alternatives to high school

[stringcheeseincident]

as a freshman ive been talking with my mom about different options i have than traditional public or private schools, my interests are highly technology oriented: web design, graphic design, computer hardware, programming, digital photography, etc. ive taught myself everything i know and feel like i can teach myself a lot more in a shorter time than what i learn at school. as a single parent she works every day and can't homeschool, what options do i have?

should i look at technology high schools around here or like classes i can take at community colleges for high school credit, or what? would talking to my guidance counselor help? thanks.

 

[FoBoT]

is there a vo-tech high school available? that is what i did, we could go half a day, i took comp. programming and electronics

 

[xSauronx]

i did an "Adult High School" at a community college since it let me work at my own pace and get a high school diploma in a couple of months, instead of taking almost a year to do it. and thats a regular high school diploma, not a GED.

 

[SLCentral]

I'm also a freshman in a very similar position, but it doesn't make sense to go to a differnet alternate school. What about history, LA, foreign language, etc? Computers aren't everything, and its good to have something to fall back on.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Props for being smart enough to realize school is a huge waste of time at such a young age. :root:beer:;

Your options will likely be limited by the willingness of the local education system to cooperate with you. If they'll let you take college courses for advanced credit, that's great.

Dunno what else to say, other than I wish my schools had made some provisions for me. :|

- M4H

 

[tami]

eh... you'll NEVER get a job without a highschool diploma, even if you're highly qualified. they won't even look at your resume.

edit: unless you bypass high school and get a college diploma... but that is difficult to do.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

What computer classes does your school offer? Comp Sci AP at all?

I'm only a junior so my experience is limited, but I'm beginning to understand that it is nice to have a general knowledgebase of all areas including arts, history, english, etc.

Don't try and narrow down your future just yet, you have college for that IMO.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Also, at the age we are, we're still changing a lot in many ways and are influenced by lots of things, I wouldn't try and make any big decisions like that so soon

 

[stringcheeseincident]

read the post before replying, tami.

after thinking about it, i really don't want to go to college after high school, i was hoping to have some sort of business going by the end of 12th grade that would give me a little bit of money and atleast a headstart. maybe try out the real world for a year or two, and if stuff isn't working, go to college and that'll be a big help. i just honestly cannot deal with how messed up things are at school for 5 of every 7 days of the week.

i understand what SLCentral is saying about history, math, language, etc. i was hoping to find a school with basic math/english/science classes then my own independant technology study. i dont care much for history, math comes very easily, and after switching from spanish to latin this year i regret spanish in the first place.

i'll definiatly do some googling and look for any type of high school that isn't mine, thanks for the quick replies.

 

[Mo0o]

Why not stay in high school, get good grades, go to a good college , maybe something involving engineering? You're a freshman and theres a good chance you dont have everything figured out.

 

[stringcheeseincident]

because i truly think i'll resort to dropping out before these 4 years are up, i regret waking up every single day. until last year i loved school, i loved learning and taking in new information. now almost every teacher sounds like a broken record and i feel like i'm walking in circles.

we don't have much technology stuff here, a few basic CAD and programming courses, and a graphics design class. i'm thinking maybe i'll do another year here and spend it looking at options for the last 2.

 

[Toastedlightly]

I am a junior in highschool now and I thought about doing what you are talking about. I decided not to. You most likely can take a study hall of sorts and talk to the administration about letting you do a self study course or something. Also, for your senior year, if your state has PSEO, you can do that. I am getting (hopefully) a free year of college for my seinior year.

 

[deftron]

Just get a GED and tell everyone you graduated ... it's not like they're gonna call your high school and check.


Then you can go to college if you want.

Besides .. people usually don't put high school info on a resume if they have any
college experience.

 

[Spikesoldier]

go to community college and ACE the courses, thats important

then get into a good 4 year state univ. or something like that, graduate

it will be tough but damn you will have a big hop on everyone else your age.

 

[everman]

Stay in school, go to college. Keep your options wide open, don't confine yourself to one very small place without seeing other options as well.
I don't mean to sound harsh, but you're not even close to having things figured out. Just do well in school.

 

[icejunkie]

I managed to finish HS in 2 years, smartest thing I did...

 

[HardcoreRobot]

high school is a lot of BS, but its a necessary evil. no one is saying you have to give up your side interests. if you REALLY want to learn computer hardware or programming, i really think you need good formal education from a college. and its hard to get that without a good HS background. what kind of business are you looking to do. it sounds absolutely retarded to me that you would sit out of HS to start a business. if it fails, you have sht for education. you can get a GED, but that will land you in community college. and if you dont like HS, you will hate CC.

what exactly is it about your HS that keeps you from wanting to attend so badly?

 

[Toastedlightly]

The point of highschool (at least 1st two years) is to teach you to learn. 11th is also like that, but you start specializing and deciding intersets. 12th is all slack

 

[virtueixi]

Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
go to community college and ACE the courses, thats important

then get into a good 4 year state univ. or something like that, graduate

it will be tough but damn you will have a big hop on everyone else your age.

I don't know what kind of sh!tty community college will take you if you don't at least have a GED.

 

[SofaKing]

Does connecticut have some type of high school proficiency exam? in California we have the CHSPE. Take it and you're qualified to get out of high school. A lot of kids have done this after their sophomore year and went directly to JuCo or Community College for 2 years and transferred to a UC. I imagine you could do the same and transfer to a state school?

 

[MichaelD]

Alternatives to High School

Unemployment line
Welfare line
Trailer park living
Minimum wage jobs
No hope of ever being hired at a real job b/c a GED doesn't cut it, PERIOD
Ritual drug use and alcoholic depression b/c you have to hang out w/other losers that have a GED
Eventual suicide, most probably leaving behind a trailerpark family of 8, with no insurance


So yeah, go ahead; drop out for some "vocational school." When I was younger they had these "vocational schools." We called them J.D. Schools (Juvenille Delinquients with police records)

 

[Toastedlightly]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
Alternatives to High School

Unemployment line
Welfare line
Trailer park living
Minimum wage jobs
No hope of ever being hired at a real job b/c a GED doesn't cut it, PERIOD
Ritual drug use and alcoholic depression b/c you have to hang out w/other losers that have a GED
Eventual suicide, most probably leaving behind a trailerpark family of 8, with no insurance


So yeah, go ahead; drop out for some "vocational school." When I was younger they had these "vocational schools." We called them J.D. Schools (Juvenille Delinquients with police records)

walk uphill botth ways

I do agree with you though.

 

[LtPage1]

i think youd be selling yourself short by missing out on the social development stage of high school. unless for whatever reason you dont need it.

 

[EyeMWing]

2yrs HS => GED => 2yrs CC => State university. Best course of action available. I wish I'd realized it before it was too late.

 

[stringcheeseincident]

i dont like the fact that most teachers aren't very inteligent, they pretty much teach from books and worksheets, and i feel like i learn a lot more if i teach myself from those same books and worksheets. i dont like large classes, and at my school of around 2000 the classes are 25-30+ students, its hard for a teacher to actually know how things are going with each student. i don't like the daily routine of everything being the same, i don't like being around so many stupid people. i'm not even really looking to finish high school early or anything, just do something thats different than the ordinary and shows my strengths better than a public HS would. like i know i'm at the begining of this road and eventually i'll reach the end where i make all these decisions...i don't want to make the decisions yet nor get to the end any quicker, i just want to take a different path.