Chi Speak

My little sister called me today -  in tears. She was accepted into a four-year-university only to have her dreams shot down. The program she wanted to major in is no longer being offered. Instead, the school wants to place her in a field that is remotely related to her intended academic desires, but completely takes off in a different direction. She would not even get to work with her intended population if she went there. It is a scientific course regimen as well, which makes me think that her and I are actually related at times – we both dislike science and math. She was very disheartened and said, “I don’t even want to go to college anymore, Ray.”

Well, as her big sister, I would hear none of that. I found a community college that will let her study what she wants and luckily enough, she still has time to apply. There is no doubt in my mind against her being admitted into their program. Her major is an elusive one only because the nearby colleges that have it are difficult to get into and are too far away from our hometown. Our parents want her to commute from home. I told her that going to a community college does not mean she isn’t good enough for a 4-year. I suspect that she was feeling a bit low on herself and I don’t want her to think that she has some character flaw. Didn’t she prove herself already by gaining admittance into a 4-year? I told her that perhaps she had lacked in motivation and confidence in herself to apply to colleges outside of our parents’ and her boyfriend’s comfort zones, but it doesn’t mean she should resign herself to a program she has no interest or particular skill in. I want her to succeed in college. She would be happy at this CC. They actually have a well-developed curriculum and I feel that she would be able to transfer into an even better 4-year once she successfully completed the transitory coursework at a junior college first.