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Taking SAT as an 45 year old adult, one man's account


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The brain damage I suffered from my seizures is healing quite a bit. I think I'm still disqualified from funds for college because of my severe PTSD symptoms, but I have decided to start an intense prep for getting into college, anyway. It's going to take at least 2 years of steady work to get ready, and who knows what can happen in 2 years, right?

 

I'm planning on taking some SAT practice tests in about a year.

 

My brain was too fragmented to be able to do the multistep and analytical activities required of high school texts up until now. It's really thrilling to me to be able to work at this level again. It wasn't enough to try and remediate what got fried out, general healing had to take place, for the brain to work better as a whole.

 

So I know I'm coming at this from a different perspective than some of you, but I'm looking forward to taking at least some practice tests for the SAT when in my upper 40's.

 

Even if the people with the money declare me too sick to waste funds on, I want to do this anyway, just...because. I helped both my boys get ready for college, and some friends, and then even helped them do their homework while in college, but I have never taken a single college course myself, and I want to.

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> I think I'm still disqualified from funds for college because of my severe PTSD symptoms,

 

>Even if the people with the money declare me too sick to waste funds on, I want to do this anyway, just...because. I

 

I have PTSD, so I was alarmed by what you wrote that I have quoted above here.   What agency would disqualify you because you have PTSD?  I suspect there are programs for people like you, to help them, but I am not sure about that. Are you in contact with the Rehabiliation agency of your state government?  GL

 

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It's not the FAFSA funds that I've been disqualified for. The rehabilitation agency for my state says they cannot "waste" money on me. I carry diagnosis of "treatment resistant", "severely disabled" and "not expected to recover". And I think unofficially "major pain in the butt". The neurologist called me "unlikable". :lol:

 

I just want to quietly work on my basic skills for this year, and next year start prepping for tests and continuing to work on my skills. Then if I think I can get a decent score on some tests, I'll take the tests, and bring those tests with me to an advocate that will fight for the agency to work with me.

 

I work with an agency that services homeless and formerly homeless women, and women with severe mental disabilities. They are FIGHTERS. I don't want to even tell them what I'm working on. I want to get further along in the process before I try and get some help from them. This agency also sometimes provides scholarships.

 

I think I'm only planning on junior college and don't need the SAT to get into the junior college. But i think a good SAT score will give my advocate something solid to work with.

 

And I could start seizing badly again and undo all the progress I've made, so…I just want to quietly do my thing for right now. It's hard for others to watch me struggle so hard, and sometimes they throw their personal disappointment onto my already heavy burden.

 

I so wanted to throw my Saxon algebra book this morning. The problem wanted just the LATERAL surface area, not the TOTAL surface area. It took 6 tries and a page of calculations before I figured that out. I'm old for this amount of frustration, especially before 8 o'clock in the morning. Sigh!

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I can relate. I had some anesthesia effects the fogged my sequencing and memory for a few years.  Playing bridge, a totally new game to me (except for high card or trump takes the trick) was very helpful in getting the pathways re-defined. I'm now picking up my musical instrument and retrieviing that way too.

 

For SAT prep, try McGrawHill. Of everything ds has looked thru, that book has the least amount of fluff and good review.

 

Do check on the funding; the one thing I"ve learned is don't make assumptions when it comes to college, check things out. You may be pleasantly surprised, but in any case it is helpful to know the rules ahead of time.

 

Walking, knitting, 2 handed drawing and so many other things help the brain heal. I have done some research, but not a lot. I just keep trying to nourish the mind, body and soul every day.

 

Thanks for the McGrawHill tip!

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It's not the FAFSA funds that I've been disqualified for. The rehabilitation agency for my state says they cannot "waste" money on me.  

 

 

Based on other posts you've made about being low income, I would imagine you qualify for 'regular' financial aid for college. I don't see why you would have to go through the rehabilitation agency at all. Just go through FASFA and the college itself. 

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I don't know. All my other friends needed at least a bit more than FAFSA. FAFSA covered the bulk, but not everything.

 

My older son had very generous FAFSA but still had to work to pay for the rest of tuition, books and health insurance. I remember him handing the school over a $1000.00 for the first semester, and that was before books. Hundred of that was insurance though, which I don't have to worry about.

 

After that first semester I made his dad allow me to sign us up for free healthcare. No 16 year old should have to buy his own health insurance, to be allowed on a campus. It was bad enough he had to pay tuition and buy books. It made him study harder I think, but...Dad's pride just had to take a backseat.

 

I have one friend with student loans to pay off, after FAFSA, the rehab agency, and generous help from the school that REALLY wanted her there.

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