Ruined College Career But Still Fascinated

[elconquistador]

So due to life events and health my college career is pretty much ruined. I can spend a couple years extra and try to get my bachelors but my track record will not allow me to be accepted to a doctorate study.

Should I study independently and try to get into the science field like Michael Faraday with little formal education and just pure perseverance and self discipline or should I try to go the formal route?

I love programming, computers, and studying quantum mechanics (though I cannot lie and say I understand it fully yet). It is my dream to get into quantum computing and further the progress of engineering quantum computers.

I have a lot of drive. I will do what I love with or without college. I just want to know what others think and get some advice.

(FYI, my GPA is really tarnished. I got really sick and dealt with a lot of personal issue that I am now walking away from or fixing. My GPA is like 1.5. If I go back to school I will return to a new community college in Fall 2015 so I can continue to better my health before I return. I just don't want to get a bachelors if there is no hope of getting accepted to a doctorate program for quantum computing.)

 

[ModusPwnd]

Doubtful. Many people with great grades and with graduate degrees cannot manage to get a scientific career. Just getting a technical career of any sort can be very hard.

If you are into computers consider studying some programming languages and software. Those kinds of skills can lead to an IT type career without any degree.

 

[Exoplanet]

Your best bet is probably to try to do well in community college, and then transfer to a 4-year school, and then do well there. I'm presuming if you get your grades up in community college, you should be able to transfer back to a 4-year school. However, it will take a lot of time and patience.