[mclaren20]

I havent gotten back my final grades yet, but it looks like i am going to have to repeat two clases.

i know its my fault and all, so please dont give me that. but seriously, if i do ok to bad in high school do i still have a chance.

If you are bored in reading this dont go on.

here is what i am planning to do, please give me your thoughts.

when i get out of HS, i will be a senior this fall, i plan to go to a community college where i will aim for a 4.0. my english teacher and me had a long talk about this. he said he recommends taking it easy for a year of two out of HS, earn some money, do whatever. well i plan on going to a comminity college, getting my 2 year degre and then moving on to a bigger university. i want to go to the community for 2 reasons...

1. i dont think i have the grades to right away go to a bigger university.

2. i want to take it a little easy, earn some money, and get good grades.


I posted this here because i know there are many honest, repectful adults here that will help me, thanks.

EDIT: if i spell any thing wrong, which i know i did, ignore it.

Im basically high right now on my medicinee.

*pukes*

 

[zbuddah]

if you are going to aim for the bigger university and you don't quite have the grades to get in it straight away, a community college would be the best or should i say a very good choice. I don't know where you live but here in CA the community colleges have programs for you to get into UC's garantueed as long as you keep your end of the deal up.

i don't know the details but, the thing is that you sign the deal and you take the classes they tell you to and you earn those grades and they garantuee you a spot in the UC of your choice. As long as you earn those grades and take those classes you get in.

besides it would be good to take it easy the first year or so, but the thing is you have to keep your focus or else you will not get anywhere at all. I recommend you go see a college couselor, say your local community college couselor and see what your options are, they are usaully helpful, and getting two opinions couldn't hurt either.

and if you go applying to colleges apply as undeclared better chances of getting into the college and deciding what you want to do later, unless you know your major has little competition.

good luck on your choices and don't slack off

 

[markl]

How important is high school? VERY VERY important. In this day and age, all you are are your records, and your resume. No one knows you from Adam, you will judged by your records which are reflected in things like grades. Once established, they don't go away, those D's don't magically turn into B's, they'll still be there when you go to apply to major university. If your record doesn't make the cut, there are a million more to choose from.

High school is your job, as a teenager, it's the only thing you HAVE to do. By blowing off school, you are establishing a very bad pattern and developing bad work habits that will not serve you in good stead the older you get. Lets face it, high school is easy, they don't hardly ask you to do anything at all. You'll never have it that easy again. What does it say about you that you could not be relied on to even meet the most basic requirements of high school? Why would I want to hire someone with no record of ever working hard, and in fact shows a dis-inclination to work? Based on what you've said, and the attitudes you've expressed, it sounds like you are in danger of setting out on the wrong path.
Quote:

when i get out of HS, i will be a senior this fall, i plan to go to a community college where i will aim for a 4.0.

If you won't do it now, when there is no pressure on you, no distractions, why do you think you'll be able to earn 4.0s later, when the assignments are much harder and more demanding?
Quote:

2. i want to take it a little easy, earn some money, and get good grades.

Earn some money how? Do you have skills that will bring in enough money for you to have some saved up? Will you be living at home?

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you asked for opinions.

Mark

 

[dd3mon]

If you "take a couple years off", especially after a poor showing in high school (or much worse, dropping out) - the chances of you actually attending any kind of college drop incredibly. If you move out, get a place and a car, with the kind of work you could get, you'll be making just enough to support yourself, school will be out of reach.

I know several (>5) people who were in your exact same situation. One of them, plowed his way through a community college while working (and will be graduating soon). Another spent a year in community college, then moved up a big university and is doing great! One more went to community college, didn't put forth any effort, and has since dropped out. The other two never attempted any sort of college, they are now living (together as roomates) in a small appartment, making less money in a week than I will in a day after I graduate.

My advice: graduate HS any way you can, get into a community college and do as well as you can. After you've had some college experience (even a year's worth), universities don't care about your high school record anymore, it's all what you've done in college that matters. Likewise, when you go try and find a job, no company will be looking at your high school grades, it's all college that matters.

Your future is by no means "lost" because you've done poory in high school, that is meaningless later in life. College however, is important, do yourself a favor and "give it the old college try" for a few years - if you make it through, you'll never regret a minute.

-dd3mon

 

[mclaren20]

no matter how harsh it sounds, keep them coming, i really appriciate this.

Quote:

If you won't do it now, when there is no pressure on you, no distractions, why do you think you'll be able to earn 4.0s later, when the assignments are much harder and more demanding?

well, on that. my brother did almost the exact same thing as i want to do, except he was almost forced into it. for his senior year in HS he failed 3 classes. all important ones too. he almost didnt graduate, but they let him make it up in summer school. he went off to a community college and made strait A's. and i know, if he can do it o can.

this also seems like i am lazy and spoiled, which i am not spoiled.

but the classes i failed i really tried in, honest. This has also been a SERIOUS wake up cal for me too. next year i will do nothing but work harder and harder.

reading it over it seems like i meant i will do this beacause next year i am going to blow school off. im not. im going to try to get a 4.0 next year and maybe try to get into a larger university. i just wanted to get some views on if what i want to do is possible, and wheather or not its a smart idea, for some one in my situation.

Quote:

Earn some money how? Do you have skills that will bring in enough money for you to have some saved up? Will you be living at home?

once again, my brother did this. he worked full time while going to college, and while earning his 2 year degree he earned enough money to move away and go to a bigger school. i may live at home i may not, but i know i will be able to save some money, maybe not much, but money.

I need to save up money anyways because me and my family are rather poor. we line paycheck by paycheck and i even help pay some of the bills. hell i had to sell my portapros to buy a birthday present for my mom.

please, keep the comments coming.

EDIT:

Quote:

My advice: graduate HS any way you can, get into a community college and do as well as you can. After you've had some college experience (even a year's worth), universities don't care about your high school record anymore, it's all what you've done in college that matters. Likewise, when you go try and find a job, no company will be looking at your high school grades, it's all college that matters.

ah, this is what i wanted to hear, thanks.

 

[williamgoody]

To me, education on any level is THE most important thing you can have. Lack of education is one of the primary reasons people may be experiencing some of the difficulties they face today, on a general level.

 

[AIM9x]

high school wasn't too useful for me. I left high school w/o knowing proper trig or pre-calc (my senior math teacher was the biggest joke in the entire world.... hands-down!). I didn't learn much in HS, i should've just went straight to a JC, then after 2 years, x-fer to a UC.

 

[stuartr]

Well...as for that last comment, I would say it all depends on the school. High school is very important. If you do not ace it, I think you have an extremely difficult chance at getting to an elite university. That said, I think the record is pretty strong for UC accepting community college kids. It is all what you make of it I suppose. A lot of foreign students come to places like Santa Barbara City College so that they can apply to the bigger UC's with more success. I suppose it could work for you too.

My advice: Concentrate on getting into a good university first. Work your ass off senior year, it will be hard with everyone slacking off, but try to pull out a 4.0. Colleges are primarily interested in your senior and junior years only. Make sure you take some AP's, try to do well on the SAT, and take some of the SAT subject tests. Get someone to tutor you on essay writing.

In applying to college, you will have the opportunity to explain why you did poorly in the statement of purpose. What obstacles have you overcome, how would you increase the diversity or encourage tolerance at the school, why you really want to learn. These are the things schools are looking for. If you make a compelling argument as to why your bad grades are behind you, you stand a good chance of getting in. Make sure that you triple check the application for spelling and grammatical errors. Read it aloud, have a college counselor read it. Don't lie of course. Don't be afraid to apply to schools that are not in your area...many schools want to increase their national representation and/or diversity (I don't know if you are a minority, but if you are, it can really help). For example, if you are Asian, you might consider applying to a school in the midwest or South, as they are less represented there as compared to California or New York. It is all up to you, there are enough good schools that anyone can get it if they play their cards right. High school is key however....you can't explain everything away. If you look like you are in a downward spiral, they will think you will crash, but if you look like you are gaining momentum, they have every reason to believe that you will keep going.

 

[rickcr42]

how important is high school ?

not important at all if you don't mind busting your ass doing menial labor for the rest of your life !

i had the misfortune of knowing everydamn thing there was to know at fifteen and decided to drop out in ninth friggin' grade to work for some actual damn loot

big ass mistake on my part

mr know it all didn't know squat and i still bust my ass to make a living

not that i am bit*hing

 

[radrd]

High school is important, but community college can make up for it. I attended community college after high school, and I found that a lot of people seem to do better in community college, there is less classroom time and less distractions (unless you actively go looking for them), so you have a better chance of actually getting some work done. If you go there with the intent of doing well, I think there is an extremely good chance for pulling a 180. Furthermore, high school grades won't count for **** after you get a 2-year degree. Here in WA, you can transfer to any public University after completing a 2-year degree at a cc and earning a 2.75 or higher. I think it is a stupid rule because any moron can get a 2.75 at a community college, but nonetheless, it gives you another chance at fixing screwups in high school pretty easily and moving on to a big school.

If I were you, I would not take much, if any time off. If you have a good relationship with your parents, and you can live at home for a year and make some money, then it might be a good idea to take a year off. But, if you will have to move out, then you will find that you are working just to support yourself and your chances of going to college will be slimmer and slimmer as time passes. Don't risk it, and if you do find a decent job out of high school, DON'T GET SUCKED IN. You will make money for awhile, then you will lose your job to someone who actually has a college degree and you will be screwed. College means a lot today, so I recommend prioritizing college ahead of work. Work in the summers, work part time (<20 hrs) during school if you must, but that degree is very important.

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally posted by radrd Here in WA, you can transfer to any public University after completing a 2-year degree at a cc and earning a 2.75 or higher.

Just to clarify, the automatic transfer eligibility program in WA ends this year. The lawmakers in Olympia killed it a few months ago, for a variety of reasons.

 

[radrd]

Quote:

Just to clarify, the automatic transfer eligibility program in WA ends this year. The lawmakers in Olympia killed it a few months ago, for a variety of reasons.

How recently did that happen? Do you have any links? I know that the UW specifically was considering revising the transfer agreement because we have some serious over-enrollment problems, but I was not aware that the legislature was considering getting rid of it.

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally posted by radrd How recently did that happen? Do you have any links? I know that the UW specifically was considering revising the transfer agreement because we have some serious over-enrollment problems, but I was not aware that the legislature was considering getting rid of it.

Officially the program is not dead, but the number of "slots" has been drastically reduced down to only about 300 students per year. (I'm not sure of the exact number, Governor Locke's 2003-2005 budget proposal was for around 230 students, the Senate budget was for about 310. Either way, the program is essentially dead.)

 

[radrd]

Interesting; I'll have to do some reading up on the subject. It would have made more sense to change the GPA requirement from year to year depending on enrollment (like this year maybe as high as 3.5 would be needed). But, knowing our state and its idiotic government, I am not surprised that they killed the program altogether.

 

[tom hankins]

Stay with the school now. Get a night job and lower your classes if you have to, but stay in that groove of going to school. Saying you'll take some time off and then go back to school is easier said than done. As far as the importance of H.S., at the very least it tells employers you are willing to get up and be somewhere on time everyday. At the most it can be a stepping stone to scholarships, better Univ., ect.