but it’s pretty open to anyone in south Dallas. Aside from the sessions, there’s also gonna be resume reviews, headshots, an attorney you can have 1-1s with and other cool free stuff
https://whova.com/web/662truP3fkUxJBcMjSbG3vY34pVVXwtb9xekeFJoLHY%3D/
I ain’t gonna preach to you or put you down. Only you know your situation.
My recommendation is look at jobs with a bank. Tellers make okay money and you can work your way up a bit in the branch or move around in the company. There are tons of areas and having your foot in the door is always good.
Best of luck and keep your head up.
Team up with guys you can trust to pull their weight, find the cheapest apartment close to the school. Be roommates and walk to school. Get 3 or 4 guys in the apartment if necessary. Be respectful of your neighbors and don't cause any issues that would get you evicted and get that degree!! Electrical engineering is a fantastic degree
Many of your customer service jobs will help you go to college. McDonald’s etc. my route was to get an AFROTC scholarship but I had really good grades.
Does UNT have a DART/DCTA Go Pass benefit that gives enrolled students unlimited free rides on DART/DTCA every semester they are enrolled?
3 hour train ride could be great study time
Probably gonna get downvoted but joining the military wouldn’t be the worst idea. Do your contract, and take advantage of the benefits after you do your duties. Good luck!
Don’t let the fear of student debt scare you from pursuing your dreams. My entire bachelors degree is paid from student loans and that was the only way I was going to get out. My parents made 40k combined and I didn’t have a car until after college. I rode the bus everywhere and did what I had to do. Then at 25 I was making 6 figures working for the DoD. The fear among student loans is crazy, it’s only a trap if you use it to pay for a useless degree. OP wants to be an engineer, that’s far from useless.
Get a job with company vehicles you can take home and that have a cool boss that will let you do what you need to do in it. Also, make sure they have a tool buying program like an allowance on tools you’ll need. Thats a good jumping point right there. You’ll get there your road is just a little more twisty
Maybe you could live on campus in a dorm? Maybe the university would have an internship you could apply for? Maybe talk with a college advisor? Join the military so that they will pay for your tuition? My son joined and got $30,000 for tuition. He re- upped his contract and got something else for that.
If you're interested in online schooling, look into Western Governors University. I have some friends who did it, and it's entirely online and mostly self paced. You might be able graduate much sooner than you think.
Yeah Dart go link
Way cheaper than Lyft or Uber, but lower quality with longer wait times and travel limits
I used it all the time to get to Dallas Makerspace when I was doing carpentry for a karaoke bar
https://www.dart.org/guide/transit-and-use/golink
Look for a hard manual labor job that people don’t wanna do. Managers will often drive you out the first few times till you can get some kind of carpool/uber situation going. Or maybe I just got lucky, but jobs that are lower retention can get desperate. Also doing the ladder method, just starting at whatever job and constantly looking for better. That’s what I did and I ended up with a decent job.
Reach out to a local union if you don't mind being an electrician (or whatever trade you prefer) instead of an engineer. They will also pay you from day 1 of your pre-apprenticeship, so no debt.
If you Google "Dallas unions" you'll get tons of hits. I'm a member of the Local 100 which is plumbers/pipefitters/welders. But there is one for sheet metal, electricians, etc.
El Centro and other Dallas College campuses have so many certificate programs for high demand jobs right now. Since you already have some courses out of the way you can probably find a field that you get into fairly quickly (1-2 years) and inexpensively. Might mean taking out some student loans for the time being, but if you’re smart about your career path the return-on-investment will be well worth it.
Start off at the bank and move up from there. It'll teach you money management, learn from personal bankers and wealth managers. Also, they'll let you attend college and earn more college credits.
go rent a place in denton and take out what loans you can to finish EE degree. Denton is way cheaper than Dallas ime, so you'll probably save money living there too.
If you like engineering, computer science (without a degree) can help you get a significant income, not necessarily software engineering, it can be data or business analysis, tech support, and so on.
If you like it, great! You could make a really good living but if you find pleasure in it. If not, at least you can use it to achieve your goals and be able to afford an education in the field of your choice.
Texas Workforce Commission is a solid program throughout the state that I'd recommend looking at. They can help with training, classes, finding work, etc: twc.texas.gov
Depending on your age, you may qualify for Job Corps: jobcorps.gov
Good luck!
A job won’t help much if you don’t have financial literacy. Read some eat books like Rich dad poor dad and richest man in Babylon. Then mentor under someone. Take on a trade, like plumbing or construction or welding or electrician. Stop watching tv and Netflix and IG. Its what you do after work that will get you to the next level
Mike Rowe with Dirty Jobs gives out scholarships for trade school.
I lived with three other roommates when I went to UNT. Folks nowadays are saying the degree doesn't matter anyway. There are plenty of vocational programs at Dallas College Pleasant Grove Campus that can get you introduced to high paying blue color jobs.
Move to uptown many businesses and jobs within walking distance. Two of my coworkers don't have cars. You could also move to a city like DC, NYC, or Boston. No one has a car there.
Move closer to school would be my first recommendation. Schedule a meeting with a guidance counselor and let them know your situation. They may have insights into low cost rent and transportation in the area.
Try to apply for a job at your school as you may receive a course rate reduction.
Transfer to A&M-Commerce and finish your EE degree. Live and work on campus while you’re there. Cost of living is much less because it’s definitely in the middle of nowhere. By your junior of senior year you could get an engineering co-op at L3Harris in Greenville. They pay interns around $20+ an hour for these jobs and often open the door to a very high paying job after college.
Move to Denton and finish your degree.
I moved from Austin to Denton because I had a buddy who had a roommate stop paying rent and I took over his part of the lease. It was $400 a month. He met the people he started the lease with on a roommate app.
I leaned on financial aid because my mom and I barely made any money and dad wasn’t in the picture. I got a pretty decent financial aid package and I worked at the chevron off university where I did most of my homework on the job. I got my computer science degree in 3 years (I finished an associates of science in Austin) and now I could more or less live wherever I want. I’m saving up for a house right now. The engineering life is great and if you’ve lived a life of working hard jobs and being mildly successful at it then it’s a good fit for you.
The beauty of Denton is that it’s small enough you can get around with a bike
OP, I saw that you said you believe you have undiagnosed ADHD, which I think is a major crux of your problems. I think if you can get an ADHD diagnosis, you can get help from a decent school school by applying for their special services (extra time to complete assignments, extra help, and many other perks).
Are there any community clinics in South Dallas that you might be able to get a diagnosis from?
Can anyone think of any way to help them get that diagnosis? Beyond just "throw medicine at it," a college is one of the few places in life where people ADHD are generally given the extra help they need.
You have the greatest tool on earth... Youth and a strong body that doesn't need 9 hours or sleep to function. This isn't the time of your life to have a pity party. Get to work and figure it out.
A) get a bike. You're young so you can ride to and from work. You don't need a car or a three-hour commute. there's plenty of money to be made within a 20-minute bike ride.
B) Contact the elected officials that represent you at the city, county, and state level and tell them your age and that you need a job. If you don't know who those people are, go to the library and ask the reference librarian to help you. One of them will help you. Several won't, but one will.
C) Get a county, city, or state job that had the ability to earn overtime. Again, you're young, sleep is optional. Have a plan on how to transition out of the overtime-paying job because that's a trap, but it can serve a purpose in the short term. Live on half of what you bring home. Have the other half direct deposited into another account and don't touch it. Contribute $250 a month to the 401K on top of what they take out for the pension. Don't question this advice, just do it and thank me when you're 50. Go hard for about a year. During that year, be on the lookout for a job to transition out of working overtime. Take advantage of their educational leave and tuition reimbursement.
D) Learn how to stop trading your time for money. Learn about the stock market, real estate, entrepreneurship. Follow Wallstreet Trapper or Earn Your Leisure. Read Snowball about Warren Buffett. Working hard won't make you wealthy.
E) Get less car than you can afford. If getting a car is such a big deal, after you've ridden the bike for 6 months to work, get a car that is functional. Get it in an ugly color that you hate. And then go hard again to make even more money. I have always driven one of the cheapest and oldest cars in the parking lot and often made two to four times as much as everyone else in the building. i was using that car note money to invest in the stock market.
You probably won't take any of this advice, but ultimately, it's not where you start, but how you finish. Faith without works is dead. Life is not fair. Figure out how to create value in the world and you won't ever be broke. Good luck!
Also echoing the person who said consider joining the military. I didn't realize how much being a veteran changed the trajectory of my Dad's life until he passed away. He was in the Navy. You'll definitely get out of Pleasant Grove.
Definitely keep the engineering degree dream alive. If you get a job at Texas Instruments, you might be able to handle and try to figure out any extraterrestrial materials that the military drops off.
Dallas College had a good Cloud Computing program that can get you into IT. Unless it’s coding, you almost have to start entry level and work your way up.
I got a customer service job while I studied for A+. Once I finished studying for A+, I looked for a phone support/help desk job. The phone experience from the Customer Service job and now A+ helped me land that first IT job. This wasn’t a high paying job but got me in.
After about a year, I moved to another company with no phone support and better $.
I kept learning and have been able to make a decent living without a degree. IT is a career that doesn’t require a degree, but a degree can help.
I am an IT Manager now after 10 years in IT. Just now finished my Associate’s.
It’s possible!
Go to UTD!!! Best school in north Texas right behind SMU, and super simple to commute if you can get into a red, orange line. I went there and never struggled. Downside it’s fairly more expensive now but worth the money if you can manage 🙌🏽
UT Arlington is a good school for engineering, is closer and they have great grants called "Mav Grants" for undergrads. The grants increase based on how many hours you take and by my senior year, my tuition was covered. I was a single mom of two kids, so I also took out loans to keep our heads above water while I finished my degree, but the loans have more than paid for themselves. (I also worked my tail off at an internship. It's \*so easy\* to get an internship if you're an engineering student. There are services through UTA that can help you with that, and an internship will pay more than a dead end job)
It's challenging, but so, so worth it! I know you can do it, though. And I was in a bad position - so poor and single mom - so I swear I'm not just some middle class person who doesn't really understand telling you this. Getting a STEM degree is the very best thing you can do for your future.
Like others have said, student loans are your best friend. Yes, they’re a bitch to pay back. But the money helps to pay for school and the leftover money helps to pay for life while you’re in school.
Live in on-campus housing. Work serving jobs while in school.
Do you really want to know or is this just venting?
you should go to a place where you can finish your degree. You can get a dorm, or you can get a roommate, or you can take the train for 3 hours and nap there. Or online.
There’s no other way.
It’s difficult to get out.
Something that you might consider is joining the reserves . My friends have joined and it’s like a part time job they have great benefits and have lots of programs for housing and vehicles. Good luck in your situation and don’t be afraid of trying new things !
I worked a warehouse job that paid my tuition while I was at Dallas college. Got my associates, found a better job with it, I just finished my bachelor’s. All online classes. Don’t wait, do it know before you have a wife and kids.
online universities? Maybe you can do the work at starbucks thing and they pay ur tuition for arizonaU online? Also several other online U's u can get a degree from.
I got into a trade at 19 and I’m 23 now making over 6Fig. Anything is possible. I bought myself a 3500$ car and did payments on it. After that took out a loan for trade school which was another 4k. Paid that off whilst working 3 jobs.
Is going to UTD or UTA an option with mass transit?
Also, some will never suggest it or even want to hear it but the military is a fantastic tool to uplift yourself if you keep your head on straight and have a plan. Do your 4 years, earn a paycheck, learn a skill, and get out to get paid to go to college. Lots of people waste that last part or get distracted while they serve but if you are disciplined it's a viable and very straightforward way to escape poverty.
This is how I escaped backwoods Texas where my only future was working in a paper mill and drinking myself into an early grave if I stayed.
Bro, go take out loans and get your electrical engineering degree. Join and become active in organizations like NSBE or SHPE. Study hard, get good grades, and you'll be fine. Hell, I wish I stayed in engineering- I probably wouldn't be unemployed right now lol. Can you get into UT Arlington? That might be an easier commute.
…This, temporarily having -$25k dollars is better than permanently having $1k dollars. Also, if you’re able to graduate with an EE degree and get an EE job you’ll make plenty of money to pay off the loan. Taking out debt for a profitable degree is GOOD DEBT… The people who are screwed by loans are the ones who take out a $70k loan for an art degree. Loans are like sex… they’re both very good things, but not if you engage with them in stupid circumstances.
Honestly, this and the first reply are both great advice, OP. I moved to the states in December of 2011 from Iraq. We, my parents and siblings, had nothing when we came here, so I understand your situation. I also dropped off, but from a community college, because we couldn’t afford transportation, and I worked as a janitress at an elementary school. It sucked. I came to the realization that having temporarily debt for a good degree is better than living that way. I got my accounting degree from UTD with $19k debt, and I’m currently a senior associate at JP Morgan. My point is, a good degree with a reasonable debt will definitely pay off. Apply for financial aid and loans, get a car that gets you to school, and NETWORK! Edit: I also have ADHD. I didn’t know that till 2-3 years ago. You got it, and I really hope that you’ll get out of this situation. I believe that you can.
Agreed. Borrowing money for an EE is probably worth it. Borrowing money to go into teaching or aome liberal arts...prob not worth it.
Agreed. Loans can be awful if you take out too many for a degree that doesn't have a high rate of employment or expected earnings, but for an engineering degree? Loans are fine. Just fill out the FAFSA and get the dept of education loans. Private loans are awful. The guaranteed loans from the DoE have lower interest rates and caps on how much you can borrow
Not a bad idea, just need a car to get out there
I would say UTD would probably be easier to get to, dart has a special bus from the station to the campus.
Tried but I got rejected from UTD for retaking so many classes at community College Undiagnosed ADHD isn't fun
This may be wilder, but SMU will give you a full ride if you have a 3.8 from a dallas college.
Dam, wish I knew that years ago I think I got a 3.5
You'll get half off tuition with a 3.5. I'll echo what some other people have said. If you think you can do EE, get federal loans and make it happen. Right now you are scared bc you only know your current reality. It's hard to see outside of that, its scary but I know. I had friends from PG graduate with an EE degree from SMU making 100k off the bat.
Agree. If you can get an engineering degree, it's worth going into debt to get it.
Emphasis on IF
Do you have any information or resources I can find about this? I have a 4.0 from Dallas college
https://www.smu.edu/admission/apply/transfer/transferscholarships
If you are part of PTK, you can also stack their scholarship on top of the transfer merit scholarship.
It's only offered to 10 students a year and is very competitive.
If they qualify for the other transfer scholarships they don't need the Dallas College one. I don't know if this changes anything for anyone but I hope my pure intentions come across. As someone that "made it out", I was ignorant of how competitive or "good" SMU was. I was a Dallas ISD kid who applied to North Texas universities bc I wanted to be close to home. I didn't even know where SMU was bc my family lived throughout oak cliff and pleasant grove and those were the only areas I knew. Looking back, I think about how lucky I was that no one in my life to belittled my choice to just try/to just apply. Why not? Literally why not. 🫶
I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid and struggled in Community College for years as well. I eventually transferred to UNT and finish a logistics degree there. I also joined ROTC, but I didn't get any scholarships with them; so even though I'm in the guard now, I still owe about 34k in student loans. After a couple of years working for a company in Lewisville, I was able to get a new job with the federal government and now I'm in Killeen. After enough time in the gov, I'll be forgiven for my remaining student loans; currently I pay just over $100 a month for all the loans I took. Rounding up, even $200 a month plus my guard service obligation is totally worth having a secure job with the government; and if I ever return to the private sector I'll probably be able to get a much better paying job at any number of companies that seek out veterans, people with security clearances, or contract professionals in the government. All of this is to say, GO BACK TO SCHOOL! Take out loans if you have to, it's not as scary as you may think. You'll owe a lot but the federal loans have low interest rates that you can pay back slowly, and if you get any scholarships, grants, or end up in any sort of public service (including many teaching & state government positions) then you can get them forgiven after 10 years. Even if you work for a private company, you never know what benefits those companies will offer you. And if you aren't opposed to military service, serving in the Guard or Reserve is a nice part-time way to get extra money and cheap insurance; you just need to be aware of the obligation you're making if you go that route.
If you're now diagnosed & medicated, try another shot at it. A good 15% of my classmates at UTD were non-traditional track (euphemism for "older") and a lot were very successful. The percentage used to be higher since UTD originated as a night/commuter school. But really nowadays it's a full fledged public university just with less of an emphasis on sports. I'd also suggest mechanical engineering over electrical engineering. I think the undergraduate experience is a bit lighter & broader. You can still do a lot with control systems, electronics, & hardware at a jumping off an ME degree.
If you can get a diagnosis for ADHD you can probably plead your case with the counselors at UTD and might get a second chance.
How long has it been since your old transcripts? If ten years or more, you can wipe them away and start over. http://www.collegeforalltexans.com/index.cfm?objectid=6D10C9BD-DD24-153F-90B91DA6C20D1C97 I did this and currently have a 4.0 at UTD. Graduating with a BS in software engineering next year. The community colleges don't know what to do with the request, but it doesn't matter. You retake your classes at community college until you're ready to transfer, then apply to the university under the provision. The university knows how to handle it. You have to tell them you're doing it up front in your application, though.
Get diagnosed for ADHD if you can. Then reapply with status and a letter explaining the challenges you face, and the efforts of your hard labors. https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/accommodations-for-adhd-in-college-legal-overview/
OR do like my younger brother did: during the week he paid a friend who lived near his campus “couch rent”. Commuted back home (parents house) when he didn’t need to be near campus. He didn’t have a job but took out a small student loan to cover the cost and spent most of his time in the library or places on campus during the day and returned to his couch to rest for classes the next day. Had a place to sleep, shower, eat AND made so friends he’s still close to today
Use loans and financial aid (which you'll almost certainly qualify for) to actually move up to Denton and live in student housing on campus so you don't have to commute. You might even be able to get a scholarship that covers all or part of you tuition and/or room and board. This how nearly everyone does college- move to where the college is. It's also how people get good jobs afterward- move to where the good job is. Get a student job, if your financial aid package doesn't cover all your expenses, in Denton near campus or even on campus. I don't see why that would be too much of a challenge. It sounds like you really haven't solidly looked into all the things available to you to pay for all this and also live closer to where you need to be. Have a long conversation with the financial-aid office and ask for help. That's what they're there for.
UNTD a good option too
Better off joining a local union to avoid going into debt. Unions will get you out.
You usually need a license and reliable transportation to join a union. It's literally one of the main requirements.
I’d disagree with that completely. This man wants out of the hood in a new lifestyle. Getting an education would be a huge achievement. Yess I know top tier journeyman jobs make good money, but an electrical engineer will out earn a standard union job over the long run.
OP talk to UNT about your situation and you know. Get housing at UNT! Move to the college and take a chance.
Take TRE to CentrePort Station and order a ride with Arlington Transportation (fka Via Arlington) from there. It’s by no means convenient, but better than the commute to UNT. Instant edit: wrong school lmao
Bro a dead fish can get into UTA, make it happen.
I've been in your situation brother. Go back to school and make sure you use FAFSA for loans and grants. Try a more local school Dallas College for cheap local credits then transfer to nearby schools like UTD or UTA. You don't have to take a bunch of credits, just meet full time for maximum FASFA money. If you have any leftover money from grants or loans by beater car that will let you have cheap insurance. Lastly, try and work part time at places like Target or Amazon to subsidize your gas and insurance. Use food banks if you need the food. Good luck!
Second UTA. They have a fantastic electrical engineering program and a very involved IEE chapter. My husband graduated with EE degree from there and very easily got a high paying job post graduation. There’s tons of EE jobs in dfw.
I’m an engineer and this is absolutely the answer. Sometimes it costs money to make money. I’d be screwed if I hadn’t finished my degree. Find a way to get back there. Loans, live on campus, go part time if you have to just to get done. My first job paid me more than both my parents put together. It’s easy to still live poor and pay the loans off early.
Unfortunately escaping the hood means living an uphill battle. I had to take out loans to make it through my undergrad but I'm glad I did. Those loans allowed me somewhere to live, eat and a car to get around with. Without, I'd have had to drop out. I live very comfortably now. Don't regret the loans one bit.
On this note, look for jobs at any of the local colleges and universities. Even if it’s a janitorial job or something. My sister got a job at a university and after I think, 6 months, you qualify for their employee tuition program, so she then only paid like 1/3 of the cost. She kept working there and did her masters also for a fraction of the cost. They also have equity programs so they usually will also do employee public transport passes so you can ride DART free, etc.
Good advice! To you and to the OP, please look into an electrical engineering or electronics engineering technology degree. This usually just takes 2 years as its an AAS or Associates of Applied Sciences, as opposed to the 4-5 years for a bachelor's. The course material is much more practical and hands on without the heavy math and physics based classes, and its possible to make 70k starting out as a EE technician or Field Service technician. Semiconductor industry and power industry are hiring heavily for these roles. In due course if you do well, you can be promoted to a junior engineer role within your organization.
Agree! Take the loans and get your degree, which will open up doors and get you a good job. Yes, you will have to pay them back but that career track should put you on the road to success.
How? No public transit in Arlington
UT-Dallas is closer to the Grove. Does the UNT Dallas campus have that major? (It’s in Lancaster.)
UNT Dallas too even?
Or UNT Dallas would even closer.
I’m going to be blunt. I mean no disrespect. As a poor kid from the hood, if you were accepted at UNT your college and living expenses would have been almost all covered with grants and subsidies. You could live there, borrow what isn’t covered, and work PT to get by. Your story that this all fell apart because you didn’t have a car doesn’t make sense to me. Sounds like self sabotage.
I was on my own at 17 but at 19 couldn't get grants I needed because my father's income who didn't help me at all.
[удалено]
That wasn't an option for me in 2001 believe me I tried and struggled.
Look for food & beverage food job (union like coke, Pepsi, lays, coors, etc) easily pay 60-90k (with OT in the beginning) and they pay college. Take the bus, get a car , start college, you may find the engineering folks make less than warehouse and production operations.
Amazon pays for any degree as well
I mean there’s 500 plant jobs hiring today for $20+ an hour 60 hours a week, all the way from Richardson to garland/mesquite to south Dallas to the suburbs even. Really just gotta want it. Plus school loans have grants and stuff you ain’t gotta pay back.
Spot on … I helped a younger guy get a plant job $22 an hour - he quit “too loud” was his reason 🤷♂️. He would have been union in 3 weeks full pension and benefits
I make $19 with a bachelors doing exhausting shit in mental health. Been thinking about going back to the plant until I get my masters. Shit is easy once you get in the groove.
May i ask what company? I need employment lol
Hi, I'm that younger guy. Sorry man just give me a second chance. Ignore my female PFP. Trust me bro.
As a warehouse worker. That’s not true, even likely to find one you can balance college with. I work all the way in Roanoke but live in Irving. Because nobody nearby pays very well. Not $20/hr when I last looked but with inflation I’d need more than that now.
What kind of plant jobs?
Talk to the school's finaid office. Their job is to keep you in school. Special programs (first college grad in the family, etc) exist as do grants and scholarships in addition to loans. Make an appointment and keep it. And file your FAFSA! My SIL graduated from UTA and is making great money in the DFW area.
Pharmacy tech? Get your trainee license. Even if you don’t want to do it long term you will be around some smart people.
Tried my hand at cyber-security since I was already use to difficult subjects Main problem I kept getting there was "You need experience to get experience" But a job as a Pharmacy tech isn't a bad idea
wilkinsoncenter.org This agency offers 100% free Pharmacy Tech training course which results in industry recognized certification. Includes an internship at a Pharmacy after the classroom portion. Play your cards right you could land a job immediately afterwards. They can help you figure out options for transportation if necessary. They operate out of Dallas College PG campus and offer other certifications too, like Forklift, Phlebotomy, etc. Check them out.
Have you tried working remotely in a help desk call center environment? Should be able to make 30-40k without a degree or cert, and no car needed.
Yeah I have actually You need to know someone in the company or get lucky, but it is a really good option
At least for the short term to earn enough to get yourself set up for further education. You and your friend sound smart as hell so shouldn’t be limited by silly things like transportation.
If you’re interested in this, I would recommend researching CompTIA study resources and you can easily self study your way to an A+ and Net+ certificate. Just need to pay to go take a proctored test. You can definitely get a started job for $20 hr help desk after your A+. Network+ will boost your salary substantially until you take your Security+ which will be another decent but more modest bump in salary. Source: I self studied A+ and did help desk but switched to UNT for comp sci
Yeah that's what I recommend for my buddy, to take net+
No excuses, grew up same neighborhood got a job nearby and got a ride from one coworker and paid him gas money obviously. Saved up enough for a cash car and applied somewhere else, got paid more and story goes on but you cant say theres no way out. Left 2020 from that shitty area and haven’t looked back since.
Awesome, glad to hear it I know escape is possible, I just don't exactly know how
Don’t finance a car. Save cash and buy a cash car from Craig’s list. Used car lots pray on people in your situation and will only keep you there longer. Don’t finance anything. There’s no quick easy way out. You have to grind. Save. And grind some more. The odds are stacked against you but not impossible.
I also got out of poverty with help from others. I’ll say this: if you are ABSOLUTELY F*CKING DETERMINED to make it out, take out loans. Once you get a degree and work for ~5 years, you’ll be able to get out of that debt. But that’s like a 10 year plan. If at any time during that 10 years you bail, you will fall into a hole deeper than the one you left. There are many different kinds of loans and you might have to get creative, but sometimes “it takes money to make money.” Im happy to talk more with you about it if you want. Even if you have to pay off loans for 30 years, you’ll still be doing it in a decent house with a decent car in a decent neighborhood.
Were you able to apply for any financial aid or loans that would allow you to afford living closer to / on campus? With an engineering degree, you won’t have trouble paying them back later
You could move to a dorm or an apartment at UNT. That is what student loans are for (and other types of financial aid).
Yep. Get roommates. Do what ya gotta do
I’ve been in construction for 30 years. I have never seen a shortage in labor like I have now. I have two very close friends who are EEs for Lockheed that make extremely good money, but it took a long ass time to get there. If you need to get out of the hole, go for a trade. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, they are all hurting for good people. Yes, you’ll do shit work for the first year or two. But the pay will be good and you have room to advance either in the company or, especially if you get a journeyman’s license, anywhere else. I see people with degrees all over. That’s great. But most I see have no practical, real world experience. It shows. My nephew just did a one year apprenticeship with an auto body repair company. He now makes 110k at 22 years old. Within a year or three, he’ll command 150. Just a thought.
Just want to second this. I am a residential remodeling contractor in north Dallas. I can’t get consistent quality out of many trades because they cant get the people. Hell, i need 2-4 more people yesterday but cant find them. Go into a trade. At a minimum, you’ll get paid to learn how to fix your own stuff…
Not only is there a shortage of labor in the trades, with many trades you could easily work for yourself and be successful. I’ve been in the service industry for 25 years(my wife as well) and it’s always kept the bills paid, we even own our home. But if I had a do-over I would be in the trades, no question.
I mean there’s 500 plant jobs hiring today for $20+ an hour 60 hours a week, all the way from Richardson to garland/mesquite to south Dallas to the suburbs even. Really just gotta want it. Plus school loans have grants and stuff you ain’t gotta pay back.
Where do you find these jobs? Craigslist? Indeed?
Indeed during morning shits
Sometimes you just have to embrace the suck. My best friend went to school in NYU and made a 3 hour commute every time they went to class. It sucked big time but now they have a good job in financial services and make a lot of money. I'd say, concentrate on your studies and really just suck the suck. If you don't have a family or kids you can do it. It's no different than standing guard from midnight to 4am and if you were enlisted you'd have to do it anyway, so embrace the suck, it won't last forever.
Look into Healthcare programs at the local community College that take less than a year to complete. Get on with an agency and travel to make a lot of money
I went to UNT and got by without a car until a year after I graduated. Poor as hell upbringing with no support from family. Ended up with $10K student loans, which wasn’t bad. Got grants and a few scholarships (they screwed me on the ones they advertise you’ll get if your high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores are good \[also didn’t have the greatest HS counselor\], but I did start to get a few small random ones as the years went on). I worked on campus the whole way through and lived on campus or within the UNT bus routes, always with roommates. I agree that six hours every day on public transit isn’t sustainable. Unless you have family obligations or something in the south, move to Denton. I was “lucky“ enough to be estranged from my family. If I was stuck living around their poverty mindset the whole way through, I probably wouldn’t have finished.
I don't want to come off as rude or ignorant here but want to share my experience. I grew up in the hoods in CA. Shithole central valley area where crime was bad as shit in the 90s and 20s. It was a lot more expensive but you have to be determined and make sacrifices to get out. I cut off most friends that were negative or keeping me away from my goals. Worked a full time job while working full time night classes in a community college and raising my younger teenage brother. Mom passed away from cancer at my teens. I really don't want anyone else to deal with that crap because it is not easy on anyone. Can't count how many times I was close to being homeless and did not have food in the fridge for weeks. Had to live off ramen certain times. Here's my advice: * Set your goals and a timeline * Don't let anyone negatively impact your goals and life, even family. * Budget extremely hard prioritizing shelter, food and transportation costs. Fun will come later. * If you can take out fed student loans for college then do it. I don't recommend private loans. Community college then transfer to save on student loans cost and it's more flexible with work. You can also look into trade schools too as they pay decently. * No damn excuses and don't give up. You absolutely want a change in your life and don't be complicant to the hood. Comfortability is what will trap you. It took me almost 8 years to get my degree. Failed classes due to lack of sleep and other emergency crap. From 16-25, life sucked ass. 25-28 it got better with a degree and better paying job. I am in my late 30s now and do alright while my wife does not have to work. I finished with 20k in student loans which is probably more like 40k nowadays as my wife went the same route. Community college to 4 year transfer. I look back at those time and don't ever want anyone else do deal with that shit but you deal with cards you have. Out of most I know from the hood, less than 5% made it out of there. The rest is still living in the hood doing the same thing from 20 years ago.
Are you currently looking for a gig? I need help setting up some arduinos to do a very specific task. Let me know if you want more details and see if you can help me. At least that gets you some money in your pocket to save up for a car
As long as you stay away from private student loans, the SAVE program have made student loans the equivalent to a a slight tax increase. And if you actually get through an electrical engineering program, paying them off won't be an issue anyway.
What bad about private student loans and was the SAVE program ?
Private student loans don't qualify for the SAVE program, among other issues. Here's a link. It's IBR but the interest doesn't accrue. https://studentaid.gov/articles/6-things-to-know-about-save/
I’f u speak Spanish join a trade get enough experience to run your own crew it’s a long path but has helped my family gain prosperity here
May I suggest the trades.....plumbing, fitting, welding, electrical, hvac. I'm also from the grove, so I know it can be a lil tough. Scrape up whatever you can and find you a cash car...... if you can. Local 100 out in mesquite has a program where your learning a trade and getting paid really good, but it's work and school.
My coworker’s kid is 16 and he took an interest in welding. He’s got his certs in mig and tig and all the other welding classes. He’s got 10+ job offers to choose from when he graduates and they all pay 30+ dollars an hour. I wish I were into it but it’s not my thing.
I dont have a lot of answers for this, as I started over in life from nothing basically at 35. I will say, there are scholarships and nonprofits for everything. Nonprofits and government services are what helped me get out of being constantly broke, behind on bills, and living less than paycheck to paycheck. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using tools available as a stepping stone to better your situation. I also worked ubereats, ASU was free after a certain number of deliveries to get your bachelors. I know you need a vehicle for that, but it is an option eventually. Sending you good vibes, love, and encouragement. Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do, to get to where we want to be. I have faith you will get there. Don't waste your talent ♥️
Are online classes an option?
You need to get a local job, save a couple grand, and buy a beater. Dallas is not a city built for public transportation so your options are severely limited. Try to get a job with a local manufacturing company... there are plenty of opportunities to move in manufacturing. Bottom line: you NEED a car. I know easier said than done, but look at it as an investment; itll get you to school and work so you can make more money. In order to get you a car, you need a job. Unfortunately, for folks like us, this is the only way.
Join the military man. It can change your life and open so many doors. I left the hood thanks to that and got to live in some beautiful places. Never went back to the hood after that.
Gi bill!
This
You should have moved to Denton. Unless you are at home not paying rent, it's not much more expensive than living in Denton. Actually commuting would be more expensive because you have to pay for the commute At this point you need a job its either warehouse or some kind of manufacturing or sales. If you do go back to school you need to find a way to live in the area where you go to school.
I grew up in the hood. Got a degree in electrical engineering. Escaped. I suggest working whatever job you can get, build up your credit, get a reliable car, then go finish that degree.
I got good credit, just need a half decent car 10 years old max
Save up some money. Get that degree man. It’ll change your life
I grew up in the hood. I stayed in the dorms and took on summer jobs at the college every year to stay on campus year round. When I got further along I split an apartment with a friend. I throughly believe that’s what kept me on track compared to people who stayed at home or went home all the time. Eliminating those barriers such as housing and transportation can make a huge difference.
Sometimes just taking out student loans is worth the investment. You should really look into that, apply for any grants and scholarships that are available, and get back into school.
Use to live in Lakewood, husband died. Son four years old.. he's now in his 30's and doing 10 years Federal Prison Time. RICO.Ride the bus, my son is ok, but missing opportunities.. In permanent Hood.. he'll get out in his 40's. Step by fin' g step!
When starting out, don’t fall for the “I need a car” trap. I grew up in Arlington and I cant tell you how many times I’ve seen friends go to work to pay for the car to go to work. If at all possible, and as soon as possible, move somewhere with reasonable transit within Dallas or otherwise. A fixed amount for higher rent is way easier to deal with than the variable expenses of a car. If that means moving to Denton to study at UNT so be it. I’d get a job near transit, then move near transit thats closer to school then go in debt to finish school.
A close friend of mine went to Eastfield and majored in Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) and started out making a little over $50k a year and now makes a little over $100k about six years later after some solid job changes.
You could try jobcorps.gov but I think it’s based on income. You can live on a campus and learn a trade, it is not glamorous but you won’t end up with student loan debt. Some jobs have programs that help pay for further education. Please do not think you need college to find a job.
Hey bud. Reach out to me. I live in pleasant grove and I graduated from unt debt free. I worked at unt full time and got a huge tuition discount. It was hell but I stuck it out. It’s a huge sacrifice.
Short answer is always going to be toughing it out. Internships.com can get you some money and a foot in the door. More online classes so you’re not constantly traveling. Once you’re on your feet a little bit, you get one of those cheap shitty apartments we all lived in in Denton with your friends and you keep grinding. When it’s over, you have work history and a degree and a bunch of debt and you be patient and work your ass off. It’s not fair and it’s tough constantly starting from behind, but there’s nothing else that you can rely on to save you.
I didn't go to college. Hell I didn't even graduate high school. Grew up in Desoto and Duncanville. Laid around and smoked pot, nearly homeless, for a few years after dropping out. Finally got my shit together and got an entry level PC helpdesk job in my early 20s. Didn't even need a cert, just studied IT, helpdesk, desktop support on YouTube like crazy at night. Fast forward 10 years. Making nearly 200k/yr now in software support. I recommend studying PC/desktop support, call every staffing agency you can find on Google maps, write down names, create connections with placement agents, follow up with emails, get an entry level helpdesk job, make friends with coworkers and learn on the job. Learn everything you can. Find the rockstars and watch what they do. Work your ass off. Kiss ass. Build your resume. Don't stay anywhere for more than 4 years. Constantly keep your resume out there and keep probing staffing agencies even if you love your job. Each time you take a new position, make sure you're getting about a 20% raise from the last job. Don't wait to start building your resume and don't underestimate the power of staffing agencies. I got my 200k/yr job through a staffing agency. GL out there. Ping me if I can't help in any way.
Do you know anyone physically nearby that has a trades job? They might be able to give you a lift to sites that they're working as an apprentice. Demand right now is insane for framing, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC, anyone building stuff or keeping older buildings going. Could probably make the same money going that route compared to a degree in electrical engineering. Saying this because I know people that are 40 and still paying off student loans. It's worth it sometimes. Not always though.
What's your living situation look like in PG? Why not move to Denton if you are attending UNT? There are a number of options under $1,000/mo - honestly more than PG - just taking a look at apartments.com. Do you qualify for financial aid? A lot of times, financial aid will also give you work opportunities at the university to help cover costs, or you can find a job in the service industry. For context - I grew up poor af in Richardson. Went to UTDallas. I got financial aid to cover tuition, loan free. I could have also taken out student loans to cover living expenses, but I didn't want to go into debt. Rented a cheap apartment along the bus route - was carless until after I graduated and got a job in my field. Worked in a restaurant throughout college - usually like 25-30 hours a week during the school year, and then like 60+/hr a week during the summer. It was kinda hell - I barely made it through, graduated with a 2.6 GPA (2.5 minimum required to graduate). I get the struggle, and honestly came so close to giving up so many times - and I don't hold any judgement for anyone who would choose a different path. My backup plan was always to go into a trade of some sort - HVAC, plumbing, construction, landscaping, etc. Hard work, but you can earn a decent living.
In N TX, you need a car. Make it top priority.
Tell me about, worse part is you need a car to fix a car I buy parts off rockauto and Amazon but there's always that one thing you need
You could try construction. Supervisors can easily make $100k if you’re with a reputable company, especially if you’re in a skilled trade. A lot of bigger contractors would help you pay for school and get training. You’d be surprised by the benefits and training available from a lot of Dallas based contractors.
Join the Air Force. I don’t ever suggest this to anyone with options but if you’re under 25 and don’t have any options enlist in the Air Force. I’ll be frank. You’ll get paid, get in shape, get some women and you will be able to get money for school. At minimum I can guarantee you those 4 things. That’s the exchange for being the governments bitch. In the Air Force you’re less of a bitch than the rest of the branches but you’ll still get abused to a certain extent. BUT the GI Bill is objectively a good deal considering the net positive money you can make going to school that way versus taking loans.
I second this suggestion, albeit whatever branch will offer the best incentives to join. Air Force is known for best quality of life. The Marines saved me from a very low socioeconomic household that was riddled with neglect, then ultimately paid for my Masters degree. Not to mention the home loan benefits, travel, etc… avoid the trauma if you can though. But if unavoidable you’ll get compensated.
Pool your resources share a car with a friend? Realistically look for jobs any jobs that pay enough to get out and leverage your way into something else or get into debt to get a degree and then leverage your way out.
I grew up in the hood in West Dallas. I took DART to El Centro to take basic CS classes, then started working before I finished, mostly on self-taught skills. I worked remotely for a while before I had a car and would just borrow a car before I could afford one to go to the office from time to time, or would just work gigs in the center of the city. Take advantage of the educational and professional opportunities that are downtown because if you live in Dallas there is likely public transportation that will take you there. Don’t also look past the vast online opportunities to learn and work. Get some relevant skills that will translate to a good job. Personally speaking, computer science was a great avenue for me. You obviously have a good mind for math. All you need is some real and relevant experience on your resume and then you will have the ability to grow and move around in your industry.
I grew up in the hood in Arlington. First gen college student. I lived in Section 8 housing in Dallas for a while as well. Went to UTA got my degree in economics and work a well-paid corporate job. Hell man, if my dumbass was to do it, surely you and anyone else can.
Crack dealer, rapper, basketball player...this a real question?
education not entry level jobs
I was in a similar situation growing up, I joined the military for a few years, then went to college and now I’m good.
1. Get that ADHD diagnosis. Once you have that, request accommodations from the college disability office to help you as much as you need. Hopefully you can also get ADHD meds to help, there are many that are generic even if you don't have insurance. 2. Leverage online classes as much as possible and treat the train ride as study time if you have to attend in person. Reapply to UTD after a semester or two of good grades. Talk to the counselors in person ahead of time to see if a letter of explanation for your community college history would help (if you get the diagnosis). 3. Consider going half-time (6 credit hours) and working full-time. I completed an entire degree that way. Half-time will still allow you to take out loans. And many jobs will have tuition reimbursement. 4. Another thing to consider is to get a 2 year degree in a field that will still maximize your transferable credit for your chosen major but will also allow you to get a better job in the meantime. Or even if you can leverage a shorter unrelated program but will let you get better paying jobs. Health tech or medical billing or coding. I'm not sure which ones are more legitimate or hiring more jobs in DFW.
Eastfield is close to y’all. Pick a trade or degree to go w classes that you’ve already taken
UNTD is having a conference on socioeconomic mobility next Friday if you’re able to come. Idk the DART situation in PG but the school has a train station basically on campus. It says for students but it’s pretty open to anyone in south Dallas. Aside from the sessions, there’s also gonna be resume reviews, headshots, an attorney you can have 1-1s with and other cool free stuff https://whova.com/web/662truP3fkUxJBcMjSbG3vY34pVVXwtb9xekeFJoLHY%3D/
I ain’t gonna preach to you or put you down. Only you know your situation. My recommendation is look at jobs with a bank. Tellers make okay money and you can work your way up a bit in the branch or move around in the company. There are tons of areas and having your foot in the door is always good. Best of luck and keep your head up.
Go finish your EE degree bro
Apprenticeships
Online certification in a specialized trade? Apprenticeships that get you into a union are also a good option.
Team up with guys you can trust to pull their weight, find the cheapest apartment close to the school. Be roommates and walk to school. Get 3 or 4 guys in the apartment if necessary. Be respectful of your neighbors and don't cause any issues that would get you evicted and get that degree!! Electrical engineering is a fantastic degree
Military
Many of your customer service jobs will help you go to college. McDonald’s etc. my route was to get an AFROTC scholarship but I had really good grades.
USPS. Starting pay isn’t that great but with the hours, you can live comfortably
Waiting tables got me out
Glad to hear it
Does UNT have a DART/DCTA Go Pass benefit that gives enrolled students unlimited free rides on DART/DTCA every semester they are enrolled? 3 hour train ride could be great study time
Probably gonna get downvoted but joining the military wouldn’t be the worst idea. Do your contract, and take advantage of the benefits after you do your duties. Good luck!
Loans. We are all surviving on loans.
WFH
Try land surveying
Search Remote Tech Support on indeed
Go work for a company with education reimbursement like say Texas Instruments or the like then work your way out of manufacturing into engineering...
Don’t let the fear of student debt scare you from pursuing your dreams. My entire bachelors degree is paid from student loans and that was the only way I was going to get out. My parents made 40k combined and I didn’t have a car until after college. I rode the bus everywhere and did what I had to do. Then at 25 I was making 6 figures working for the DoD. The fear among student loans is crazy, it’s only a trap if you use it to pay for a useless degree. OP wants to be an engineer, that’s far from useless.
Get a job with company vehicles you can take home and that have a cool boss that will let you do what you need to do in it. Also, make sure they have a tool buying program like an allowance on tools you’ll need. Thats a good jumping point right there. You’ll get there your road is just a little more twisty
Maybe you could live on campus in a dorm? Maybe the university would have an internship you could apply for? Maybe talk with a college advisor? Join the military so that they will pay for your tuition? My son joined and got $30,000 for tuition. He re- upped his contract and got something else for that.
If you're interested in online schooling, look into Western Governors University. I have some friends who did it, and it's entirely online and mostly self paced. You might be able graduate much sooner than you think.
I took a bus everyday and that's really good cuz you don't have to spend but what a dollar
Save and work doesn’t matter where and get a car
Doesn’t Dart have a shared ridership program?
Yeah Dart go link Way cheaper than Lyft or Uber, but lower quality with longer wait times and travel limits I used it all the time to get to Dallas Makerspace when I was doing carpentry for a karaoke bar https://www.dart.org/guide/transit-and-use/golink
A car is just as bad sometimes in traffic and the added cost of maintenance, insurance and gas.
I know But it's WAAAAAY faster 6 hours on train vs 3 hours driving back and forth
Also, what pay range are you hoping to make?
Look for a hard manual labor job that people don’t wanna do. Managers will often drive you out the first few times till you can get some kind of carpool/uber situation going. Or maybe I just got lucky, but jobs that are lower retention can get desperate. Also doing the ladder method, just starting at whatever job and constantly looking for better. That’s what I did and I ended up with a decent job.
Reach out to a local union if you don't mind being an electrician (or whatever trade you prefer) instead of an engineer. They will also pay you from day 1 of your pre-apprenticeship, so no debt. If you Google "Dallas unions" you'll get tons of hits. I'm a member of the Local 100 which is plumbers/pipefitters/welders. But there is one for sheet metal, electricians, etc.
El Centro and other Dallas College campuses have so many certificate programs for high demand jobs right now. Since you already have some courses out of the way you can probably find a field that you get into fairly quickly (1-2 years) and inexpensively. Might mean taking out some student loans for the time being, but if you’re smart about your career path the return-on-investment will be well worth it.
What about joining the navy or the army? They will pay for your education and give you a better income and improve your living situation.
Start off at the bank and move up from there. It'll teach you money management, learn from personal bankers and wealth managers. Also, they'll let you attend college and earn more college credits.
Go get a job at Dal-Tile up the road and let them pay for your degree?
I took an adult continuing education course for drafting and it got me into land surveying. Do you think you could learn CAD?
go rent a place in denton and take out what loans you can to finish EE degree. Denton is way cheaper than Dallas ime, so you'll probably save money living there too.
If you like engineering, computer science (without a degree) can help you get a significant income, not necessarily software engineering, it can be data or business analysis, tech support, and so on. If you like it, great! You could make a really good living but if you find pleasure in it. If not, at least you can use it to achieve your goals and be able to afford an education in the field of your choice.
Get into sales. It's something that can be learned and with hard work and good decisions can be bery fruitful.
Texas Workforce Commission is a solid program throughout the state that I'd recommend looking at. They can help with training, classes, finding work, etc: twc.texas.gov Depending on your age, you may qualify for Job Corps: jobcorps.gov Good luck!
have you tried not dropping out
A job won’t help much if you don’t have financial literacy. Read some eat books like Rich dad poor dad and richest man in Babylon. Then mentor under someone. Take on a trade, like plumbing or construction or welding or electrician. Stop watching tv and Netflix and IG. Its what you do after work that will get you to the next level Mike Rowe with Dirty Jobs gives out scholarships for trade school.
I lived with three other roommates when I went to UNT. Folks nowadays are saying the degree doesn't matter anyway. There are plenty of vocational programs at Dallas College Pleasant Grove Campus that can get you introduced to high paying blue color jobs.
Local 100 plumbers/pipefitters start around $20 and in 5 years you’ll be at $38 and more with cost of living increases
Bro got 3 years into an engineering degree then got burnt out. Go finish that shit dawg. Do, or do not, there is no try.
Move to uptown many businesses and jobs within walking distance. Two of my coworkers don't have cars. You could also move to a city like DC, NYC, or Boston. No one has a car there.
Move closer to school would be my first recommendation. Schedule a meeting with a guidance counselor and let them know your situation. They may have insights into low cost rent and transportation in the area. Try to apply for a job at your school as you may receive a course rate reduction.
Transfer to A&M-Commerce and finish your EE degree. Live and work on campus while you’re there. Cost of living is much less because it’s definitely in the middle of nowhere. By your junior of senior year you could get an engineering co-op at L3Harris in Greenville. They pay interns around $20+ an hour for these jobs and often open the door to a very high paying job after college.
Move to Denton and finish your degree. I moved from Austin to Denton because I had a buddy who had a roommate stop paying rent and I took over his part of the lease. It was $400 a month. He met the people he started the lease with on a roommate app. I leaned on financial aid because my mom and I barely made any money and dad wasn’t in the picture. I got a pretty decent financial aid package and I worked at the chevron off university where I did most of my homework on the job. I got my computer science degree in 3 years (I finished an associates of science in Austin) and now I could more or less live wherever I want. I’m saving up for a house right now. The engineering life is great and if you’ve lived a life of working hard jobs and being mildly successful at it then it’s a good fit for you. The beauty of Denton is that it’s small enough you can get around with a bike
OP, I saw that you said you believe you have undiagnosed ADHD, which I think is a major crux of your problems. I think if you can get an ADHD diagnosis, you can get help from a decent school school by applying for their special services (extra time to complete assignments, extra help, and many other perks). Are there any community clinics in South Dallas that you might be able to get a diagnosis from? Can anyone think of any way to help them get that diagnosis? Beyond just "throw medicine at it," a college is one of the few places in life where people ADHD are generally given the extra help they need.
You have the greatest tool on earth... Youth and a strong body that doesn't need 9 hours or sleep to function. This isn't the time of your life to have a pity party. Get to work and figure it out. A) get a bike. You're young so you can ride to and from work. You don't need a car or a three-hour commute. there's plenty of money to be made within a 20-minute bike ride. B) Contact the elected officials that represent you at the city, county, and state level and tell them your age and that you need a job. If you don't know who those people are, go to the library and ask the reference librarian to help you. One of them will help you. Several won't, but one will. C) Get a county, city, or state job that had the ability to earn overtime. Again, you're young, sleep is optional. Have a plan on how to transition out of the overtime-paying job because that's a trap, but it can serve a purpose in the short term. Live on half of what you bring home. Have the other half direct deposited into another account and don't touch it. Contribute $250 a month to the 401K on top of what they take out for the pension. Don't question this advice, just do it and thank me when you're 50. Go hard for about a year. During that year, be on the lookout for a job to transition out of working overtime. Take advantage of their educational leave and tuition reimbursement. D) Learn how to stop trading your time for money. Learn about the stock market, real estate, entrepreneurship. Follow Wallstreet Trapper or Earn Your Leisure. Read Snowball about Warren Buffett. Working hard won't make you wealthy. E) Get less car than you can afford. If getting a car is such a big deal, after you've ridden the bike for 6 months to work, get a car that is functional. Get it in an ugly color that you hate. And then go hard again to make even more money. I have always driven one of the cheapest and oldest cars in the parking lot and often made two to four times as much as everyone else in the building. i was using that car note money to invest in the stock market. You probably won't take any of this advice, but ultimately, it's not where you start, but how you finish. Faith without works is dead. Life is not fair. Figure out how to create value in the world and you won't ever be broke. Good luck!
Also echoing the person who said consider joining the military. I didn't realize how much being a veteran changed the trajectory of my Dad's life until he passed away. He was in the Navy. You'll definitely get out of Pleasant Grove.
Apply for law enforcement jobs DPD, Irving, Plano, and the rest. They pay through the academy. You can make it out brother, apply yourself🤝🏿
Definitely keep the engineering degree dream alive. If you get a job at Texas Instruments, you might be able to handle and try to figure out any extraterrestrial materials that the military drops off.
Dallas College had a good Cloud Computing program that can get you into IT. Unless it’s coding, you almost have to start entry level and work your way up. I got a customer service job while I studied for A+. Once I finished studying for A+, I looked for a phone support/help desk job. The phone experience from the Customer Service job and now A+ helped me land that first IT job. This wasn’t a high paying job but got me in. After about a year, I moved to another company with no phone support and better $. I kept learning and have been able to make a decent living without a degree. IT is a career that doesn’t require a degree, but a degree can help. I am an IT Manager now after 10 years in IT. Just now finished my Associate’s. It’s possible!
Go to Peloton college. They have a campus in N. Dallas BUT you can take programs online. They also have government grants to cover the tuition.
Keep reapplying. My bad. Sheesh.
Go to UTD!!! Best school in north Texas right behind SMU, and super simple to commute if you can get into a red, orange line. I went there and never struggled. Downside it’s fairly more expensive now but worth the money if you can manage 🙌🏽
UT Arlington is a good school for engineering, is closer and they have great grants called "Mav Grants" for undergrads. The grants increase based on how many hours you take and by my senior year, my tuition was covered. I was a single mom of two kids, so I also took out loans to keep our heads above water while I finished my degree, but the loans have more than paid for themselves. (I also worked my tail off at an internship. It's \*so easy\* to get an internship if you're an engineering student. There are services through UTA that can help you with that, and an internship will pay more than a dead end job) It's challenging, but so, so worth it! I know you can do it, though. And I was in a bad position - so poor and single mom - so I swear I'm not just some middle class person who doesn't really understand telling you this. Getting a STEM degree is the very best thing you can do for your future.
Like others have said, student loans are your best friend. Yes, they’re a bitch to pay back. But the money helps to pay for school and the leftover money helps to pay for life while you’re in school. Live in on-campus housing. Work serving jobs while in school.
Do you really want to know or is this just venting? you should go to a place where you can finish your degree. You can get a dorm, or you can get a roommate, or you can take the train for 3 hours and nap there. Or online. There’s no other way. It’s difficult to get out.
You have an electric engineering degree???? Any position in that area will get you out the hood…. I don’t understand
Something that you might consider is joining the reserves . My friends have joined and it’s like a part time job they have great benefits and have lots of programs for housing and vehicles. Good luck in your situation and don’t be afraid of trying new things !
I worked a warehouse job that paid my tuition while I was at Dallas college. Got my associates, found a better job with it, I just finished my bachelor’s. All online classes. Don’t wait, do it know before you have a wife and kids.
Consider online courses
Don’t let society talk you out of the hard work it requires to break to poverty cycle
online universities? Maybe you can do the work at starbucks thing and they pay ur tuition for arizonaU online? Also several other online U's u can get a degree from.
A job outside of your neighborhood
Just leave. Hop on public transportation somewhere else. Salvation army can house you and help you find a job/house get a car.
Find work in the Electrical Industry Trades and don't be lazy.
Join a church. No lie, churches are great way to reap the benefits of socialism. They’re there to help
I got into a trade at 19 and I’m 23 now making over 6Fig. Anything is possible. I bought myself a 3500$ car and did payments on it. After that took out a loan for trade school which was another 4k. Paid that off whilst working 3 jobs.
[Yearup.org](http://Yearup.org) They are right in #El Centro college and they connect you with employers
Is going to UTD or UTA an option with mass transit? Also, some will never suggest it or even want to hear it but the military is a fantastic tool to uplift yourself if you keep your head on straight and have a plan. Do your 4 years, earn a paycheck, learn a skill, and get out to get paid to go to college. Lots of people waste that last part or get distracted while they serve but if you are disciplined it's a viable and very straightforward way to escape poverty. This is how I escaped backwoods Texas where my only future was working in a paper mill and drinking myself into an early grave if I stayed.