My mom doesn't want me to go to a career center. Help me!?

Question

In our school district we have an alternative school called Eastland-Fairfield Career Center. They have different programs specially designed depending on the field you want to go into in college or for a career (they have school-to-college and school-to-work programs). I really want to go for culinary arts (cooking) but she wants me to stay at my regular high school so I can take advanced placement (AP) courses like my brother did in high school. I don't want to take AP courses. I just want to be a chef! At the career center, they have advanced courses, which I was planning on taking anyway. Can anyone give me advice to help win my mom over??

Answer 1

The best way is to get her to take a tour and speak with the guidance counselor of the school you want to go to.

P.S. Take out the name of the school, there are a lot of wackos on internet.

Answer 2

Sure. Call the center and have one of the counselors speak with your mother. Try to schedule an appointment with them so the two of you can sit down together. Alternative school may be the turn off for your mother. It seems to imply that you can't cut it in regular school. Alternative schools give second chances to many troubled youth and that is what your mother might be afraid of you being exposed to; everybody wants these children to get their acts together, just not around their kids! There's that and the possibility that you might decrease your chances to receive a good job because of that stigma.
Open a dialog with her about that.
Also, be open to hearing things about the school. Are they accredited? What is the success rate of their students in getting the careers they train for? You really do need to know that information too before you make any final decisions.
Finally, usually mothers want to hear that their children are going to be doctors, lawyers, things with more status. She may just be struggling with the idea that you haven't set your goals "higher" than being a chef.
I think the culinary arts is a fine profession to persue. All honest work is honorable. Chefs can make a great deal of money, travel the world and even get their own cooking shows. They are a part of an industry that earns billions of dollars! Tell mom that. It is important to persue what will make you happy and satisfied. Sometimes the road less traveled is the best one. I played it safe and became a teacher. I'm good at what I do, but I'm bored and dissatisfied. I wanted to be an anthropologist. I wish I'd have persued that.
Good luck.

Answer 3

I am going to agree with your mother. The quality of education you will get at a career center is much lower than you will receive in a good college prepatory program at your high school.

Generally the kids that go to career centers have a hard time fitting in to their school culture and thus attempt to escape to a career center. Make your decision based on what is best for you in the long run not about how you will feel in the next year or two.

If you want to be a chef i suggest taking cooking classes outside of school. Don't sacrifice your college prepatory education on a career that you may decide to change in 5 or 6 years. When your out of highschool you can then go to college for cooking or being a chef and not only have taken cooking classes but also have a strong backround in college level learning to back up your education or any other career path you choose. I got my college degree in one area and I am now working in a totally different job! Don't block yourself off from moving around just for cooking.

Plus taking classes outside of school will help you to meet new people that are interested in the same things you are!!

Answer 4

This is one career (cooking) that will always keep you working. Every has to eat. If this is what you want there is always a way. Day time regular school, night time culinary arts. Both of you can have what you want. I'm a chef it's hard for over 20 years and I did it this way. You have to keep mom happy as well as yourself. You'll need her to lean on.

Answer 5

just get your regular diploma, after high school you can go to

community college and earn an associates degree in culinary

arts in two years then you can be a chef, then if after a few years

it sucks(which I'm pretty sure it will) you can just continue your

education( with an associates from a community college, you're

guaranteed acceptance into all state universities) and it will take

you just two more years to complete all the bachelors programs

your associates qualifies and get a great office/managerial job

for then you can buy me a Lexus and a Weber grill and buy your

mother a home.(which most chefs can't afford to do).

Answer 6

Hi, ask her what her reasons are for not wanting you to go, they may not be related to the program at all. If they are, ask her to go with you and speak with a career councilor at the Career center, they are prepared to speak with parents who often have different feelings about non traditional channels. If she still doesn't feel positive toward it, ask her to go with you to the career adviser at your current school. Once she does that usually the parent then realizes that the alternative schools have a much more focused and professional approach to assisting student achieve their occupational goals.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

If you've talked to a school counsellor, and they think you would do really well in that school, then have your counsellor talk to your mom. Often, all it takes is to hear the benefits from a professional to help a parent change their mind. Hearing it from you isn't enough. Your mom wants to be assured that you're getting what's best for your future. If she's still not sure, see if she'd be willing to let you do this for a trial period, and see if it works out for you. When she sees how hard you're working, getting the best grades you can, she might change her mind. <*)))><

Answer 8

Tell her that everybody is different. You are not your brother and do not want to take the route that he has taken. This is your dream, this is what you want to do.

When you talk with her be calm and have a list of reason why you want to do this. Make sure they are good mature reasons. Do some research on Chef's and different restaurants and their salaries.

Good luck!!

Answer 9

Research and get as much information on it as possible. Present it to your mom and show her that you really are interested and have done research on it. Explain to her that you don't want to take AP courses. I took AP courses in high school and they really weren't any more helpful to me than my regular classes. Good luck with your mom though!

Answer 10

Well it's real good that you have an interest that you want to make a career of. But look at it this way, you may change your mind later on in life on a job that fits your lifestyle and you want to know more than just the one thing. It is always good to have options.