GED

i did it ....

 

Pardon the ignorance, but how does that work? Is a GED equivalent to a high school diploma?

 

The question is, how does college and prospective employers view the GED currently.

... or is there a killer operating system software up the sleeve to dominate the world?

 

A bunch of my friends where home schooled and they all had to get the GED b/c there was no school to give them a diploma. They have graduated from college. Some have good jobs and some are in grad school. So far they have had no problems.

 

Yeah. You can go to a state school and take practice tests. They will help you if you need work in certain areas. Once they approve you then you can take the official test. If you pass you get a form saying you have the equivalent of a high school diploma.

 

the test is a joke !! i took it when i was 16. then went on to penn state.

 

I'll get my GED after Law School

 

You are in california, take the CHSPE. California Highschool Profeciency Exam. http://www.chspe.net/

 

Armen, i highly advise staying in high school...! i don't think i can stress that enough... Deal with all the nonsense, work your ass off and go to college... and then work your ass off in college... i just barely made it through high school and then dropped out of college - twice! HUGE mistake... Don't make that mistake... It's just another opinion, but i think you should stay in high school... By the way, how is your brother doing...?

 

Right so now that I've got a spare moment...

By exiting highschool early (like I did at 15) in California you can simply go to one of the many City Colleges and then get guarenteed transfers to a specific UC or by getting a decent GPA you can transfer to any of them. Its a cheaper, faster and frankly better way of doing things. I'd defintely advise doing this. My brother did so and is graduating pharmacy school this June at 21, I'm on course to getting my BA at 20. Not the grandest of accomplishments, but it cut out two annoying years of highschool.

 

Armen enjoy highschool, dont take it to seriously. but seriosuly enough to get good grades. at least thats what im doing.

 

drop out take the GED test, go to college, this way you ll be able to party your a$$ off and tap those college girls a$$es, you will be getting a jump start. your parents will be proud.
seriously dude, whatever you decide, GO TO COLLEGE !!!!!!!!
besides look a patrick, he is now 25 and still a jr in high school.

 

Get the GED and go to college early. It's the exact same thing as a High School Diploma and it will give you a head start on college while all your friends are wasting away in High School classes not really learning anything anyways. I would have done it too but the Marines wanted me to actually get the real deal so to speak diploma. I always saw High School as pretty much useless and a waste of time.

 

Stay in high school, but do dual enrollment. Dual enrollment is when you take your classes at the local community college, but the classes are used towards your high school diploma and BA/BS in the future. The state pays for all your tuition and books (at least in FL they do). I know a few people who did their entire senior year of high school at the community college and never paid a dime. I left high school with 26 credit hours and I wish I would've taken classes my junior year.

 

good idea !!!!!

 

From a business owners perspective, and this might not mean squat to anyone. When I look at a prospective employee and see that he or she did not have the will and determination to finish High School I wonder if they have any sense of sticking with a job and seeing it through. For me it is just one of the warning signs of a potentially bad employee. Stay in School!

 

I went through this... it's definitely worth it. Make sure you have everything squared away before you take the GED.

 

I would recommend BMW's suggestion of the concurrent college courses over just a GED. Get ahead that way.

Like Glassman, this would be a red flag for me if I was hiring. Now, if it was for a mechanic or skilled labor that would be irrelevant, but for a financial or legal position (or one requiring similar education) I would probably pass, even if they did a college too. Like Glassman, it would make me weary they cannot 'stay the course.'

Although if you're going into a family business or self-employment it wouldn't be as essential. But it will be tough generating investment into a business without an education or a stellar, proven track record.

 

I really don't see how that line of reasoning makes any sense. Rather than recognizing the ability to leave high school early, maturity enough to finish college at a younger age and the brains to tackle courses that you aren't even supposed be taking for 2+ years. Never mind the ability to recognize a waste of time and effort when you see it. Nope instead you think all that means 'you can't stay the course.'

Makes no sense.

 

You should talk to your high school counsler first and see if the classes taken at the local community college will replace requirements needed to graduate from high school. I know that I was the last high school senior to be able to replace English IV for Freshman Comp I and II, they haven't allowed that anymore since I graduated (they think it didn't teach enough, I think that's bs, I leared more from 15 hours in CC than in HS 4 years).

Also ask if the state will pay for your tuition and books at the local community college (public school will most likely pay for it, the state won't pay if you're at a private school).

Once you've been approved (or if not and you plan to double up on HS and CC), then go to the CC's dual enrollment counsler and talk to them. You will most likely have to take certain placement exams to see if they can place you in a course (depending on scores, you go either to English Comp 1 if you did well or Reading 1 if you didn't, same applies to maths). They're easy exams, don't worry about it.

After you have been approved to take the classes, I suggest getting a degree requirement from the University you want to attend after the community college (I'm pretty sure more private schools don't accept CC credit, but public schools do). See which classes you would have to take if you went into that university for your first year.

I don't know which university you want to go to, but most universities have about one community college in the area. That university sometimes has an advising office within the actual community college. I.e. UCF has an office in VCC, UF has an office in SFCC (don't worry about the abbreviations). If you want to attend that university in the area of your community college, speak to that advisor and see which courses you should take at the CC for your major in college.

So basically ask your high school advisor first, then ask your community college DUAL ENROLLMENT advisor, then speak to your community college University advisor.

P.S. If you want to go to a private school, don't waste your time with dual enrollment, they won't accept community college credit and rarely AP credit for that matter.

Edit: If you've already taken the SAT or ACT, you can skip the placement exams depending on your scores. You can take the placement exams either way, but I thought they were pretty easy.

 

Getting out of college too young is not necessarily a benefit.

Moderate acceleration is fine - I was barely 17 finishing high school, and I started university calculus at 16. However, I've known a handful of people who've jumped many grades (like 16 yr olds in university) and they tend to suffer socially and in maturity. I'm not saying they were immature - although some were downright childish, more like 12 year olds - but maturity is often something that's earned by experience over time and not just through aptitudes. You mention the "maturity to finish college," but maturity isn't a requirement, credits are. Of course there is the discipline of finishing things, but that isn't social maturity.

You are young and don't like hearing it. I don't like hearing it either. But I'm starting to accept there are many things that are developed over years of trials. The best thing that ever happened to me school wise was taking two years out of university - I would have graduated at 20 otherwise... when I returned I had a better take on who I was, changed majors, took my time and really enjoyed the learning.

After trying to zip through high school and graduating a month after I turned 17, I ended up finishing college at 23! I'm 100% happy with that though, as I would have made poorer life choices earlier on.

I'm not saying that's the path everyone *should* take, but I'm saying now several years later I appreciate taking some time. Things come in due time. This I had to learn, because with my personality I tend to think and plan as if I have 2 years to live.

While in school, get straight A's, have an extracurricular or two, maybe a job, and ENJOY your recreational time and your life. I'm not saying to sacrifice your future in anyway, but your future will be there in 1 year or 2, so don't cram 2 years of work into 1 year of living unless you really, really have to. You might find once you start a career that working takes all of your time!!

By the way, don't be bitter and snappy to everyone. It will make people not want to be around you, nor read what you write. It is just something I have noticed.