why shouldn't I drop out of school?

I don’t mean to be critical but your grammar suggest to me there is still a lot you could get out of school.

It’s far easier to get into college with a state certified Diploma from a High School than it is with a GED. Look it from the admission/financial aid person’s perspective: They see that you dropped out (in their mind - quit, gave up, etc) and they are far more likely to see you becoming one of the college statistics that drop out of college and therefore not worth accepting in the first place.

Employers are also more likely to look at it that way as well. They will not want to hire someone that does not seem like they are reliable.

My advice? Talk to your guidance counselor about getting into some classes that interest you. You seem bored or frustrated. Or is there some other reason that you do not want to be there? (Social issues with other students?) It’s not uncommon and teen years are hard because let’s face it, teens can act like a pack of rabid wolves. It’s normal, hormones all over the place, all the brain synapses are not fully formed and firing, and the chemicals in the brain are unbalanced by all the changes in the body that it makes teens more irrational, dramatic, etc…

That isn’t a diss or put down, it’s just a scientific observation. It has been proven to be directly related to impulsive behavior and bad choices made in our teen years.

Let’s see…you’re going to be 16? So that would make you a Sophomore?

You have plenty of time honey. You don’t have to rush anything. Part of the whole high school experience (and the college one as well) is not just about learning from teachers and books but from the experiences we have when there. It would be a shame to miss out on things that you won’t have a chance to get a do over on. You’ll regret it when you’re older. It may not seem that way now but it’s true.

Hang in there. It’ll get better. I promise. You have two more years. Two years of what, nine, ten months of school with a big ole summer break in between where you are not expected to worry about anything but yourself. You bills taken care of, a roof over your head, groceries bought for you to keep you fed, clothes bought for you, etc… It doesn’t get easier when you are an adult and suddenly you have to all those things for yourself.

Get into some classes that interest you. Do the requisite classes that the school requires. You seem like an intelligent fellow. Put that to use for you. Ace those classes. Get a high GPA. Get a scholarship to college. Challenge yourself with harder classes that expect more work. It won’t get simpler in College and you won’t have a teacher that is reminding you to turn in your papers or parents making you get up and go to school. You’ll have to be responsible for all that yourself when you go to college. But I think you can do it.

When the going’ gets tough…the tough doesn’t give up. (Bet you thought I was gonna say something else there didn’tcha? ;) )

P.s. Another idea if you wanted to shorten your time in high school without dropping out: Take summer courses and see if there is a local college around that you might take some courses there as well. Some schools even allow for their students to leave campus to go to college level courses during the school day.

I understand where you’re coming from. I hated school too and thought it was a waste of time and just all around awful. I’ve been out of high school for ten years now and I’m so glad I stuck in there and got it over with. Hell, there’s days when I would love to go back. School sucks, but honestly, the ‘real world’ sucks worse in some ways. Yeah, you make money and you live on your own and make your own decisions, but you also have to pay bills and worry about grocery money and if you make a mistake there isn’t a make up test or extra credit assignments to bail you out. Even if you don’t think you’re learning anything at school, you are. You’re learning major things like how to deal with unfair teachers, which will show you how to deal with a-hole bosses. You’re learning how to learn, which will benefit you when you further you’re education to go into the computer business and while I know ‘’dragging myself out of bed at 5am then going to put up with peoples B.S for 8 hours’’ is not fun, chances are you’re going to be doing that for the next fifty years so you better get used to it. It’s life. Life is full of unpleasant things that you have to do. High school is just the first of many. Stick in there and get it over with. You’ll be glad you did.

If you think high school is stressful, try finding sustainable employment without your high school diploma.

McDonald’s will hire you…so will gas stations, grocery stores, pretty much any fast food place or convenience store, but unfortunately, minimum wage doesn’t pay the bills these days. Those people who do manage to land good jobs are few and far between - using your brother’s experience as a reason is your first mistake.

I dropped out of school…after many years of working behind the counter at a donut shop I finally went back and then on to college, but not before I made many sacrifices…I’m 35 and I wasn’t able to purchase a house until last year, when all my friends who stayed in school have had their homes for almost 10 years already…that’s enough to feel like a failure.

You can only work a miserable job so long before you get frustrated with it.

You’d be doing yourself a huge favour just by staying in school and getting it done now, because going back when you’re an adult is damn hard.

But…you’re 15…naturally you know it all and you’re going to do what you want anyway, so in 10 years, when you’re full of regret, just remember that I told you so.