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Do I need a high school degree?
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MurkScribe Away
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Post: #1
Do I need a high school degree?

What arguments and facts I can use to counter when other people say, " You can't even work at McDonald's without a high school diploma."
10-21-2014 07:41 AM
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TheCancer Offline
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Post: #2
RE: Do I need a high school degree?

If you learn to weld and scuba dive you can fix underwater infrastructure like bridges that are falling apart and if you also learn to rappel you can fix tall things with weird angles and surfaces like water towers. You could earn enough with those skills to buy a McDonald's and then hire high school dropouts just to prove them wrong. And you could hook me up with free Big Macs. Thanks in advance.

I couldn't do my job without a degree, however.

If you want to be a different fish, you've got to jump out of the school.


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10-21-2014 08:14 AM
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brainiac3397 Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Do I need a high school degree?

Course the first two things mentioned are quite dangerous jobs with high risk injury or death.

FYI You don't need a degree to start a business.

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(06-14-2013 08:02 AM)Potato Wrote:  watch the fuq out, we've got an "intellectual" over here.

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10-21-2014 09:57 AM
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Gwedin Offline
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Post: #4
RE: Do I need a high school degree?

(10-21-2014 09:57 AM)brainiac3397 Wrote:  FYI You don't need a degree to start a business.

Seconding this.

'Course it helps if ya have an idea of what you wanna do later in life.
10-21-2014 01:45 PM
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MurkScribe Away
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Post: #5
Do I need a high school degree?

Quote:If you learn to weld and scuba dive you can fix underwater infrastructure like bridges that are falling apart and if you also learn to rappel you can fix tall things with weird angles and surfaces like water towers. You could earn enough with those skills to buy a McDonald's and then hire high school dropouts just to prove them wrong. And you could hook me up with free Big Macs. Thanks in advance.

Excellent plan! Once I hire the high school dropouts and own three McDonald's ill spend my fortune owning even more McDonald's! I'll call everyone filthy peasants and throw a bunch of monopoly dollar bill's at them while drink my cognac liquor.
(This post was last modified: 10-22-2014 09:05 AM by MurkScribe.)
10-22-2014 08:46 AM
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James Comey Away
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RE: Do I need a high school degree?

To answer the question: No. In fact, you don't even need to get through high school to go to college. You can drop out and take the GED, which is essentially the same as a high school degree. If you live in California you can take the CHSPE instead. Grants, etc will pretty much still be there.

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10-22-2014 12:21 PM
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redstrain Offline
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Post: #7
Do I need a high school degree?

Getting a GED takes $30 and 2 hours of your time, though that is equivalent to a high school degree. I think if you don't have a diploma, you should try to get a GED if you can.
10-23-2014 04:33 AM
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brainiac3397 Offline
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RE: Do I need a high school degree?

Legally equivalent to degree but socially not...

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(06-14-2013 08:02 AM)Potato Wrote:  watch the fuq out, we've got an "intellectual" over here.

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10-23-2014 07:42 AM
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MurkScribe Away
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Post: #9
Do I need a high school degree?

Okay, So since i'm 14 and if I take the and G.E.D and pass. Does that legally allowed to dropout?

Okay, So since i'm 14 and if I take the and G.E.D and pass. Does that legally allowed to dropout?
(This post was last modified: 10-23-2014 10:03 AM by MurkScribe.)
10-23-2014 10:02 AM
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GamerGurl Away
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Post: #10
RE: Do I need a high school degree?

(10-23-2014 10:02 AM)MurkScribe Wrote:  Okay, So since i'm 14 and if I take the and G.E.D and pass. Does that legally allowed to dropout?

Okay, So since i'm 14 and if I take the and G.E.D and pass. Does that legally allowed to dropout?
The age may vary state by state, I'm not sure if being 16 is universal for being able to take it. I think in Virginia you can take the GED when you're 16, but I don't think it gets any lower than that.

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10-23-2014 12:24 PM
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xcriteria Offline
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Post: #11
Do I need a high school degree?

At 14, you'd need your parents to help you by letting you homeschool... the details depend on the state, but in general they have to provide a notice of intent to the school district.

In most states, you can't take the GED until roughly age 16-17 (even with parent consent.) Some require you to be 18... some it may be a bit lower.

There may be other options, too, if your parents are open to it... like unschooling cooperatives that are like a flexible version of school, based on your interests. I know of several of these in the planning stages, and some things like that exist in different places.

Are your parents at all open to discussion educational options?

One other possibility is early college, which some people who homeschool do. For example, this article is about a 17-year-old who got a degree after starting early college at 14: A degree of maturity. That's pretty rare, but if more people knew about that option, maybe it could happen more. And, ideally, with totally customized college programs.

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10-23-2014 01:40 PM
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xcriteria Offline
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Post: #12
Do I need a high school degree?

Regarding jobs... many jobs do require a high school diploma (or equivalent, like GED) -- or a college degree.

But there are a number of jobs that don't.

Aside from entrepreneurship, there are a wide range of jobs where the main thing the employer or client cares about is what you can do. These are often found through word of mouth, networking, meeting people and just promoting yourself, vs. the traditional "apply for a job" types of positions.

These range from relatively unskilled to highly-skilled work. For example, carrying boxes, delivering things, yard work, picking fruit, cleaning... building web sites, coding, graphic design, and various skilled types of work where your portfolio and references are the ticket to a job over any particular credential.

Most places that just require a high school diploma also accept a GED. More than anything, though, is if you can be on time, do the work, be motivated and friendly, work with a team, things like that. Lots of people even with credentials struggle with those things... so developing those skills and attitudes can go a long way.

Also, the GED is a ticket to many community colleges and noncompetitive colleges, if that's a route you want to take for a further credential.

There are also credentials that require tests/assessments outside of traditional school/college, for specific types of work, like tech abilities (Microsoft certification, etc), insurance industry, etc.

Does that help at all?

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10-23-2014 01:49 PM
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MurkScribe Away
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Post: #13
Do I need a high school degree?

I told my Counselor that I wanted to take the G.E.D to get out of high school, but he told me that the G.E.D it's challenging and that I should do my work as kind of a study prep for the G.E.D. I'm not believing him, I don't think the GED is actually hard and that hes just trying to make me do my work.
11-12-2014 05:23 AM
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brainiac3397 Offline
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RE: Do I need a high school degree?

GED isnt too difficult, but that depends on whether you know basics stuff, and dont freak out when presented with a test.

Take a look at a GED sample test, you'll see what you may come up against.

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(06-14-2013 08:02 AM)Potato Wrote:  watch the fuq out, we've got an "intellectual" over here.

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11-12-2014 02:04 PM
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xcriteria Offline
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Do I need a high school degree?

What brainiac says. Take a practice test somehow.

I dropped out and did well on the GED with no problem, as have a few other people I know. Some others may not pass without studying, but you can always learn things on your own and with help beyond school.

One catch is that in most (all?) states, you have to drop out before getting your GED, and at earlier ages, you may need parental consent.

Any plans for what next, after getting a GED?

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(This post was last modified: 11-13-2014 04:28 PM by xcriteria.)
11-13-2014 04:27 PM
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xcriteria Offline
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Do I need a high school degree?

Free GED practice test: http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educato...acticetest

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11-13-2014 04:32 PM
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MurkScribe Away
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Post: #17
Do I need a high school degree?

I'm not sure, that's what I need to discover and experience for myself.
11-14-2014 10:09 AM
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