[Kevy Baby]

I have read this thread several times. I want to respond, but I do not know what to say that will get into the head of a 17 year-old.

Erica is right. When I was in high school, the thought of going to college was just not what I wanted to do. I went to community college for 1 class a semester just to say I was going to school. I wanted to go to work to have money for a car and fun. I was making $25,000 a year (the equivalent of about $48,000 a year now). I was in hog heaven.

But even then, I realized that what I was doing then is about all I could expect for the rest of my life. Sure, I could make more money, but my options (due to limited skill set) were limited.

I was fortunate - my father (and his new wife) offered to pay for me to go back to school. I jumped on it in a heartbeat and ended up graduating from Cal Poly SLO. While it was certainly difficult, it gave me so many more options in my life.

While this is about whether he should stay in high school, the example still applies. The more education that you have, the higher the odds that you will have more options in life. Despite what it says on paper, a GED is NOT equivalent to a regular high-school diploma. While not officially, a GED will be looked upon as someone who is not driven to complete something basic.

Leaving school now is trading a few months at the expense of the rest of his life. I understand that high school is very challenging for him. But the short term challenge is the easier way out than the long term struggle he would create for himself by leaving high school now.