I saw your post under the thread re Pet Talkers' occupations, and would like to give my two cents...(hope you're not sick and tired of receiving unsolicited advice just yet!)
First, about community college...several readers gave you wonderful advice about this unfairly maligned institution of our educational system, and I would like to add my two cents, if you don't mind. Community colleges, if you know how to navigate them, are wonderful resources to help accomplish your educational goals. Where do you start? Who should help you navigate? Before you enroll, ask to see a career counselor, if admissions will allow you, so you can have some idea which courses to take for starters, and if you need to take placement tests (like in Math or English) to see if you need remedial courses first. The mission of career counselors is to make college less overwhelming, and it can only get that way if you know what your goals are.
Even if you are not too serious at this point about community college, no matter what you do, at the very, very least, concentrate on finishing all of your "lower division" classes, those subjects (such as English 101, Algebra 101, History 101, etc., or their equivalent--see an academic or career counselor for a comprehensive list) that are the prerequisites for the ones you'll be taking later on for the major of your choice.
I don't know what the going rate is in your state of Utah, but here in California we pay $13 per unit, which is a real bargain. (Even if you consider yourself too poor to afford this, Uncle Sam has set aside money for you in the form of federally subsidized student loans that you should have no trouble qualifying for.) Remember that the first two years of college is devoted mostly to "general education" (or those "lower division" courses I just mentioned), and you can easily take the exact same courses at an accredited community college for far less money, and for the same, if not superior, quality of instruction!!! You'll be surprised how quickly two years can whiz by, especially if you're busy with school!
Second, about your shyness...again, your local community college may just be your ticket to a more confident you! When I attended my local CC, one of my general ed courses was the equivalent of Speech 101; your local CC should have the same kind of offering. Of course, Toastmasters is also an excellent idea, but if you'd like to start small, take advantage of what your local CC offers in the way of speech instruction. I had a wonderful instructor who gave constructive criticism on areas like delivery, eye contact, timing, etc., advice which I put to good use later on in my academic career.
Sorry if my message ran long...I cannot emphasize enough what a valuable resource a community college is, and how much someone like you, even in your financial situation, can benefit from this institution of learning. Don't let your lack of college funds, or your shyness, get in the way of your future success.
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