# Are you doomed if you drop out of high school?



## Mxx1 (Feb 3, 2015)

I really want to drop out and get myself a job at a grocery store or something. The more i think about it, the more it seems like a very good idea. The only problem is will i get difficulties with money for the rest of my life and end up regretting it?

High school is just so hard and the though that i have to spend another 2 years there just makes me sad.


----------



## meandernorth (Nov 12, 2014)

Don't drop out. The next two years will pass much quicker than you think. While there are many people who have been quite successful without a high school diploma, the odds often aren't in your favor. I don't know your specific circumstances but I'd think for a long while before dropping out. Two years of 'sacrifice' can lead to long-term gain.


----------



## Blue2015 (Jul 3, 2015)

I guess it depends on what your outlook on life is.


----------



## Mxx1 (Feb 3, 2015)

^ Thanks for the replies! I don't care that much about money, i don't often buy things and i often put the money i get in the bank. I just really want to have enough money to make it and buy things i want sometimes.

I will still think about, haven't made a conclusion yet and i have a feeling i will end up regretting it a little, since all the people i have seen who dropped out struggles a lot with money :/


----------



## legallyalone (Jan 24, 2014)

You could get homeschooled, and then you certainly wouldn't be doomed. You would be better off graduating high school though, I'm sure employers and colleges would take your high school diploma more seriously. There are members on this site who were homeschooled, I think touka was, and maybe raeden? (really sorry if I'm wrong about that)


----------



## Just Lurking (Feb 8, 2007)

Mxx1 said:


> I don't care that much about money


Well, you should, because money makes the world go 'round.

You can make enough to "just get by" and be satisfied with that, which is fine, up to a point. Sooner or later, though, you're going to become too old to be able to work, and if you've been "just getting by" all your life, then you're not going to have much in the way of savings to get you through the latter years of your life. You can rely on the government for income, but they'll give you barely enough to live at all, and if you're stuck going into a retirement home or a nursing home with only a government income supporting you, well... you're probably not going to like your choices as far as which home to move into (low cost of rent = low quality environment and care).



Mxx1 said:


> Are you doomed if you drop out of high school?


Definitely not.

The reality is, schools are a business like any other. It's in their best interest to keep you in school as long as possible because it puts more money in their pockets. This doesn't mean it's in _your_ best interest.

You're probably not going to get much smarter than you already are through schooling (_life_ _smart_, I mean -- _book_ _smart _is totally different). School will only take you so far in _life smarts_ -- you have to actually get out there and _live_ to develop it further.

It's true that employers place a lot of value on a diploma, but that value is largely artificial. Whether you graduate high school or you drop out a year or two early, you're still the same person with the same level of intelligence and capabilities. Unless you're in school for something you _actually need to learn_ (like if you want to argue law in front of a judge, or operate on people, or something), then what is the diploma doing for you besides satisfying a would-be employer's artificial measure of your ability?

But...

The 'grocery store' thing... Doesn't the prospect of working in a grocery store for the next 50 years sound kind of depressing?



> 25 Multimillionaires Without High School Diplomas


http://www.forbes.com/2010/12/08/mi...eneurs-ask-an-expert-10-multimillionaire.html

Use that brain of yours, and figure out what you can do to make a life for yourself. A high school diploma is only one of many options. It's the simplest path, yes (and maybe it's recommendable for most people), but it's certainly not the only option you have.

There would be other education options, too. I dropped out of high school a year-and-a-half early, but I still went to college (dropped out of there, too, but that's beside the point). As someone else mentioned, you could look at homeschooling. You could look at high school equivalency programs or adult education programs in your area. Returning to school is an option (remember, school is a business ~ they want their customer back).

Don't do this lightly, though. Consider the consequences. Have a plan in mind. Always have a plan in mind. A 'Plan A', a 'Plan B', and a 'Plan C'. Don't drop out of high school and then wonder, "Hmm, now what?" ...Figure that out, first.


----------



## Mxx1 (Feb 3, 2015)

Just Lurking said:


> Well, you should, because money makes the world go 'round.
> 
> You can make enough to "just get by" and be satisfied with that, which is fine, up to a point. Sooner or later, though, you're going to become too old to be able to work, and if you've been "just getting by" all your life, then you're not going to have much in the way of savings to get you through the latter years of your life. You can rely on the government for income, but they'll give you barely enough to live at all, and if you're stuck going into a retirement home or a nursing home with only a government income supporting you, well... you're probably not going to like your choices as far as which home to move into (low cost of rent = low quality environment and care).
> 
> ...


I'm going to think this through if i actually end up doing it, i don't want to end up regretting anything. I will maybe try homeschooling or something else like Legallyalone and you said. So i have some options.

I know the grocery thing isn't exactly the best job, but to be honest i can't exactly see myself liking any type job, so it's kind of the same for me what i will end up with in the end.

Thank you for the long and informative post


----------



## allthatsparkles (Mar 1, 2013)

Mxx1 said:


> I really want to drop out and get myself a job at a grocery store or something. The more i think about it, the more it seems like a very good idea. The only problem is will i get difficulties with money for the rest of my life and end up regretting it?
> 
> High school is just so hard and the though that i have to spend another 2 years there just makes me sad.


Doomed is too dramatic. But yes, your career prospects for the future will be very dim if you choose to drop out of high school. I had a tough time in high school (it got MUCH better in college), but I am glad I stuck it out and went to a good university.

Education is really, really important if you're interested in having a successful career. Would you be happy working for minimum wage at a grocery store or in retail for the rest of your life? That's an honest question you have to ask yourself, and then, once you've given it some thought, make your decision. Don't make permanent decisions based on temporary feelings -- make a pro/con list, THINK about your options, and really consider what life as a high school drop-out would be like.

As someone in my early 20s (so a bit older than you, but not so old that I've forgotten what high school is like), the real world is a lot different than you imagine it to be while in school. In 4 or 5 years, you'll look back and wonder why you cared so much what others thought of you, why you even cared about high school politics, and how little high school prepares you for a real career.

In sum, just because high school is hard, don't drop out -- these next two years will matter very little once you're out of there; if you drop out though, you'll have to live with it forever because a GED isn't the same thing.


----------



## Hayman (Dec 27, 2014)

In my opinion, it all depends on luck. I personally left school at 16 after I done my GCSE's. I couldn't bear the thought of staying on for another two years, with the fellow irritating pupils I was around, to do my 'A' levels. It was the last year / eighteen months of so of my time in school that really shaped who I am today and gave me my first real taste of stress and depression.

For me personally, my luck has been chronic for much of my life and certainly more so as time has progressed. I wouldn't necessarily put this down to a lack of qualifications either. I know one of my former friends left at the same time as me, got worse grades than me and now earns 50% more than me with considerably better perks... Figure that one out :?. He has his own three bedroomed house, a wife, a child, a company car, a couple of foreign holidays a year, a plethora of friends... I have _none_ of that.

I have no doubt a lack of higher qualifications will no doubt limit you to the more mundane jobs, but it certainly doesn't seem to limit you to just basic salaries. Again, I put a lot of this down to basic luck and who you get along with in your place of employment. It's a case of who you know, rather than what you know.

From my 14 years-worth of experience in the world of work, I find that if you have the "gift of the gab", you're likely to get along better in life. If you find this considerably more difficult or you find a lot of people are simply against you (i.e - those with anxiety issues which remain misunderstood, like ourselves), you're going to be kept down towards the 'gutter' end of the market indefinitely. I highly doubt me staying on in school for another two years will have done much, if anything, to change my position. I'm fairly confident in saying this.

It's your decision at the end of the day, but I wouldn't be overly concerned about leaving the education system at the first chance. It will no doubt stunt you as to what you can achieve, but I've found struggling with people (as we with SA often do) is a considerably larger problem when it comes to making the progressions others seem to be just 'gifted', whilst we work hard at and remain at square one...


----------



## acidicwithpanic (May 14, 2014)

If you have a specific, detailed plan on how to support yourself, then maybe. Do you have any skills?


----------



## iCod (Feb 17, 2015)

I wouldn't say doomed but largely disadvantaged.


----------



## Mxx1 (Feb 3, 2015)

```

```



acidicwithpanic said:


> If you have a specific, detailed plan on how to support yourself, then maybe. Do you have any skills?


No, i don't have any skills. I was kind of hoping that things would just eventually fix itself, if i just dropped out..


----------



## Kevin001 (Jan 2, 2015)

Please don't drop out. At least have a high school diploma. You will be at a huge disadvantage if you don't. Your life will be more stressful. I know high school can be tough but you can fight through the last 2yrs. Hell do the bare minimum, just graduate.


----------



## wine1345 (Dec 22, 2013)

You are 17 years old. Thats the problem. You don't think about how it would affect you in the future. If you drop out you will reget rest of your life.


----------



## Kind Of (Jun 11, 2014)

You're not doomed but it's a stupid idea. Unless you become a mega-entrepreneur on your own, potential employers will look down on it as a failure to finish what's considered mandatory education for everyone from plumbers to doctors. It sets you apart from your peers in a way nobody is going to interpret as a positive.

Well, they'll look down on it either way, but at least if you made the next Facebook on your own time you could give their opinions the finger. 17 is almost finished. You've already spent over a decade in the school system.


----------



## thebigofan (Dec 27, 2014)

Don't drop out, it will be very difficult to get a job. Anyway, high school is not hard at all, so I don't why you think you can't finish it.


----------



## MetroCard (Nov 24, 2013)

You're 17 and have to go through two more years of high school? I'm 16 and I'm in my senior year


----------



## Mxx1 (Feb 3, 2015)

thebigofan said:


> Don't drop out, it will be very difficult to get a job. Anyway, high school is not hard at all, so I don't why you think you can't finish it.


If it wasn't so hard i would have no problem finishing it D:



MetroCard said:


> You're 17 and have to go through two more years of high school? I'm 16 and I'm in my senior year


Wow, that's early. Wish i lived there. High school here is just taking way too long :/


----------



## Jack365 (Jan 25, 2013)

Working at a grocery store? they don't pay much here, at least in the states. A lot of things seem like a good idea early on especially in our youth only to find out they were a bad idea. I think this is one of those scenarios. Think of it this way, would you rather drop out and start working at a grocery store only to find you hate it but now it's too late to finish your education. Or would you rather finish school and then work your job? By staying in school you create so many more options in life.


----------



## FullMetalTonic (Jul 7, 2015)

Echoing others when I say: don't drop out! Just hang in there and finish it. It's SO much easier to stay in and finish than to go back and finish later (which you'll have to do likely at some point).

Not having a high school diploma will point you down a path of less advantage, less happiness, less money, less options. It's just easier for things to suck ...and they will.

I'd encourage you to not only finish high school but to figure out some coursework you'd like to take after high school. After graduating high school you can really focus on getting skills in subjects you're interested in. Pursuing things that interest you leads to contentment, fulfillment ...or at least far less suckiness in life.


----------



## Tiffiduliu (Jul 7, 2014)

You are not doomed if you drop out of high school.

Just know that, you ARE doomed if you do is play video games, smoke pot, and watch Netflix after dropping out.

Just because you drop out, it doesn't mean that your life is going to be easy.

Unless you want a career of McDonalds, you are still going to have to work hard to prove yourself in this world.

You will still have to educate yourself unless you plan on working low paying jobs the rest of your life.


----------



## SofaKing (May 9, 2014)

The real world is so much harder than high school. Quitting is an easy addiction and won't stop at dropping out.

Doomed? I don't know. Depends on one's definition.


----------



## Kanova (Dec 17, 2012)

Don't drop out. That is one of the stupidest ****ing thing kids do besides getting knocked up. If you do that, then you will end up being a waitress for the rest of your ****ty life and living in an apartment forever.


----------



## Star241 (Jun 12, 2015)

My PERSONAL opinion on this;


Dropping out of high school was the best thing I have ever done. Too much pressure. Getting a simple job may well be "just the job"


However, one has to respect that people think differently on this matter.


So my advice would be to not listen to them, not listen to me, but listen to your heart,


ATB,


Joe


----------



## Serpentes (Mar 12, 2015)

I know dropping out sounds like a good idea now, but you will definitely regret it later on in life. I was in your same position just a year ago. I was at the beginning of my senior year and came really close to dropping out. With help from my mom, my school counselor, and even a therapist, I got through the year. Last month I got to sit with my class on the field and hear our principle congratulate us on graduating high school. I can tell you that there's no greater feeling of accomplishment than standing there in a cap and gown knowing you'll never have to step foot on that campus again. You finally made it.
Whether or not you are doomed if you don't graduate? I have no idea, but I think you owe it to yourself and everyone who has helped you so far to complete this milestone accomplishment. It's just two more years, they won't be easy, but it will be worth it.


----------



## Joe (May 18, 2010)

How lonely do you feel?


----------



## acidicwithpanic (May 14, 2014)

Or have you thought about alternative routes to education? Some community colleges offer high school classes on their campuses if it's the traditional high school environment you're not comfortable with. And community colleges offer helpful resources and services like tutoring which I didn't have in high school.


----------



## Tiffiduliu (Jul 7, 2014)

Kevin001 said:


> Please don't drop out. At least have a high school diploma. You will be at a huge disadvantage if you don't. Your life will be more stressful. I know high school can be tough but you can fight through the last 2yrs. Hell do the bare minimum, just graduate.


There is no right or wrong path in life. Every path is tough. Even if he stays in high school, it will be tough. If he drops out, he will still have to work hard to make something out of himself.


----------



## Mxx1 (Feb 3, 2015)

Star241 said:


> My PERSONAL opinion on this;
> 
> Dropping out of high school was the best thing I have ever done. Too much pressure. Getting a simple job may well be "just the job"
> 
> ...


Thank you. Happy to hear about someone who didn't regret dropping out 



acidicwithpanic said:


> Or have you thought about alternative routes to education? Some community colleges offer high school classes on their campuses if it's the traditional high school environment you're not comfortable with. And community colleges offer helpful resources and services like tutoring which I didn't have in high school.


I have though about it a little and i might do that if i do end up dropping out, but i'm still not completely sure. I guess i haven't really though this out :/


----------



## Skellymancer (Jul 10, 2015)

I tried dropping out of high school. Didn't work. My parents and the school tricked me into staying (they said it was illegal. Turns out, I could've dropped just fine). I hated high school with a burning passion. The work, the other dumb students, the obnoxious teachers, the bad school food, being bullied, I could go on forever about all the stuff I hated (and still hate). 

Now it is years later. My plan back then was to drop out, get a GED, and head directly to community college, then to a university to major in English. My plan now? Figure out what to do with my life. However, the urge to actually go to college is great. I went to college right after I graduated because I had no idea what to actually do with my life. I wasn't very determined and my grades plummeted. Now, I want to do better and achieve something. 

Point here is: plans can change. Just because you are happy working at a grocery store now, doesn't mean you will be in the future. My plans changed somewhat, and I probably would be in the same place if I did succeed in dropping out. However, it is better to be safe than sorry. You never know what the future will hold for you. You never know how you will change. I'm a completely different person than I was in high school. In fact, if I had a time machine, I would go back and get better grades than just blowing it off like I did. 

Going to high school makes it easier to get into college, especially if you go straight in because the material is still fresh. It is possible if you drop out, but much harder. You are not necessarily doomed if you drop out. You are also not guaranteed success if you go to college. However, it is better to not shut any doors. Keep your opportunities open. If I were you, I would stay in school, take the ACT/SAT you need, and then once you graduate, do whatever feels right. If it means working in a grocery store, fine. You are at least prepared if something were you change in yourself or your future.

But I won't lie. High school is really terrible. You just got to get through it. Once you're done, it's over forever


----------



## a degree of freedom (Sep 28, 2011)

MetroCard said:


> You're 17 and have to go through two more years of high school? I'm 16 and I'm in my senior year


Are you 2 years ahead of your peers or are most 16 year olds are seniors where you live?


----------



## acidicwithpanic (May 14, 2014)

Mxx1 said:


> I have though about it a little and i might do that if i do end up dropping out, but i'm still not completely sure. I guess i haven't really though this out :/


I personally would've went straight to community college had I not enjoyed high school because I couldn't stand to be near my peers, and older college students are easier to get along and interact with. Visiting and getting info about the high school programs from your local community college wouldn't hurt if you can't take another day at your high school.


----------



## MetroCard (Nov 24, 2013)

> Are you 2 years ahead of your peers or are most 16 year olds are seniors where you live?


They're 16 or 17


----------



## Hermiter (Dec 15, 2013)

the last two years of high school are useless. get a GED if you need it


----------



## Proud Paperclip (Jul 11, 2014)

I know you are thinking about it but put some serious thought into it before making that choice. It's good you said you don't care that much about money and are okay with just getting by but if you're dreading two more years of high school -- imagine what 40+ years or 50+ years at this grocery store you speak of may feel like.

It is possible to succeed on your own but either way, a lot of work has to be done.


----------



## mike91 (Sep 23, 2012)

Mxx1 said:


> I really want to drop out and get myself a job at a grocery store or something. The more i think about it, the more it seems like a very good idea. The only problem is will i get difficulties with money for the rest of my life and end up regretting it?
> 
> High school is just so hard and the though that i have to spend another 2 years there just makes me sad.


Drop out and spend the next 40 years of working crap job and crap cash as well (like i am now) or just spend the next two years (670 days) and get a ok job and average pay



Tiffiduliu said:


> You are not doomed if you drop out of high school.
> 
> Just know that, you ARE doomed if you do is play video games, smoke pot, and watch Netflix after dropping out.
> 
> ...


I was working before i dropped out 5 days a week and if i had of stayed for another two years i would have a average paying job witch i cant even apply for due to no high school certificate



Star241 said:


> My PERSONAL opinion on this;
> 
> Dropping out of high school was the best thing I have ever done. Too much pressure. Getting a simple job may well be "just the job"
> 
> ...


What do you do? For a job


----------



## Star241 (Jun 12, 2015)

mike91 said:


> What do you do? For a job


I am a gardener. I find the job much more relaxing than high school, and I don't have to think as much. I'm not that worried about getting high paid jobs. I would rather live minimally (not buying much) and have an easy job, personally. I think that there are more important things in life than this world's idea of "success".

---------------------------------------

Having said that, this is what I think. I have no interesting in forcing these ideals upon anyone else. For that reason, I would suggest

1) know the facts before you make any decision
2) I would encourage you to make your own decisions, uninfluenced by me or others, but rather influenced by the facts. Eg, leaving will probably make it much harder to get jobs etc. If you are happy with living minimally on a low paying job (if you can get one), then this is a decision you must make for yourself.

I respect that there are many on these forums that are more focussed on the money, and that is why I encourage you to make your own decisions (informed decisions), knowing the facts.

All the best,

Joe


----------



## sajs (Jan 3, 2015)

No.

But your odds are better if you don't.

In the same way you can be doomed if you go to college, but your odds are better.

I know a lot of people who did not finish even primary and has tons of money, the same way I know a lot of people who finished college and have more money from the ones who did not.

I guess it all depends in what the future brings you, how you play your cards and how ready you are too work really hard.


----------



## GrimReaper612 (Jul 19, 2015)

It depends. But one thing is certain, you don't have to prove yourself to anyone, especially not to "society". What possible reason would you have to? Do others prove yourself to you? We are living in a slave society. If you want to spend the rest of your life working mediocre regular jobs for literal survival(add social anxiety on that and things get 100 times harder), go right ahead. Then again if you'll work at mcdonalds or other lowlife jobs instead of mediocre ones, it's best to stress yourself to maximum for a bigger wage. People who think a regular job will bring or is bringing them something other than pure survival are extremely deluded, comparing yourself to someone who lives worse than you leads to nothing and is completely pointless, just like you compare yourself with people who work at mcdonalds they could as well compare themselves with people who don't have anything to eat in some of the poor African countries. The bottom line is, at that age it's hard to know what do you want in life and under which influences are you. You might regret is later(if you don't have what it takes to earn money and feel the need to prove to some "society"), you might not. I got f****d over in last year of high school, passed all of the exams but they didn't validate them because I skipped 2/3 of the year(living in europe) and demanded of me to do extra exams again after 3 months, which meant I couldn't get into any university I wanted that year. Told them to f**k off, quite literally, even with pressure from parents, dropped out. Now I don't regret it one bit. It seemed like the end of the world back then even though I wasn't gonna fulfill someones sick wishes of me doing additional exams and not being able to go to uni. because they don't have 1% of understanding for mental issues but the more rational you are more things you realize in life. You don't have to work to earn money or live with parents who don't understand anything.


----------



## Out of the Ashes (Jun 6, 2013)

Maybe 30 years ago it would have been your doom, but things have changed and degrees aren't worth the time or money anymore.

What is important is learning how to teach yourself and never stop learning. Also learning how to run a small business is way more lucrative than getting a job.

And I'm qualified to say so as a high school drop out, and a college drop out, with multiple small businesses.


----------



## someone117 (Jul 18, 2015)

that's what i did, didn't drop out but haven't gone to secondary education, i don't like living much to begin with and having just enough to chug along would be fine. if your like me you wont live anywhere close to old anyways.


cant imagine myself being alive at 30.


----------

