Read Online A Little Less than Famous by Sara E. Santana - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sara E. Santana
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figuring it out sometimes.”
I felt like she was lying to make me feel better but I nodded. “I just don’t want to keep wasting my time and money if there isn’t a direction to it. I’ve thought about possibly transferring to a university but I wouldn’t know what to do once I got there. I don’t even have a major and my grades aren’t fantastic. Then I think maybe I’ll just get my associates degree but it just doesn’t feel like it’s enough.”
“Well, your transcript isn’t too bad. The first year or two that you were here weren’t great but you’ve made a lot of those classes up and we can fill out the necessary forms to replace the passing grades over the failing grades. Any Cal State university would be happy to have you, and I’m sure Cal State Fullerton would be a good choice for you.”
“University is expensive though, and I’m not sure that I could afford to go there, especially since I have no real purpose going there,” I explained.
“Well, how about this then?” Sandra said and I flinched some. How bout this was one of my mom’s key phrases. She pulled out a sheet of paper and starting writing things down. “Let’s get those bad grades factored out of your GPA and then we’ll set you up with some classes in the spring that’ll help you get closer to a transfer. At the end of this semester, we’ll meet again and we’ll discuss what your options are and what you would like to do with them. As long as you continue to do as well as you have been doing and you keep that GPA up, I think you’re in a good spot for transfer.” She slid the paper across the table.
I picked up the paper and looked at the list she had created for me. “You make it sound so easy.”
Sandra took off her glasses and laid them on the desk. “What about all this scares you?”
I scoffed. “Scares me? Nothing about it scares me.” She raised her eyebrow at me. “It’s not that it scares me, necessarily. It’s more…well, I can’t go on being the assistant manager of a diner forever. I mean, I love my dad and I enjoy the diner but is that all I’m ever going to be good for? Is that all I’ll be known for?”
“Do you feel like you’re obligated to your father, to work in the diner?”
“No!” I said, quickly. “But also, yes. Luke wants the best for me, I know he does but sometimes I think he just expects me to take over the diner once he’s retired. And as much as I want the diner and I would hate for it to be in the hands of anyone else, I feel like it would tie me down.”
“College would give you chances, McKinley, to explore alternatives to that. Sure, maybe you’ll stay at the diner but maybe you’ll find something new that gives you passion and reason and is something that you can see yourself doing in the future.” She paused. “The amount of college dropouts increases every year, McKinley, and most often its because students don’t believe in themselves. There is no rush to get things right, or to finish, McKinley. Even if you go to a university and spend more than two years there, at least you’ll be getting something out of it. Knowledge isn’t measured in a degree.”
I thought about that for a moment. “But the money…”
“I’ve taken a look at your financial status, McKinley, and that of your father’s. You’re a prime candidate for financial aid, especially grants from the government. That wouldn’t be so much a problem.”
She had put me in a tight corner, one that I was having a hard time arguing my way out of. “Well, maybe transferring to a four-year college is an option for me.” I glanced back down at the list. “And you’ve definitely given me something to think about.”
Sandra smiled. “Well, that’s what I’m here for.”
As I was walking to my car, keys in hand, I studied the paper she had given me in the other hand. I had never pegged myself much for a college graduate. Amanda
I felt like she was lying to make me feel better but I nodded. “I just don’t want to keep wasting my time and money if there isn’t a direction to it. I’ve thought about possibly transferring to a university but I wouldn’t know what to do once I got there. I don’t even have a major and my grades aren’t fantastic. Then I think maybe I’ll just get my associates degree but it just doesn’t feel like it’s enough.”
“Well, your transcript isn’t too bad. The first year or two that you were here weren’t great but you’ve made a lot of those classes up and we can fill out the necessary forms to replace the passing grades over the failing grades. Any Cal State university would be happy to have you, and I’m sure Cal State Fullerton would be a good choice for you.”
“University is expensive though, and I’m not sure that I could afford to go there, especially since I have no real purpose going there,” I explained.
“Well, how about this then?” Sandra said and I flinched some. How bout this was one of my mom’s key phrases. She pulled out a sheet of paper and starting writing things down. “Let’s get those bad grades factored out of your GPA and then we’ll set you up with some classes in the spring that’ll help you get closer to a transfer. At the end of this semester, we’ll meet again and we’ll discuss what your options are and what you would like to do with them. As long as you continue to do as well as you have been doing and you keep that GPA up, I think you’re in a good spot for transfer.” She slid the paper across the table.
I picked up the paper and looked at the list she had created for me. “You make it sound so easy.”
Sandra took off her glasses and laid them on the desk. “What about all this scares you?”
I scoffed. “Scares me? Nothing about it scares me.” She raised her eyebrow at me. “It’s not that it scares me, necessarily. It’s more…well, I can’t go on being the assistant manager of a diner forever. I mean, I love my dad and I enjoy the diner but is that all I’m ever going to be good for? Is that all I’ll be known for?”
“Do you feel like you’re obligated to your father, to work in the diner?”
“No!” I said, quickly. “But also, yes. Luke wants the best for me, I know he does but sometimes I think he just expects me to take over the diner once he’s retired. And as much as I want the diner and I would hate for it to be in the hands of anyone else, I feel like it would tie me down.”
“College would give you chances, McKinley, to explore alternatives to that. Sure, maybe you’ll stay at the diner but maybe you’ll find something new that gives you passion and reason and is something that you can see yourself doing in the future.” She paused. “The amount of college dropouts increases every year, McKinley, and most often its because students don’t believe in themselves. There is no rush to get things right, or to finish, McKinley. Even if you go to a university and spend more than two years there, at least you’ll be getting something out of it. Knowledge isn’t measured in a degree.”
I thought about that for a moment. “But the money…”
“I’ve taken a look at your financial status, McKinley, and that of your father’s. You’re a prime candidate for financial aid, especially grants from the government. That wouldn’t be so much a problem.”
She had put me in a tight corner, one that I was having a hard time arguing my way out of. “Well, maybe transferring to a four-year college is an option for me.” I glanced back down at the list. “And you’ve definitely given me something to think about.”
Sandra smiled. “Well, that’s what I’m here for.”
As I was walking to my car, keys in hand, I studied the paper she had given me in the other hand. I had never pegged myself much for a college graduate. Amanda
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