A GED rather than finishing High School?

Question

My 16 year old son, who tested as gifted when he was younger, hates school. He is supposed to enter the 11th grade in the Fall but I am considering letting him drop out. Besides the fact that he has not done well academicalIy I as his mother have witnessed his suffering over school for the last four years or so. He has been depressed over school and has felt badly about himself, plus he has developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The stress of school is a tremendous aggravator of these nasty symtoms! I have done some research regarding GED and think this path might be better for him. Our local community college offers GED preparatory classes and GED testing, etc. My question is how will this affect his chances later if he should decide that he wants to go to University. Will having a GED rather than a traditional High School Diploma negatively affect his future?

Answer 1

You could have him take the GED, but it might be better to just homeschool him. There are accredited courses he can take at home. He also might be a good candidate for dual enrollment, which means he takes community college classes that apply toward both an Associates degree and his High School diploma.
Parents in most states can legally issue transcripts and diplomas themselves also, even if they don't operate under the auspices of any school.
The most important thing he can do in regard to college is study for the SAT or ACT.

Answer 2

As a teacher, I am told that the GED and a high school diploma, but as a store manager, I can tell you they are not. The business world will pick a diploma over a GED any day if everything else is equal. The diploma shows a dedication to finish something and means an attendance standard has been met (ie: the employee will work to complete a job and will show up for the job).

See about one of the many virtual schools available now in the different states. Many of these offer a high school diploma rather than a GED without having to attend a regular high school and all of the problems associated that scenario.

Answer 3

Rebecca,
I am not a professional psychologist, but I am a person who has had success in my life after beginning with GED.
I quit high school before 11th grade at the age of 16. I had family issues.
I was accepted to a state school and earned my BS in Mechanical Engineering. I now have a great job in a multinational firm.
I was pretty, popular with all groups, did well in studies, and liked by my teachers in High School, but college is where I blossomed. My reasons for quitting at the time were not mature ones, but I have never regretted the decision. I left home at this age because my parents did not support my decisions.

That being said, teens today have a different burden at school. At your son's age, I would put his needs first. Peer pressure teaches a lot of lessons, but should not be at the expense of the child. Kids are cruel, and once the pattern of unhappy high school relationships it established, it almost never changes.
If he can be successful working with more mature kids, in college, for example, I would let him.
My GED has not hindered me in any way. I was accepted to college before the GED, and had no hassles at all. The SAT or another exam may be a requirement.

I have had some regrets along the way. For one thing, it would have been cheaper to get college credits in High School. It also took me 5 years to earn my degree, working full time to pay.

GED is a way to move on, but you must be careful about motives. Avoiding conflicts is not a way to learn resolution.
You and your child are the only ones who know what these motives are, and if the lessons are worth the pain. It sounds like your son is physically impacted by these issues, and depression in a teen is nothing to take lightly.
A good source of advice and information is a school counselor, and you can go without your son for this advice. He does not have to be subjected any further. I would, however, pursue outside counseling for him in any case.

Good luck, this is a difficult decision, but I applaud your sensitivity to your teen's plite. I have a 10 year old, and hope I am as caring when he reaches 16.

Answer 4

Colleges like diplomas better but they're required by law to accept so many people with GED's. It's mostly the jobs that don't hire people with GED's. If you plan on going to college and specializing in something than it's better to get your GED because it takes around ten years of college but if not you probably should finish High School. And if your son is having trouble with his health and stuff than you should try doing college over the internet.

Answer 5

If it was my son, I would discuss the issues with him and ask him what he would like to do.
My fiancee got his GED at 16, and went straight to college, and graduated this year at the age of 20 with his degree in biology. I think a GED will get him to any school later on, he might have to take some tests. But if hes not at all interested at this point, I would suggest trying a trade school, so he can at least find a good job later. It sounds like if you force him to continue in high school, he will just fail and become discouraged more. If he does not want to go to any more schools at all, I would require him to keep a job and keep it as long as he lives with you.
I hope this helps. My mom handled my brother a lot like this, and his 30 now and doing great. He also got his GED

Good Luck

Answer 6

I really don't think it will.
If he scores high on standardized tests like the ACT or SAT when trying to get into college, it shouldn't be a problem.
I have a GED because I had to move around and missed a few months and didn't have enough credits my senior year to graduate... and I'm in college now.
It's really easy... if he's smart, he'll have no problem.
I took it once and didn't even study and I was in the top 2% for Science and English.

(And on applications for work or school, it says "Do you have a high school diploma or an equivalent (GED)? " and you just check yes.)

Answer 7

The GED will be fine. Do know that there is another option: check with the laws where you live and consider having him homeschool for the last two grades. In many places, the parent determines graduation requirements and can provide a diploma and transcripts. This will allow you and him to tailor his education more to his needs and interests.

Answer 8

I would have to say that a high school diploma is looked at at being a higher diploma. I have both a GED and a high school the reasons i have both was to show myself i could do it. I dropped out not due to stress but due to boredom i now know i have ADD so that could of been it, before i ramble on you can go on to collage by taking the same test high kids take sat, act, etc and most jobs say high school diploma or equivalent. Sorry so lengthy and my spelling is horrid but school can be very cruel i was fortunate not to get hounded like some students did but tell him once your out of school its a new ball gamewith new rules. The people who had it all end up with nothing and no one its a sad reality.

Answer 9

A full diploma is better than a GED. A GED is better than nothing, but get the diploma if at all possible. The military won't even accept a GED.

Answer 10

I think that if he hates the school he wont like College..It is hard...I don't know too much about GED but the high school diploma is the best solution, when you want to apply to a work, they ask you for high shcool diploma not for GED(in my case they ask me only if I had a High School diploma)