Dropping out

[dono]

Yep. I had a good talk with Spiffy a couple nights ago, and I think I'm going to go through with this.

Finish reading, first.

I'm going to take the test to get my GED and then go on to community college for a year. My AP exams would have knocked the first year out of the way, and I'm going to hold a 4.0 GPA in the community college. After a year, I'm going to apply for a regular university and grab some scholarships.

I became very resentful of the school system after I was given the revelation that colleges don't give a **** about what you do in high school if you have something on your college transcript. It's like wasting 4 years of your life when you could just do what I'm doing and use up only 1-2 year(s).

What do you think?

[vashti]

It depends what university you want to go to, I suppose. YOu should talk to the admissions counselor at the school you ultimately want to end up in, and ask if you will be hurting yourself by doing it this way.

Another thought is that you can earn high school credit and college credit simultaneously by being enrolled in both, and then you won't have a GED on your record, which I am sure you know is less attractive than a diploma.

Talk to a counselor.

[Gribble]

Yeah, do your research, bud. Don't go screwing yourself over on my account. Anything I say is said with an unspoken word of caution. I'm wrong alot. That's why I'm still in school pounding knowledge into my thick skull. Many Universities don't care what you did in high school if you've got college experience under your belt, and especially if you have good SAT scores. But maybe some do.

Dual-enrollment is a great idea. I hadn't thought of that. Assuming you can stomach high school's bullshit, that might not be a bad idea. Or, after experiencing mutual respect between student and teacher, you may just come to resent high school even more... Bah. I'm flip flopping.

Just do your homework, make sure the GED won't mess you up, and then go for what's best.

[vashti]

My kid is going to take english, health and chemistry at the local CC while still enrolled in high school, and they will count for both systems. In California, you have to have your high school counselor's approval to do it, but that isn't a problem for high achieving students. Also, there is no tution at the CC for general education classes for high school students, but you DO have to buy your books (which BTW, cost a fortune, just so you know).

[jurupa]

My kid is going to take english, health and chemistry at the local CC while still enrolled in high school, and they will count for both systems. In California, you have to have your high school counselor's approval to do it, but that isn't a problem for high achieving students. Also, there is no tution at the CC for general education classes for high school students, but you DO have to buy your books (which BTW, cost a fortune, just so you know).

There are students at the high school I went to that go to the college across the street to take classes, and the majority of the books handed out from the text book room are already college level. I don't know if they have to pay anything beyond for the text book for the college.


Dono/Zar - Before you go forth with this, think about is this the best thing for you? Because your life will change a lot, it may seem it won't, but it will. As your classmates will be older than you and know more than you in certain areas. And the education environment will be much different than your use to. Your social life in general will change as instead of being around people your age you will have a better time relating to you will have people further along in life and you may have trouble with that.

[tooxshort]

In my district, 3 college units is equivalent to 10 high school credits! So, if you're just aching to get out quick, find out how much a college unit is worth in comparison to your high school.

[Gribble]

Stepping into a major University might come as a shock, Jurupa. All the sudden you're no longer one of the few brilliant students. You're one of many brilliant students.

Stepping into community college? Ehh. Not so different from high school. You have very bright students and you have less than bright students. You also have lots of dual-enrollment kids. I don't think it's such a huge stretch in that regard.

The biggest difference is freedom and an intact pride. If you're polite and respectful staff and faculty will respond in kind. They aren't there to train you to obey authority by demanding that you adhere to demeaning rules and regulations. (Nor are they necessarily there to teach you, but I digress...)

On the one hand I absolutely despise high school and what it stands for. On the other it's best to bite the bullet and get it over with if it actually makes a difference. In my experience it didn't. But when it comes down to it, I'm very, very fortunate to be where I am. Hence research, research, research.

[jurupa]

Stepping into a major University might come as a shock, Jurupa. All the sudden you're no longer one of the few brilliant students. You're one of many brilliant students.

No shit. My dad did this and he barely tells me anything when he was 17 and at an Ivy League college, because he found out that there where other smart people like him and he did not like it that much. Because he was use to out smarting people and being the top of his class.

[dono]

Update.

Today, my mom and I went to go see the high school counselor to talk about this. When I told her what my plan was, she was practically begging me to stay in school. Seriously. She negotiated with me and if I stay in high school next year, I'll only have to take 3 classes per day. Three. The state minimum is five. Then, I can go home.

Done. :]

[vashti]

Won't you be a senior next year? Few of the seniors in California take more than three or four classes because that would give them more units than they need to graduate. Anyway, you sound pleased, and that is all that matters.

[dono]

In Texas, you have to take a minimum of five courses. She told me I could take three if I didn't drop out.

Plus, I'm starting an atheist & agnostic club at my school, and I know at least a dozen people that have already said they'd be interested in joining. I found a teacher to sponsor it, too.

[vashti]

haha! What will you do for club activities? Burn bibles?

That reminds me - did you read about the "My Sweet Lord" art exhibit in New York? Someone sculpted a life-size, anatomically correct Jesus out of chocolate and encouraged people to lick him or take a bite as if it were communion...

[dono]

No, I'm still trying to think of activities. Can you suggest any?

[vashti]

I suppose you could spend some time poking holes in bible stories or passages that annoy you most.

BTW - you should definitely do some community service projects that will try to counteract the negative stereotypes about atheists and agnostics... food drives for the poor, stuff like that.

Are you sure a club like this is a good idea in the bible belt?

[dono]

Because I live in Texas, we are not allowed to use the word "atheist" in the title of the club. I like the idea of the community service thing only because it releases that negative stereotype. I am not, however, going to make them do that.

Interesting fact: Texas is one of 7 states to disallow atheists from holding public office.