[Cold War Kid]

Hello there, my name is William, I am 17 years old, dropped out of HS, and would like to present to you my thoughts on dropping out.

Ever since I was a young kid I had problems with school, grades/behavior. It just didn't mix with me, I hated the very idea of being institutionalized, even at a young age. I took a test as a kid that could of gotten me into the "gifted" classes, I passed that test, but still as a young kid hated the idea of school, I wanted nothing to do with it. So i turned it down.

As the years went on I cared less and less, and my grades got worse and worse, until it reached 10th grade.

My 10th grade class scores we're as followed

Math - 0%
Science - 0%
Reading/writing - 20%
S.S - 0%

and the trend followed for my other classes.

I was obviously going to fail, but I had no intention of staying here a year longer then needed. So i talked to my school/parents about dropping out....after much talking my parents it became aware that this would be the best option for me.

So here I am, 17 years old. I work mon-fri for an average of 5-7 hours per day, minimum wage. Not bad.

I just recently got my GED as well.

I've accomplished already things I'd never think I'd accomplish if I would of stayed in school.

I'm young, my bank account is already growing, I'll have my license by this summer. And I plan on being emancipated and moving out aswell.

So many opportunities...alot more then i'd have if i stayed in school and failed every single year....

So yeah...what are your thoughts on dropping out? I approve it in my case, because I feel i'd be in a much worse position if i stayed

[bravesfan007]

I think that it will vary from situation to situation, but for most situations I would oppose it.

I do have to question though, it seems like you intentionally failed your classes just so you could drop out. Right? If so, why did you choose that route?

[Pauler]

i guess i have 2 perspectives on it. one view is from a parent's point of view (as i am a parent) and the other is from what i observe

1. from a parent's perspective, i want my kid to have every opportunity to excel and learn b/c the things taught in class and the information given is not the only thing that one learns in school. learning how to learn, learning what subjects come naturally (in terms of subjects and possibly what you want to do in the future), how you best work through problems, and completing things you dont want to are just some of the skills a teenager should learn coming out of high school. school is not the only place you can learn those things, but life gets much more complex when you start adding in responsibilities like paying bills and taking care of a family. its just easier to learn when that is all you have to worry about.

2. from an observational perspective, high school is not the end all. there are many people that are successful both in work and family lives that didnt graduate high school...but i would say that the successful ones are fewer and farther between b/c they have to learn what other's learned in school and take on life's responsibilities at the same time.

i hope it doesnt sound like i am sandbagging on you. i am not. i am just trying to make some objective observations from what i have experienced in my years since high school.

[tlj009]

I think that a person can do well with either a GED or a high school diploma, but graduating at a trade school would be much better. Keeping a minimum wage job is not going to get you far but being poor is not necessarily a bad life. The reason that you have money now is because you are still living at home. $7.25/hr., working 40 hrs./week, 52 weeks/year is $15,080 or $1,256 per month. Taxes may be around 20% being just over the poverty level, leaving right at $1,000/mo. Rent could range from $300-400 for a one bedroom, cheap apartment. Water, electricity, and phone will likely take a couple hundred more. I'd say that you can survive fairly well if you are careful about your spending, don't get sick, and don't get married.

[Cold War Kid]

Originally Posted by bravesfan007

I think that it will vary from situation to situation, but for most situations I would oppose it.

I do have to question though, it seems like you intentionally failed your classes just so you could drop out. Right? If so, why did you choose that route?

I didn't fail just to dropout, I simply didn't care. one does not need to fail to dropout

[jthomas1600]

I dropped out after 10th grade. I had started a year late when I was a kid and I had already dropped out once and gone back, so I turned 18 my 10th grade year and I wasn't going to stay in high school until I was 20. Here's what made me laugh: I had basically cheated, conned, and manipulated my way through school ever since I was in 5th grade. I swear to you every grade I got was not legitimate in any way. After dropping out I went and took my GED with no studying and aced it. I figured that was a reflection on how low are standards are.

Anyway, I don't advocate dropping out, but I think the education system is flawed. I worked for a few years at a Job Corps. It's a federally funded trade school for at risk low income youth 16-22 years old. Students got anywhere from 6 months to 2 years of training in a wide variety of fields. To list a few: IT, nurses assistant, dental assistant, electrician, carpentry, office technology (OK, secretary ), auto/diesel mechanic, welding, seamanship, and much more. I think these kinds of programs should be incorporated into our general education system and be available to everyone. I know some schools already have some joint venture efforts with community colleges. I'd like to see more of that. I think sometime around the beginning of 11th grade students have a pretty good idea if they are bound for a 4 year university or if they are more trade minded. If they are trade minded why not let them start then?

[Josey Wales]

Originally Posted by jthomas1600

I dropped out after 10th grade. I had started a year late when I was a kid and I had already dropped out once and gone back, so I turned 18 my 10th grade year and I wasn't going to stay in high school until I was 20. Here's what made me laugh: I had basically cheated, conned, and manipulated my way through school ever since I was in 5th grade. I swear to you every grade I got was not legitimate in any way. After dropping out I went and took my GED with no studying and aced it. I figured that was a reflection on how low are standards are.

Anyway, I don't advocate dropping out, but I think the education system is flawed. I worked for a few years at a Job Corps. It's a federally funded trade school for at risk low income youth 16-22 years old. Students got anywhere from 6 months to 2 years of training in a wide variety of fields. To list a few: IT, nurses assistant, dental assistant, electrician, carpentry, office technology (OK, secretary ), auto/diesel mechanic, welding, seamanship, and much more. I think these kinds of programs should be incorporated into our general education system and be available to everyone. I know some schools already have some joint venture efforts with community colleges. I'd like to see more of that. I think sometime around the beginning of 11th grade students have a pretty good idea if they are bound for a 4 year university or if they are more trade minded. If they are trade minded why not let them start then?

DUDE i totally agree with this, however i was lucky, and my high school offered "tech center" which was essentially a trade school for high school kids. i took electronics, that did have electrician stuff in it but i was for small electronics, after school i went to ITT for electronics, lol, and now i work on small electronics. trade school are sweet, but expensive.

but yeah COLD WAR KID unless you start a business you're gonna need some kind of schooling to get a good job, at least a GED, but you may need to go to school still, unless you work construction thats a good job that doesn't require schooling.

[Cold War Kid]

Originally Posted by josey wales

DUDE i totally agree with this, however i was lucky, and my high school offered "tech center" which was essentially a trade school for high school kids. i took electronics, that did have electrician stuff in it but i was for small electronics, after school i went to ITT for electronics, lol, and now i work on small electronics. trade school are sweet, but expensive.

but yeah COLD WAR KID unless you start a business you're gonna need some kind of schooling to get a good job, at least a GED, but you may need to go to school still, unless you work construction thats a good job that doesn't require schooling.

I took my last 3 GED test yesterday actually. They were very easy.

Also, my boss said he's been thinking of bumping me up to 10 dollars an hour.

that'd help alot aswell.

Also, I plan on getting a one bedroom apartment with a friend who said he doesn't give a ☺☺☺☺ where he sleeps. meaning he'll be on the couch. that cuts the cost of rent by alot.

I'm not looking to be some top business man who has a top leading business, I just want to be able to survive.

I'm content with life. I enjoy the simplistic parts of life, and I guess me being REALLY poor at a young age taught me how to be content with anything.

But while I'm surviving I'll still be striving for a goal, that is to be a musician. Not a famous one, not some huge big shot making the millions. Just the average musician doing what he loves to do.....make music.

If me and my band get big, great! If we stay local, who cares? we're adding musical creativity to this world, and that's good enough for me.

[Pauler]

Originally Posted by tlj009

I think that a person can do well with either a GED or a high school diploma, but graduating at a trade school would be much better. Keeping a minimum wage job is not going to get you far but being poor is not necessarily a bad life. The reason that you have money now is because you are still living at home. $7.25/hr., working 40 hrs./week, 52 weeks/year is $15,080 or $1,256 per month. Taxes may be around 20% being just over the poverty level, leaving right at $1,000/mo. Rent could range from $300-400 for a one bedroom, cheap apartment. Water, electricity, and phone will likely take a couple hundred more. I'd say that you can survive fairly well if you are careful about your spending, don't get sick, and don't get married.

agreed, and to add to that...dont have kids either

[bobthecockroach]

Originally Posted by Cold War Kid

So many opportunities...alot more then i'd have if i stayed in school and failed every single year....

You're comparing apples to oranges. Dropping out and trying your best versus staying at school and not trying at all. What about staying in school and acing every class?

It's your decision to make, but be critical of your decisions. And be honest with yourself.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by bobthecockroach

You're comparing apples to oranges. Dropping out and trying your best versus staying at school and not trying at all. What about staying in school and acing every class?

It's your decision to make, but be critical of your decisions. And be honest with yourself.

I have to agree with this. What opportunities have you had as a dropout that you didn't have as a student? So far everything you listed was either something you could have done in school, or something you'd be doing right after you graduated anyway.

[Cold War Kid]

Originally Posted by thesteve

I have to agree with this. What opportunities have you had as a dropout that you didn't have as a student? So far everything you listed was either something you could have done in school, or something you'd be doing right after you graduated anyway.

Making bank at 17, and moving out at 17.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by Cold War Kid

Making bank at 17, and moving out at 17.

Except you're not making bank, you're making minimum wage. You might be able to move up to $10/hr working 5-7 hours a day, 5 days a week. That works out to roughly $1200 a month before taxes. After taxes you're probably bringing in closer to $1000...depending on what part of the country you're in, that may or may not go very far once rent, utilities, etc. are factored in. I'm sure there are 17 year olds that work 3-4 hours after school + 8 hours on the weekends that are making close to what you'll have left after rent and what not.

[Cold War Kid]

Originally Posted by thesteve

Except you're not making bank, you're making minimum wage. You might be able to move up to $10/hr working 5-7 hours a day, 5 days a week. That works out to roughly $1200 a month before taxes. After taxes you're probably bringing in closer to $1000...depending on what part of the country you're in, that may or may not go very far once rent, utilities, etc. are factored in. I'm sure there are 17 year olds that work 3-4 hours after school + 8 hours on the weekends that are making close to what you'll have left after rent and what not.

Remember that I'm moving into a one bedroom apartment with a friend that can work....meaning i can save EVEN MORE per month.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by Cold War Kid

Remember that I'm moving into a one bedroom apartment with a friend that can work....meaning i can save EVEN MORE per month.

Like I said, I don't know all of the details of your situation. I can tell you that where I live, two people making $1000/mo are going to be struggling to pay rent, utilities, etc and still save money.