vulturine

First of all, the transcripts I bought don't reflect the grades on my report cards from high school, and second of all I apparently need an in-depth background check which includes all police records. I've been picked up or held for mental health reasons, domestic abuse or public intoxication 20 times.

I'm such an idiot, seriously. Feeling depressed again because I thought I could straighten my life out. There's no way of removing those police reports.

vulturine

I just found my high school transcripts today, and they are all messed up. Missing my chem course, incorrect dates, wrong grades...man.

DG0409

Try not to freak out about it. You can talk to your high school and straighten out the transcript issue.

As to the criminal record, the schools I went to never required a background check so if you can't get into this college, try another.

It will all work out somehow and as long as you stay sober things will get better for you.

vulturine

I'm not even allowed to leave this country by air, sea, or land anymore because of this thing. The department of homeland security wants me to take a $1000 test to see if they'll let me leave Canada.

Alcohol really screwed up my life. Employment, school, travel. All screwed.

Anna

As far as the college applications, that should be something you can straighten out. Your high school will have records and you can get the transcripts straightened out and accurate. Maybe the program you are applying for requires an in-depth background check, but there may be other programs, or other schools that don't require it. Keep working at it and don't give up.

FreedomCA

Your best option is to accept the fact that alcohol has ruined your life up to this point and now start a fresh sober life and try your best to make the best of it.

miamifella

Things may be screwed for now, but not forever.

The transcript issue can be corrected.

The police record is harder, Maybe it will make it harder to get into school this year--or maybe not. Even if they prevent acceptances this year, remember that even admission directors like a happy ending. If you keep getting your life together and keep your record clean, in a year or two overcoming the wreckage of your past can make you a better candidate.

Just keep working on what you can do now.

When I got out of rehab, I had nothing. All of my big goals were beyond my reach. I was alone in a strange town with no money. It felt like my life was over.

The first thing I did was to get a crappy job. Then after I was able to feed myself and get a phone, I looked for a better job. Then I got a better one. It took a few years to get where I wanted to be. But I was eventually able to do it.

I had crashed my life and there were consequences. But with time, I was able to get my life back on track.

What worked for me was making the goals bite sized. I might not have been able to get a job that paid well and had benefits right away. But I could work in a store. I could save up for a car. I could save up to move. I could look for a better job. etc.

I learned a lot during the tough years, and I do not regret them. But at the time, it really did feel like things would never get better.

But they did.

fini

vulturine,
you CAN straighten your life out; you just can't change your past . Those two things are not the same, and if you don't keep that in mind you might fall into the trap of thinking it is hopeless. it is not. even if you cannot do what you expected to right now, or ever, there are a million other things you can do, all while continuing to straighten out your life.
don't give up!

MythOfSisyphus

Hang in there, Vulturine! It's not a lost cause, you can get past this and get on track.

SnazzyDresser

Don't get discouraged, vulturine. Nobody has a perfect record. Colleges would be lucky to have you, keep after it and make it happen.

tomsteve

you are NOT an idiot!

HelenofTroy

This is what I was thinking as well. Find something that doesn't require a background check, and if you still want to pursue your original program down the road I would imagine that the longer you are able to keep a clean record the less important your previous arrests will be. The key there is showing that those are truly behind you, and that can only really be done with time.

Mountainmanbob

The wreckage of my past was a heavy stone but, the longer I stayed sober it melted away like molten rock.

M-Bob

bexxed

Bummer.

You can straighten it out. The one thing that will guarantee that you don't straighten it out is if you drink and continue to raise hell.

Are you sober? Do you go to AA meetings? I bet if you do you could talk to the authorities and take the steps to straighten it out.

Aellyce

Hi vulturine,

I would have the same question as bexxed. Are you sober now? Is your mental health managed? I would just get any legal and non-dangerous job(s) that pays the bills for now and focus on making sure that you get on a relatively reliable and stable track with sobriety and those personal issues that caused problems in the past. Then in the meantime you can work on straightening out the transcripts and finding college programs that do not require a flawless record, the travel thing etc.

Mountainmanbob

Possibly? Seek a counselor at your school (once you get accepted) and then share all of your problems with them and ask for help and guidance.
M-Bob

Conquest

(((Vulturine))) There will be quite a few hoops to jump through (phone calls, letters, lines to stand in) but don't give up! Just take it one task a time. And I'm wondering if there are any online classes/programs available, just to knock out some of the basic credits for now, maybe from a junior college?
Wishing you so much success...Keep at it!

Unwound

Your post immediately called out to me because when I was much younger I too was certain I had ruined my life beyond all repair. I distinctly remember thinking (and feeling sad) that I would never drive a car, have a decent job, be able to have my own property or pets because I was a self-destructive addict.

I was wrong: If you are prepared to give yourself a chance, other people will too and no matter how bad things have been you can turn it around. I do currently have a high-status well paid job, I own my own home, have a family, pets, friends, all the things that seemed impossible then because I had “ruined my life”.

It is never too late to start digging up! The sooner you do things will start to get better and one of the greatest things about people is that when they see you are really trying at it they will rally around for you.

I would be honest with your applications and your interviews: Yes you have had problems, yes you know that makes you a risk, yes you are working to get them resolved. If someone said that to me: I would let them try.

Good luck and keep trying.

vulturine

Hi guys. I tried to fix some things, but I'm lost again. :/ I can't be unemployed for another year, I'm sick of sitting around.

Unwound

Is distance learning an option that could work for you? Or are there alternatives to college ? I never got a degree because of the mess I made of life when I was much younger but it hasn't stopped me doing anything (made it harder yes, but not impossible). Particularly in business: results are way more important than your background as long as you are prepared to work hard.

Don't give up.