GCSE/GED Conversion?

[Melancholic Mage 8]

11 hours ago, Marieke H said:

I think all this really depends on where you will be living and what exactly you want to do. It sounds like you are still figuring that last part out, so I would not do anything with your certificates for now. Just make sure you bring everything with you when you move here.

 

And just to add a little bit of my experience, because it is so different from what others have shared... I was very nervous about finding a job here. But I applied for a job when I thought I would be getting my EAD soon, and they offered me the job. It was the only job I applied for, and they were willing to wait until I had my EAD. I started at an entry-level wage, but that quickly increased over the past 6 years. You may start at a lower wage than you would like, but if you can show that you are good at what you do, there are lots of opportunities for pay raises and promotions.

 

And my job is a state government job and I did not need to be a citizen. I also did not need to do a drug test. And I was never asked for any documentation to show the equivalency of my university degrees from the Netherlands.

 

I'll be living in Illinois. I actually know exactly what I want to do. I want to become a writer and artist. Perhaps both: I've been working on a children's book. It's written! Just the first draft - it needs editing and pictures now. My degrees are in art and graphic design. I also have a 100% distinction in a fiction writing course. 

 

My confusion career wise is more in terms of being grounded and realistic: to get financial stability over trying to break into a pretty hard-to-crack industry that may take years/more qualifications or education than I have. 

 

To put my money where my mouth is, here is an example of my artwork. This was done way back in 2009. There were no job opportunities back then, coming straight out of college and slap-bang into a UK recession, especially in my poor region, so I ended up taking up menial work to put bread on the table. I would love to re-educate myself in the medium to include digital techniques and give pursuit of my dream once again. I couldn't afford university back then and I'm hesitant that I could now. 

 

I figured my time in America would be similar: to be reasonable and find a job to give me financial stability first before persuing lofty dreams. Then again, sister-in-law has been telling me to go self-employed doing T-Shirt designs. Maybe I can home school with YouTube? Who knows. 

 

A small example of my writing style is here in this little Fallout 4 game-based snippet. Just if anyone is interested/to prove I'm serious. I've been writing for years but all fan-based fiction.

 

Thank you for all the advice and hopeful comments. I'm eager to start my 'American Dream' but part of it is knowing just how to get my feet on the ground first. It's really good to know I don't need to give equivalencies unless asked. It'll help save me a little bit of money that I could have spent needlessly. 

 

Edited June 21 by Melancholic Mage