Should I Drop Out Of High School?

[AutomagBoy]

I just saw the Local Community College advisors. Im trying to decide if I should drop out of highschool after this semester(1st semester senior year).

Going back to my junior year, I had this teacher that got me into econ alot so during the summer, after my junior year, I took a bunch of classes at my community college. Because of that my highschool counselor told me ASU wont even look at my high school performance nor the standardized state tests.

So I could take classes at mesa community college during the spring to finish up my associates in business. Then I could work after school (job already lined up) and save up for ASU because my broke parents could never afford to educate me. After the spring I would transfer to ASU, ready to get my major within 2 or 3 years.

If I dont, my parents wouldn't be able to afford to send me to ASU right out of highschool and I might have to wait a year or two before I go and get really behind on life. Also if I wait, I wont keep my momentum and the chance of me going back to college after a 2 year break is pretty slim. I might get stuck in some fulltime job never being able to get out of it to go back to college.

What the hell do I do?

edit - forgot to add I'll slowly do online or night classes for high school so I can get my diploma. I'll get my diploma, I just wont be walking.

Edit edit - I will be getting a diploma, not a GED and I will walk with my class.

[quik]

Great idea man, you have everything covered!

[RingOfScale]

normally i'd say stay in high school, but you seem to have thought this out, and it seems like a much better plan for you then staying in high school ... i say go for it !

-rIng

[Cow hunter]

hmmmmm i hate school more than anythng...... so roll wth what you know on this one......

[PyRo]

You've gone through 11.5 years of high school, finish up the last few months it's not going to hurt you is it?

[AutomagBoy]

You've gone through 11.5 years of high school, finish up the last few months it's not going to hurt you is it?

Im still going to finish it with night or online classes. Did i forget to add that?

[Maksimus54]

But why not just finish it now? Then do CC until you have your AA degree and transfer. Then you don't have to bother with night classes and crap. And if you are in such a hurry to start CC anyway, just do summer quarter like you did this year. Since you would need your diploma regardless of anything else, why would you prolong getting it? Im not really sure of your motivation here. And as for ASU not looking at your grades or SAT/ACT scores Im calling shenanigans. They woud look at your old grades and scores unless I imagine you somehow already earned an AA degree. Anyways, if you were me you would stay in school, but if I were you, I would understand your reasoning better, so good luck with whatever you choose.

[MadPSIence]

in all honesty I think it's important for you to finish highschool just for the experience. I know it may seem lame now.. but.. I miss highschool so badly. I wish I could do it over 1 more time and make the best of it.

[Fred]

as long as you're getting your high school diploma or GED in the process, go for it.

and as for affording University...

talk to your counsellor and tell them you want to apply for every scholarship and grant you even halfway qualify for, that's what theyre there to help you do.

---Fred

[Duzzy]

My Highschool grades get me $6000 a year in scholarships. (SATs also helped get this money but not as much.)

Also, scholarships are your friend, get as many as possible.

Oh yeah, start now.

[luke]

Nah don't drop out, it's only a few more months. Stick around, chase the girls and enjoy what left of the end of your childhood, you will have the rest of your life to be an adult. One day you'll look back and be glad you didn't drop out, even though High School sucks... ;)

[BobTheCow]

Whatever you do, get lots of opinions. Talk to your counselor again, confirming all of those points. Talk to a second counserlor. A third, if possible, and many as you can. Talk to the admissions office at all the schools you mentioned you're interested in, to make sure everything you "know" is correctl. Wouldn't wanna drop out, start CC classes and working, only to find out you have no chance of getting in to ASU in the near future.

Ungh... shouldn't be thinking in this state

[Kai]

"Should I Drop Out Of High School?"


Yes.

Always. Always. Always.

The answer to this question is always yes.

[bam wannabe]

just finish it up. im in my senior year and its the best... then again, i only have 4 classes. and they are only b/s classes like weight training, economics, english, and drama.

and according to some people i talk to who own businesses and all, they will only hire people who have completed high school. same goes for my dad's business (construction) he says "finishing high school also shows that you can complete something in life."
they all said they dont care if you have GED or received your diploma online. the high school envorinment shows you can interact with teachers and students to get something done.

im not saying you cant do that, dont get me wrong. im just saying finish your senior year and have fun doing it :cheers:

[TheTramp]

There's a sigma attached to a GED vs a "real" diploma. I don't see any good reason for you to handicap yourself with that. You'll be kicking youself in the future and it wont matter to people/employers why you dropped out just that you did.

[luke]

GEDs are for "Drop Outs" that is the way people see it.

Graduating High School is more about following through on commitments than the little bit of education you are getting.

[ShooterJM]

First off, I speak from experience. I started taking college classes as a sophmore in HS and dropped out before my junior year. I got a GED that summer.



Now, as long as you're getting a full on HS diploma that is indistinguishable from the standard diploma, your plan seems to be an ok one. However, if you're going to get a GED keep in mind that you're going to take yourself out of the running for a LOT of scholarships and grants you may be otherwise qualified for. This includes when you transfer into ASU. I dropped from a full tuition scholarship to a 50% just because I had a GED and an associates instead of a HS diploma and an associates.


Would I personally make the same choice if I had to go back? I really don't know. There are some definate positives, but some definate negatives. The academic world is largely compartmentalized and you'll probably have to do a lot of explaining and fighting to get people to recognize your not a prototypical dropout.

I was big into Econ and Finance as well. Thats what my undergrad ended being and now I'm currently getting my MBA with a concentration in finance.

Shoot me a PM if you have any questions and good luck.

[Automaggot68]

Don't.
Finish that stuff up.
I screwed around during school.
I dropped out.
When I realized what I had done, I re-enrolled, and finsihed my junior and senior years in a matter of 9 nine months.
It was worth the hard work, and the time.

[Lohman446]

If you have a college degree I highly doubt anyone is going to go back further on your resume and say "Hey, well you were attending college you got your HS degree online" nor do I think you would even disclose it on a resume.

That being said... I did HS in three years rather than four, walked, everything. It put me in college quicker, etc. Don't do it... you will miss the time you lost and never have the chance to have it back....

[slade]

That being said... I did HS in three years rather than four, walked, everything. It put me in college quicker, etc. Don't do it... you will miss the time you lost and never have the chance to have it back....
two of my friends are doing that. i realize now if i had just double enrolled in english this year i could have done the same... but i dont want to. it ruins the experience, plus senior year is the best year when you have the best classes.

[Aggressive Rooster]

there are plenty of ways to make it through college without the help of parents.also two years isnt gonna set you that far behind in life.i think that people that do go to college are sometimes farther behind than those thta just work due to student loans.

[AutomagBoy]

I just talked to my high school counselor, registrar, and senior principal. I will still walk with my class, i will still get the premium diploma (scholastic compared to standard compared to GED). Im going for it.

[oldsoldier]

Well, you have a plan. In my experience, if you take a year off, the chances of you going back to school are slim. But, you have your plan, stick with it.

[Bluestrike_2]

Stick it out man. You've spent 11.5 years - why drop out on the downhill? The finish line is in sight! Don't try and grow up too soon - I will bet you my LIFE that you WILL regret it.

[slade]

I just talked to my high school counselor, registrar, and senior principal. I will still walk with my class, i will still get the premium diploma (scholastic compared to standard compared to GED). Im going for it.
good job man, sounds like the right decision then. keep us updated.

now... whats all this about a GED?

[Cameo]

in some states (mine included) there is a law that says you must be 18 years of age, you must have notifications from the military, or your graduating class must have already graduated in order to even take the GED...
But that does not matter as he is planning on walking with his class..
the question I have is are you doing this to further yourslef? Is highschool not challenging enough? If not try different coruses. Every school has programs in order to challenge the "gifted" students.
Be leary of taking classes at the college level in order to get high school credits, this backfired for me and I found out that I didn't have enough credits to graduate from public school (I had come from a private school). I opted to drop out tyhinking it was the best thing at the time.. Turned out it wasn't, and now I regret my decision.
I personally wish I would have just stuck it out and stayed in highschool. I missed out on so many important moments in a teenagers life. I worked worked worked and at the ripe age of 26 I wish I had gone a different route. The "what if's" come up constnaly. It is so easy to get "burnt out" when you take the alternative route.
I hope that you and your parents are able to work together the make the right decision for your life... Remember the easy way out usally ends up alot harder then you imagined.

[trains are bad]

I'd hate to recommend dropping out of highschool, but it worked for me.

I didn't even go to highschool, get a diploma or a GED. I'm now cruising on free ride to a private college and majoring in physics and math.

Getting a 34 on the ACT probably didn't hurt me though.

[Lohman446]

My HS offered advanced classes to the seniors who wanted them - classes at the Community College that the HS paid for during the senior year.