Education after High school. What'd you do whats your plans

[Red Ink AUS]

WOW seems like it aint easy trying to get an eduaction for yourself over there without $$$$. There are plenty of eternal academics here in oz that pretty much devote their lives to research due to the system here, as once a university takes you on as a PhD student they pay you lol. It's not unheard of of retiries here in OZ going back to univeristy and getting degrees just to fill in the time lol.

Janie there's plenty of room here in OZ so it's never too late.

Sandra, yep we have a system called medicare for every australian citizen. I have not had to pay a GP for the past 10 years for check ups lol. If I break my leg out in the middle of the outback as long as I have paid my ambulance membership they will fly a chopper out there pick me up drop me off to the nearest hospital for a check up and the most i would have to pay are the meds (as long as it's a public hospital, 90% of them are).

 

[crypticdragons]

I have to visit australia still but have already decided that if me and the wife enjoy it we will be retiring there after i retire from the military

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Man I should get paid by the OZ govt for increasing tourism lol.

 

[crypticdragons]

Not to burst your bubble but I fell in love with the idea of moving to oz long before joining this or any other forum. National geographic sparked that love affair lol

 

[Justus85]

Yes the GI Bill fully covers all college tuition and books. The newer version (Post 9/11) also pays you a basic allotment for housing (BAH) of which the amount depends on your zip code. Developed areas tend to pay the most BAH because of higher estimated cost of living. But believe you me, it is anything but "free". I paid for it with 4 years of not getting into any trouble whatsoever while in the marine corps and two tours to Iraq. Brian knows they don't tolerate any slip ups. Get a dui, pop on a drug test, show up late too many times, mouth off at a superior.....you're gone. The list is much more extensive I just summarized. And all this time I could have done that "National Guard" thing and gotten the same benefits for one weekend a month. Lol. But I'm more proud of my service and took a lot from it.

 

[staylor]

I did not mean free as in no cost at all I meant free as in no money out of your pocket. Most of my friends are Army and Navy so I know military give up a lot to serve our country and I am grateful for that. One of my friends got did something, I forget what, when they were in Iraq so they had to do PT in front of the heater, and many other horror stories from the their times over seas and here in the States.

 

[Justus85]

O I didn't mean that to look like it was aimed at you Staylor, sorry. I just hear that a lot. "Free college from the government". Reading about free government schooling in Oz reminded me of that. Actually heard somebody say that today in my math class and he said, man I should have joined the Army, complaining about having school loans etc. i told him "no you dont" lol. Yea they do some messed up stuff sometimes. We call that "hazing" and it isn't tolerated anymore fortunately. I got a little taste of it when I first came in. Like one time they made me clean my room until 3am and i had to be at work at 5am lol. Hey Brian, ever heard of Chinese field day?

 

[crypticdragons]

cant say that I have

ever hve to makeit rain?

 

[Craiger]

Wow, Francis! It's amazing that the gov't will cover the cost of a higher education like that. Some close friends of ours are putting their son through University of Missouri-Rolla for architectual engineering and it's going to cost them around $120,000 ($17,000 for the first semester alone).

 

[Justus85]

naw i havent made it rain. chinese field day was take every piece of furniture in the barracks room and move it outside onto the cat walk. not just once but multiple times and repeatedly cleaning the floor and walls between moves. then they would inspect find some minute spec of dust, and rinse and repeat lol.

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Yeah it's nice that they do that but aint excatly "free" as you will have to pay it back once you reach a certain wage bracket. The downside to this system is limited university placements for peeps without $$$$. If you pay the university upfront you will be guaranteed a place (that's not what they say but that's what happens in reality), no matter how much of a dumbA$$$ you are, pay them they'll put you in then flunk you and say good bye. Each university course here has a value or scores (similar to SATs), so for example to do medicine you need an enter score of 98.9 which means a single A- during your time in 11th and 12th grade and your out as you wont make the score. The high school subjects are equated values as well as in specialist mathematics will have a higher score than regular maths. An A in regular maths is the equivelant score of a C or a D in specialist maths. Some university courses also require you to do pre-requisite subjects in high school. I.E to become an engineer here (or accepted into the course) you must have done physics, higher maths etc..., and a good score in english. Without these pre-requisites being done even if you make the course value you will not be accepted. Forces high school kids to repare properly and choose wisely about where they want to go outside of school for further studies.

 

[staylor]

I would still like that kind of college program here instead of the way our student loans work. They don't care if you are only making $7.00/hr, if you owe them $500/month they want all of their money when its due or they will take it out of your check.

 

[Craiger]

Yeah, I understood the payback method, Francis. I'm just still in awe that the government gives you guys the free ride up to that point....and interest free at that! Here, not only are you required to start making payments on student loans once you graduate (including a short grace period)....there's an interest rate tacked on as well. So...the longer you take to pay it back, the more it's going to cost you.

Good to hear of the incentive program to excel in high school over there.

 

[Boogiesmom]

OK I will Play. I hated school. I mean really hated it. Graduation day was one of the best days of my life. I received my degree from the school of hard knocks. I worked this job and that. I had my children early. Then when I was 25 I answered a part time ad. I worked there for 20 years moving myself up to "Director of Finance" I managed all the accounting including Spain and China. Five people worked for me and I reported to 12 owners. You could not do that today. I had to retired because of my kidney condition. I can no longer hold a full time job but I am very excited because on he 11th I start my new career as a Humane Society volunteer. We are a no kill state. So that is my story..

 

[valkryja]

Haha, I feel like such a child when I come here. I'm going into my last year in high school right now, and just starting to look at colleges. I'm interested in pursuing a career in video game art and animation, and right now I'm trying to balance school-searching with all of the classes I'm taking this year. I also have to get started on a portfolio, if I want to be accepted into any good animation programs. I'm academically sound, but so many colleges won't even look at you if you don't have a nice fat portfolio and resume stocked with prior experiences with the field you're looking at. :\ Ah, so much work ahead of me.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Val... from what little I understand of those educations... Japan would be the highest rated if I remember right...
I also have an 18 year old.. and he can turn his hand to some very lovely hand drawn works.. He too, is a gamer nut... Just like Momma... lol