The only thing I would add is to not let the fact that you're not good at math or you don't like math keep you away from the field of nursing or some of the other medical professions that require you to take math, chemistry and "regular" biology as requirements. I spent years trying to avoid having to take those courses but I finally bit the bullet and worked hard and got through them. Just beacause you don't like math and find it difficult doesn't mean you can't get through those introductory courses. Some of it is just developing the good study skills that will help you get through ALL of your college courses, and some of it is developing a certain type of discipline that is required in the medical field--you're going to be dealing with people's lives so you have to be able to deal with a certain amount of stress and stay cool and focused. I teach those intro bio courses and I find a lot of students drop out because they think they have to get all A's or nothing, but B's are fine as long as you don't get a lot of C's and no D's, (there's really no excuse for a "D" since my students who get D's always do so because they don't do a significant portion of the work.) They also drop out because they get frustrated and discouraged during the first year or year and a half, but anyone who has made it through will tell you once you get over that hurdle the rest is fun. Also don't get distracted by all the med. school neurosis that some students carry around with them. One step at a time gets you to where you want to be, which is the lesson I learned on my field ecology course halfway up Mt. Kootenai. Believe me Bobby, I have some type of math dyslexia, I can barely write my own phone number correctly, but I made it through advanced algebra and trig. and chemistry and all of that. I got a LOT of HELP, which is the other reason a lot of students crash and burn, they think they have to do it all themselves and they don't take advantage of tutoring and study groups and the like. The students that do well in my class are the ones hanging around the learning center working with tutors or in study groups with similarly disciplined colleagues, or are in with the professors every week getting help. Honestly, knowing what a math-o-phobe I was in high school my friends were very surprised when I went into science. So if I can do it ANYBODY can. I did it by staying focused on my long term goals and working my buns off, but it was well worth it! A lot of students who are not naturally good at math can do well if they PRACTICE enough. They just need to spend more time at it than some people. That was my secret. And once you get into a groove with those first tough classes, everything else will seem like CAKE CITY! Props to my math genius brother for coming down to stay with me for whole weekends at a time while I was in college and making me work problem after problem, and giving me advice on the phone practically every night. He was in HIGH SCHOOL and was doing the same problems as I was doing in college. I lived in a dorm across from the Chem. building and I was in the help room a couple nights a week and during the weekdays sometimes for hours at a time preparing for tests. But it wasn't too bad, I made a lot of good friends with my fellow students. I think you will enjoy school now, after a few years away. Most of my older students really seem to like school. They know why they are there and don't sweat the small stuff. Anyway, the point is, with any difficult subject you have to take, where there is a WILL, there is a WAY! The staff at a good community college are totally dedicated to that concept, which is why you will really like going back!

>> But the point I was making is whether you should be buying it with foodstamps. I may be out of line, but if you're buying on someone else's dime, you should make that dime stretch as far as you can.Why do you automatically assume that food stamp recipients are buying food on someone else's dime? You don't know why they are receiving FS and you don't know for how long. For all you know, the FTR could be employed but still eligible for FS. They could be members of the the Armed Forces Services. Heck, they could have just been laid off from a long term job/employer. They could be seniors/or not on Social Security.. or SC Disability. All of those examples paid taxes, too. So, where do you get the idea that you should feel ripped off, somehow? And maybe it's none of those things. I don't think it is your business what they buy to eat. I find this attitude to be stingy, mean spirited and very very judgmental. Do you have kids? I don't, and yet, my taxes go towards lots of GS only kids use. >> I would think you could buy a lot more chicken than lobster for the same amount of money. Lobster might be healthy, but it ain't cheap! Even here in Boston! ;)They probably could, that's true. But it's still their choice, not yours. And FWIW, lobster can be had cheaply in the summer time here. Last summer we were able to buy chix at 2.99 per pound. Once or twice we managed to get it at 1.99 pound. And our local north shore restaurants had triples for 15 bucks as a special run twice a week. That's 5 bucks per lobster...not expensive at all. I don't know if you've lived here all of your life. I have. I do think that you have most likely never had to suffer the humiliation of food stamps. Or endured the looks and stares of disapproval, as strangers feel entitled to survey the contents of your grocery cart. Often they will even have the gall to make comments, quite frequently those comments are said in front of small children. Lastly, you would be amazed to see the most vocal anti welfare folks in this neighborhood rant and rave how "those" people get everything for nothing. All the while these folks who have very good paying municipal jobs (with fine benefits) that they got solely based on some sort of connection.. and that connection doesn't just give them one good job. Nope, I know families who have firefighters, cops, EMT'S and crossing guards... not to mention uncles or aunts working at city hall and have been told that any one of their kids that have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, they need only place a call letting the PTB know that they are now in need of a job. And despite of this.. these favored and connected families not only justify but brag about their kids getting free lunch.. and LOUDLY scream about "those welfare cheats" at the same time.As far as I can see, there are many more cheats with city jobs. Theft is theft... stealing is stealing. Those with connections just get a pass. It's legalized theft and it is so ingrained that the connected have a total disconnect..they don't see what they do as thievery. Hey, this wasn't anywhere near as bad as a post I saw on another forum that basically said, birthday cake and even cupcakes for little kids BD'S paid for with FS put her over the edge... turned her into a republican from a life long democrat. Really, if a cupcake for a little kid put her into such a tizzy.. well, I say she was just livin' in the closet of denial. Me? I say you all spend way too much time feeling entitled to scrutinize "CERTAIN TYPE" folks grocery carts. Admit it... you know you do. I find all of this sad, very sad. Silly ~~~although, nothing silly about any of this

We had the same issue with my oldest daughter. She skipped 1st grade, but 2nd grade was still too easy for her academically. She struggled with "executive function skills," though, like remembering which folder to use, where to turn in her papers, etc. At that age, her reading tests showed she was at the 8th grade level, but I don't know how much stock I put into tests. Mid year, I pulled her out to homeschool her. We homeschooled for a few years. I was very happy we did even though the social aspect was a HUGE struggle. We are surrounded by groups who HS for religious reasons. The co-op classes were either very far (and I had other young children) or based on religion (which affected everything, but esp. science). Same with the social groups-- they'd have you sign a statement of faith to join. My daughter isn't esp. social, though, and she loved being able to learn what she wanted on her terms. When I was pregnant with my 5th child, my daughter and I decided it would be better for her to go to school. She didn't skip when she went back, though she really regrets it now as a HS sophomore. (Her choice.) I knew that with so many young children, I wouldn't be able to give her what she needed, esp. since the social part was such a problem. She returned to school with zero issues and was still way ahead academically. Anyway, my point is that if 1st grade doesn't work out, you can always HS for a few years, even a year. For her, the benefits were tremendous. No one says it has to be forever!

Hi Anglophilia, There are two veterinary schools in Scotland: The University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh. Both are highly respected, very prestigious schools of veterinary medicine. English universities are totally different in their degree programs than American universities. One is not better than another, just different. These schools are probably highly competitive for British students who are right out of high school. For students who already have a college degree from the U.S., I suspect the standards for those students are much lower than for American vet schools. So, I would have no problem going to a British vet who attended such a school, but I think it's best to avoid an American who had to go abroad for such an education. Why not just ask him why he chose to go to veterinary school in Scotland? If he went abroad for reasons that seem obvious, do you actually believe he would tell me the truth? Besides, the fact that he doesn't even list his degree on his vet Web site speaks volumes. And after the terrible (and costly) treatment I received from him, I'm completely done with him, so there won't be any future conversations. ;) I'm sure that admission to these schools is highly competitive. For British students right out of high school, yes. Also, if you haven't done so, please read the article I posted earlier about the U.S. accreditation of foreign vet schools being controversial. Many think it has involved a bending of standards, because U.S. undergrads are required to have a science background that it would be almost impossible for any foreign high-school student to have.