No Viable Options?

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I'm not sure where this should be put, but this seems to be the best place...

I'm 19, I've been out of school for almost a year. Due to the economic circumstances and with the area I live in, I've never had a job and finding one is almost impossible. I'm unable to get financing for college (I pretty much gave up on even considering that a year ago.) My final option was to join the military, I've tried this and barely gotten through the beginning of the process with two recruiters who both seemed to forget about my existence entirely. My parents tell me to I need to call them myself to get any results, but I have severe phone anxiety and find it near impossible to do - and when I can, I have no idea what to say, how to say it and how to properly respond.

As such, I am currently rendered useless, still living at home with my parents, putting in job applications and not even getting so much as a call acknowledging that my application has been received. There are only so many places in such a rural area that I can apply to with no experience and only a high-school education. I can't move to a place with more jobs, since I don't have the money or credit to do so and the chance of anyone hiring and paying the moving expenses of an inexperienced comparatively uneducated person is beyond a long shot. And college is pretty much out of the question. There is very little I can do right now as I absolutely will not consider taking welfare (The reasons for which really don't matter here.)


TL;DR
No money, no job, no education, what do?

You can go to college. You don't have a job. They will give you financial aid. As to the whole job conundrum...I am in the same boat.

Neither of you put your locations in so I can't do research about options in your areas.

blackcat:
I'm not sure about financial aid, due to all the restrictions with it - since It's been a year since I've even considered it though, I may not be remembering correctly, But most financial aid requires an accredited college, which requires gen ed classes, which I'm not sure if I'd be able to tolerate... If that sounds completely horrible, it's because I haven't slept...

ci:
I'm in the middle of nowhere, IL
~80 mi from Joliet
~66 mi from Moline
~60 mi from Peoria
(if you want to look by "cities" nearby or by zip code, there's Princeton (61356), Spring Valley (61362), and Peru (61354).)

There are schools like Bryant and Stratton that are for trades, rather than a degree from a large university. You go and get your degree from there and they help you find a job. There are also online degrees. I don't know about schools near you, though.

Are there any farming jobs? You might trying visiting the local farms and businesses to see if they have any work for you.

Worst thing you can do in this (or any) economy. A degree that does not lead to a good job is worthless and then you're in a ton of debt you can't pay back.

In addition to financial aid, there are federal and state grants available. Speak with a financial aid counselor before you rule out college. Yes, general education courses are a part of every degree. That's when you take a big boy pill.

You're not going to go into the military. You have AS. I happen to agree with the military that it's probably a bad idea to arm Autistic people. How would you even think you're going to get along, even making it through Basic, if you cannot pick up the phone to pursue enlisting - which was your idea? Be more practical.

You can work a multitude if different jobs. You just need to figure out which ones are within your scope and how you can do them.

This is corny but work with me on this:

Imagine a big brick wall that's much taller than you and pretty wide. A lot of people consider the wall a barrier and say, "I can't get over that thing. Forget it. That wall stops me from going any further." But there are people who immediately begin thinking of clever and creative ways to get over or around the wall. With Aspergers, you have a wall in front of you. You can let it stop you or you can put your aspie mind to work to innovate a way past the wall to get what you want done.

You're never out of options. If the world stops handing you possible solutions, that's your invitation to create your own.

jamesongerbil: I was accepted to two visual effects schools last year, but was unable to get financing to be able to go, leading to the situation I'm currently in.

BTDT: Farms around here are mostly family businesses that rarely even need seasonal help.

"General education" is what caused me to almost not graduate high-school, I need things that are actually relevant to what I'm going to end up doing with my life, which is one reason why I had ruled out normal colleges in favor of trade schools. I will look into financial aid more though.

First off, it wasn't my idea, it was a final option proposed by my parents, one of which was a US Marine, both agreed that my AS would be an advantage, especially in Basic. I disagree with you on your first point, but this isn't really the place for that debate.

I'm sure I can, but it's impossible to get one in the area I'm in.

Sure, I'm not out of options, but I am out of viable ones, there are only two others I can think of off the top of my head and they're really not something that could be considered in the realm of viability (Author/Screenwriter)

Like I said, take a big boy pill and get through the Gen Eds.



You can disagree with the US Military and me all you want to, but you won't make it through the initial screening if you declare that you have Asperger's Syndrome. If they find out you have it and concealed it, you will be Dishonorably Discharged. If they find out you have it and you didn't know, you will be Honorably Discharged and placed on Hardship Leave to relieve you of duty until they can finish your paperwork. Don't think I'm right? Ask an active duty commander in the military, not a recruiter and not your dad.



So you've decided you're not going to find a way around the wall. That's your choice to make but you can't complain about the consequences of that choice.

Replying in points rather than quotes to avoid unnecessary page stretching/formatting annoyances.

1) I really can't justify spending exorbitant amounts of money to take a high percentage of classes which I have no interest in and would be likely fail.

2) Having not been "officially" diagnosed, I have no obligation to disclose this. I'm sure, if necessary, I could force myself to make it through seeming NT enough though.

3) The wall is more of a well, I have no means of just figuring out a way out as there are no real means available, conceptualizing is useless without a means of implementation.

True, many farms and businesses don't need seasonal help. But, you live there ( and presumably grew up there)--which makes you a much more reliable hire long term. Folks would much rather hire someone local, than hire someone from far away who can't take the rural life. And, if you can gather the courage to actually knock on doors, asking for work, folks may get you hooked up with someone who does need your help. Farming is dangerous work, but in my opinion, less dangerous that sitting at home with nothing to do.

If you are going to join the military, I would recommend the Air Force. They are more then glad to take any high school graduate and you can get a good technical education (no gen ed. classes) that will provide you with a career if you ever decide to leave. As for why I recommend the Air Force, you have to understand that 95% of the people who enlist in the marines or army will be given a rifle and sent to the front lines. As you have stated that you have various phobias, I don't think that this is a good idea for you to be on the front lines. If you enlist in the navy, then there is a decent chance you will wind up on a ship, which is really cramped and crowded. In most navy ships you will fit 6 people into a room the size of a large closet with bunks stacked on top of each other. That would not be my idea living conditions, and if you have social phobias, I don't think you want that either.

Conversely, the air force is pretty much 99% station based. When people think air force, they think of fighter pilots. The truth is that fighter and bomber pilots only make up about 1% of the air force. And you need a college degree to be a pilot. The other 99% of the air force do things like maintain the aircraft, test the engines, refuel the planes, manage the logistics, or maybe even fly remote controlled drones. In other words, you get to stay safely back at base, and you never really get put into high stress situations. And as far as living accommodations, you get to live on base in what is usually apartment style living. For basic training, and maybe a short while after you get placed, you will have to deal with some roommates, but you will get your own place relatively quickly. That's alot less stressful, and more private then being on a navy ship, or in a barracks on the front lines.

Anyways, if you want to know more, clicky here:

http://www.airforce.com/opportunities/enlisted/

Why would you fail? You do them because it fills it mandatory credit hours to earn the degree. Done. No other justification to it.



So you lied in your profile when you chose:
Have Aspergers - Diagnosed

You've been misrepresenting yourself. Now it's likely you're just a kid with a self-defeatist attitude. Yes, go into the military. They'll definitely beat that pity party crap out of you.



I'm not the medic for the Whaaambulance. You don't even have AS. I've lost interest.

BTDT: I have no well thought out response to this at the moment, edit coming later.

Tracker: The Air Force was my first choice, but after looking into all branches more, the job choices and wait time of the Air Force really didn't meed my needs (I can't believe I just used that phrase...) I have since switched my choice to the Marines, as they have more fields which I take interest in. While the grunt positions are the most known and most requested, they are actually undermanned in most of the other fields.

wefunction
1) I can't put effort into doing it, no matter how hard I try, without any interest in a subject I can't bring myself to do more than just what it takes to get by.
2) I have been diagnosed by someone with the authority to do so but it has not been put on any type of record, as such I am not "legally" diagnosed and have no obligation of disclosure.
3) You've helped me about as much as sitting around doing nothing has. Goodbye.