Date: 10/18/2004 10:16:00 PM
From Authorid: 62753
I am 24 years old , and a high school drop out.... it took a lot of years, and a marriage, and a kid, and a lot of life changing events to make me decide that I was sick and tired of not being the person I wanted to be. I got back into school, and I work hard on my classes. To me it is whats most important. Education to me is the only way I am going to make the life I want for me. Sure there are a lot of college freshman , and upper classman that thier main goal is to PARTY but I think you would be surprised to see just how many people are going to college to make themselves better. Truth is unless you go to school, and do the time to get a Degree, chances are you aren't going to make it very far in a career. Going to college shows employers that you are dedicated, and can complete a goal. It doesn't show them how smart you are. Most employers don't care what kind fo grades you made, or where you even graduated from, they just want to know that you have the desire to achieve something...... Know what I mean? I don't know what your personal goals are, but mine takes a college degree, and I won't be happy making crappy money when I know I am strong willed enough to make myself better, and prove to everyone that I can.  |
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Date: 10/18/2004 10:18:00 PM
From Authorid: 62753
Everyone who is in college deserves to be there by the way - anyone who wants to go can go - there are all kinds of grants, and scholarships, even for high school drop outs. College courses can even be taken online! |
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Date: 10/18/2004 10:22:00 PM
From Authorid: 62753
And for the record I don't look down on yuou for not going to college, or thinking enducation is important, we all have our opinions. |
Date: 10/18/2004 10:25:00 PM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15675
I think you misread: I said education IS important, degrees arent. And thank you for not lookin down on me *hugs*  |
Date: 10/18/2004 10:25:00 PM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15675
not everyone but a lot of them I'll agree. The ones I mentioned got to college because either sports or their parents paid for it...I really don't support either as a full way of being able to go. Buy all means do what it takes to get your dream I was just trying to say I dont think $ should rule the whole decision ya know? And obviously if your not doing your dream and making crappy $ that cant be very fun. For me PERSONALLY what I want to be could take a few courses in college but its not a requirement. I don't feel a need to complete high school but for back up reasons I'm doin the GED thing (which honestly I despise...minus the math test the whole thing is subpar easy...LOL which is why I dont have it btw the dang geometry  !) I just don't like being looked down because my goals dont feel the need for the degrees and such. |
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Date: 10/18/2004 10:27:00 PM
From Authorid: 62753
Unfortunately in our world, degree's are important, and they are what it takes to prove to others that you did do your time reading the books. |
Date: 10/18/2004 10:30:00 PM
From Authorid: 53054
Hey, Im 18 years old....I have failed year 12 (last year of high school) twice in a row now, but I know that to get anywhere I really do need to study and to go to university or another form of education...yes I went to the high school prom...I didnt go to any after prom parties, however I had a good time, and I enjoyed it...one year I went with a guy and the next without, just with my friends, and both times I had a good time...not all school college kids want to just go and and party, however that is what most of them want...as for kids cheating...if they can get away with it then that is fantsatic...like seriously i got good grades and worked hard for those grades until year 11, but in the final year i just couldnt do it anymore, and then the kids that actually passed were the kids who studied and didnt cheat, and they were the ones who deserved to pass and get into university...i agree that its not all about the grades, but its abouit the person who you are and what kind of thing you want to do when you grow up....to tell you the truth i want to travel before i study, because i am not ready to go through high school again at the moment, and so i will travel next year again, and then decide if i want to go to school, however one day i want to graduate and get a good job, which unfortunetly means that I must go back to school and eventually go to university....lizard is right, employees are looking for people who are dedicated and those people are normally the ones who have studied and graduated....as for the people who follow what there parents want them to do, well i do feel sorry for them, because once they turn 18, they are independent and have to make there own decission, whilst still respecting there parents...but it doesnt mean that you have to study what your parents want you too...you have a mind of your own and when it comes to study and your future and what you want to do that is what it is YOUR FUTURE....so you should do what you want with it and not let other people influence you! *hugz* interesting post...many good points! Take care!  |
Date: 10/18/2004 10:47:00 PM
From Authorid: 55408
I know what you mean. I'm a senior in high school right now and I'm sick of it. I see the exact things that you did when you were in high school. They told us as freshman that if you 'slacked off' and got a C freshman year that basically the rest of your life would be harder. That year I was having consentration problems and later learned that I had depression. I was bearly scraping by on a C and I was up half the night trying to finish my homework and crying because I thought I was a total failure. There was no room for failure at my old high school, they would hound you like a pack of starving dogs if you weren't perfect. They held strongly to the belief that 'children aren't supposed to enjoy school' I sat and watch preppy kids who didn't give a d--- sail through school with straight A's while I was hated because I was a 'slacker' At my new school half the kids there are slackers, and don't care about school all that much but the teachers there are much more understanding and helping. I still get made fun of by my class mates because I'm different. For the first 3 years of high school I was practically a mute but this year I think I talk to much in class. I enjoy the subjects I take and children can't understand trying to enjoy high school as much as possible. Why sit there and be miserable when you can do something to improve your experience. At the local college most of the students there are stoners. Until resently you could get a written assessment instead of a letter grade. There is a agreement that if you do well in community college that you can go to a CSU or a UC. The UCs are much harder to get into yet the local college here is UCSC. I can't imagine I could get anything done if I was stoned all the time much less do well in college. I guess this just shows our system and Bush is trying to put more of a standard to schools. Our school had a million dollars taken away this year because we didn't raise our standard enough. Our school had a high standard to begin with but because we didn't raise our standards even higher we get denied more money. Last year the government threatened that if we did 'Opt in' instead of 'Opt out' they would take another million dollars away from us. With this kind of system how can schools work on being fair if they are so threatened to do so much all ready.  |
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Date: 10/19/2004 12:07:00 AM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15675
I feel ya there! My deal was I was overweight and to top it off I've just never been a socializer (I don't *get* the teenager thing) so obviously the harassment and isolation got to me. By 8th grade I'd vowed to drop out and seeings how my bday was 2 days before school ended I didn't stay a minute longer then legally forced! I never did well either; I mean in some subjects where I could do something actually worthwile (debate, english, etc...) I did but even some that would be good for me (Spanish, Ceramics, lol PE) I did poor in either a) I didnt care (PE lol I failed that since 4th grade!...and yet I lost 80lbs hmmm...), b) missed to much school because I was horribly depressed and didnt want to face it (ceramics), or c) the teachers just really weren't great (spanish.) I just gave up all together after awhile especially like in per se` Science (I failed it 3 semesters in a row until I finally got to study it on my own then I passed...long story ) where they'd hand us busy work and kids would pass a sheet around with the answers and finish it...I just couldn't see the point ya know? |
Date: 10/19/2004 1:30:00 AM
From Authorid: 49348
If we didnt have those expectations where would we be... Atlest socity pushs us to do all we can  |
Date: 10/19/2004 4:46:00 AM
From Authorid: 62146
right on! I argrue with you on this one. I go to high school and their are alot of expectations. socily other students tend to force you into situations you do not want to be in. and it is told high school is the best years of your life when in face life gets better. but I do think education is needed. we do need at least some doctors, scientists, and arcatects, but you say you can have a low payed job and still be happy so long as you enjoy it. I argrue with you on this one here. but some people do feel happy in some jobs that require alot of education. some rocket scientists consider what they do interesting, I consider science interesting. I do arguee with you though it is the though you are only a good person or a happy person if you have succes it is not the case with everyone. you gotta follow your dream not matter how big or small it is. I can never understand why people say high school is the best years of your life, I would hate to see the rest of my life then. other teenagers, did not like me much because I did not go out to partys much and stuff like it is really a big deal anyway. I got given a hard time by other students for it they braged about what they did on the weekend. it was a big expectation to go on dates go to partys and stuff, but now that me and my peers are lder we have gotten past that. socity likes to tell people what they are meant to be. but you do not have to listen to that. good post  |
Date: 10/19/2004 5:13:00 AM
From Authorid: 19869
looks like you hit a hot topic! my only input to this would be, if you dont agree with societies view on these things, then have your own views on it and dont bother wasting your time worrying about it! be yourself. do your own thing. if someone else has a problem with it then its their problem not yours. it seems to me that your biggest problem is that you let people get to you with their views when it really shouldnt matter to you.  |
Date: 10/19/2004 5:54:00 AM
From Authorid: 2030
A degree is important in the fact that if nothing else it shows a person made the effort and completed the tasks needed to get it. To say that many people cheat to get their degree may be in part true but it's also a pretty flimsy excuse to downplay it's importance. Education is important and going into a job interview where people don't know you or how how smart you are, a degree helps prove that. No one is required to get an education or follow the career path, but if not be prepared to live within the means you'll be able to earn.  |
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Date: 10/19/2004 10:15:00 AM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15675
Cosmic Freak LOL the ones who super hold that belief are the 40 something factory workers who STILL live in the small town, coaching the football team, remembering how 'great' they were (not to say ALL do that LOL but I have seen it.) BCAR I dont see how its flimsy. So what they finished it? I can present you with something and it can have no quality behind it. See that's America's problem right there: a degree shows you finished it but hey who cares if you actually got educated while at it LOL! |
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Date: 10/19/2004 10:57:00 AM
From Authorid: 2030
Theory being that having completed the required course of study that you learned something. I personally know of a couple kids that used to work for me part time. One got an engineering degree from Georgia Tech and is making around $85,000 a year, the other was just as bright, maybe had more common sense. But he's now working as a landscaper making around $30,000. If he's happy more power to him, but education makes a difference. |
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Date: 10/19/2004 11:08:00 AM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15675
No that just shows a degree makes more $...something that can but doesn't always mean success (depends on your definition) |
Date: 10/19/2004 2:23:00 PM
From Authorid: 47218
first of all-- there's a lot of generalizations here. Sure there are the people who cheat their way through school, only care about partying and getting a degree, and making a lot of money afterwards, but that's SOME people. There's just as many kids who go to college because they love studying and want to do something with their life that they feel passionately about, and college is just as instrumental to them as it is to the kids who want the degree factory...in fact, more so, because I guarantee you nearly 100 percent of the professors are in the academic world because they love their area of concentration and feel passionately about education themselves (no other reason to stick through more than 8 years of school) and will empathize more with the enthusiastic kids. And there's grad students-- outside of business school and law school, the only motivation for someone to suffer through 4 years or more of exhausting work on a student income for not necessarily stunning job prospects is because they love academia. So I think your view of higher education and people's motivations is a little..hm..pessimistic. Secondly, you shouldn't worry that all these other people don't see things the same as you...so some person values money more than anything else...who cares? That's their prerogative. You need to worry about what makes you happy. As for people looking down on you because of want you want to do with your life... there's nothing wrong with not going to college and being satisfied with the kind of jobs you can get with just a GED if that's what makes YOU happy. However, I think many people are observing that you are a very bright person with a lot of potential who is determined to limit herself in her career choices because of personal predjudices against higher education and humanity and that is a shame. Why not open yourself up and see where you can go? Wouldn't that be something? And I think some of us wizened old adults are trying to pass on our experiences with the world and with school and careers to save you a little bit of suffering. But you seem like someone who has to figure out things the hard way. So be it.  |
Date: 10/19/2004 3:17:00 PM
From Authorid: 4144
well here is a 40 year old and i can honestly say that high school was not the best time of my life!! don't get me wrong, i had my share of fun (don't ask!!) but there's a whole lot more to life than school. as far as the job, i don't think anybody should go to college and get a certain job just to please somebody else. also, i'm not saying people should quit school because everybody should have a diploma. it was a little different 20+ years ago. i quit school at 18 (real stupid, i know) but i have pretty much taught myself and took a night course to learn how to manage my office. i make enough money for what i need and most of what i want but not enough for everything i want!!  |
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Date: 10/19/2004 4:15:00 PM ( From Author )
From Authorid: 15675
Mollycat I tried to point out that not EVERYONE is this way, but I sure have seen a lot of it (and yes I've seen a few people who are as you described.) I think you made some generalizations about me yourself... I don't think I *know* it all (I wish LOL!) but I do think not enough people ever think outside the box. I may be bright (lol just going with you there not trying to be cocky ) but the things I'd like to do in life don't require a degree of me...although I can say someone who manages acts SHOULD have to get a degree...maybe if I ever go that route (it's like a C plan) I would take a few community classes though as said not a requirement... |
Date: 10/20/2004 4:46:00 AM
From Authorid: 19869
if a degree has no quality u will get a crap degree (in UK u'll get like a 2:1 which is good... or a 3 is a pile of poo degree... so quality does matter. and if its that easy to get one, why dont u? |
