<p>Well, I know of several people who went to college without their diploma---all because of NY PE requirements. Really.</p>
<p>But it does depend on the college, so I think you'll have to stick it out for a while.</p>
<p>Are there any distance learning PE courses that you might substitute? I have a vague memory that some former student got a PE credit from a distance learning course from BYU and used that to graduate on time. Major snickers from the faculty, of course, but she did get her diploma.</p>
<p>Maybe you know what the deal is with this, but it says that only 2 credits of gym are required. Well I have taken gym for the past 3 years, so aren't I done with that requirement? I thought that junior/senior year gym might just be local requirements..hmm..</p>
<p>Also. I have fulfilled every requirement except for 2.</p>
<p>1) English - I am taking iB English HL which will fulfill my requirements.
2) Participation in Government & Economics - Here is where the problem comes in.</p>
<p>-In New York State you are required to take a 1/2 year of civics and a 1/2 year of economics. Well apparently, at my high schoool, courses like Psychology and Criminal Justice were "grandfathered" in as courses that fulfill this requirement. Thus, I enrolled in Psychology. If I drop Psychology, no diploma. However, I am now looking at ways to prove an equivalency to this course, I have the gov't req taken care of, its just economics left - possibly through my internship with HUD (housing and urban fevelopment), my world politics course at college (focuses on international political economics), or through an online course in Economics from onlinehs.org. </p>
<p>I'm totally lost with all of this. Its been a torturous few days, and nothing is really working.</p>
<p>Here is the link for the states requirement for a diploma. You are right they will not longer hold you over for gym if everything else is completed.</p>
<p>most colleges do not require either a high school dimploma or a GED (some exceptions in New York. Check with the colleges you are interested in.).</p>
<p>Still, I think your high school should be able to work around this so you can graduate with your class. See if a community-based fitness class of some sort could be used for PE. Or take it by distance learning. And either work out an independent study with your psych teacher, or take it thru distance learning.</p>
<p>my daughters school allows PE waivers, otherwise students would be hardpressed to take needed college req classes and graduate in 4 years.
The waiver must be completed by the term that it is to be applied to. She is on a community rec team, and has to have 90 hours for a semester credit.
Her school also allows students to take online health class through BYU.</p>
<p>The BYU courses look perfect! I am going to bring this in to the administration today....they have a fitness course which could work for PE and a consumer economics course for the "Participation in Econimics" req.</p>
<p>It will take a lot of arguing for them to accept it, but i'll give it a shot.</p>
<p>My S at Harvard said there were kids there without hs diplomas! He was surprised because he sat thru all those boring classes to fulfill that requirement when he would have much preferred taking classes at the community college. But the real question is..how are you doing in your college classes? If you are a straight A student, the better IVY's don't care if you get a diploma or not. And as far as the bureauracy is concerned....I can empathize. My S used to be late for a mandatory senior class while attending 4 different schools a day...he had a different AP in each HS and took CALC III and IV at a community college. The teacher threatened to take points off his grade for being late....go figure...he was getting an "A" in the class. He spoke to the building principal and his mom happened to mention it to a school board member....the rule was bent a bit....I was able to justify to the school board member that "lateness" can only be considered an infraction of the rules if it is done with malice aforethought..and not because the student could not arrive back on time to get to the class because the school district COULD NOT PROVIDE the necessary AP courses in his home high school and he had to attend another one. They didn't want to hear that as that is grounds for a lawsuit..though the legal route was NOT even suggested. Anyway, what I am suggesting is..as I have not read ALL the posts....if you HS cannot provide and you are taking college classes out of necessity..then you may have a case..but if you are taking them as frills...then, I am not sure. But the BOTTOM line is..you DO NOT NEED a hs diploma if your credentials are outstanding!</p>
<p>Harvard does not require a diploma but Brown does. I do consider Brown one of the "better universities" as I do all Ivies and quite a few non-Ivies. Ilcapo needs to check the requirements of every college he is applying to and not make unfounded assumptions.</p>
<p>My S never thought BROWN was a better IVY. Thought any school that did not have a solid core curriculum was not worth its tuition cost. Sorry. I had to agree.</p>
<p>Well, since Harvard is moving away from its Core curriculum toward a distribution requirement, I suppose it will join the ranks of the less good Ivies, leaving the field to Columbia and Chicago (oops, not an Ivy, better or otherwise).</p>
<p>Sounds like my US history TA, ilcapo...and history's my best subject, too.</p>
<p>Apparently he wanted me to (quote) "just basically try to copy down the notes" for my midterm essay exam even though the question was "Comment on the following statment about the Constitution....."</p>
<p>So much for writing in my own words...I got an 76 for "commenting" on the quote... (and aren't we not supposed to plagiarize?). I submitted it for a regrade today and he looked at it and said, "Oh. I see. Well, I wanted you to use the same words. It's easier to grade because I can just look down and check off the words." This coming from the guy who stepped into recitation the first day and announced that he didn't really like US History anyway...</p>
<p>Neither MIT nor CalTech require high school diplomas, so I agree with Marite that a case-by-case investigation is worthwhile. And I know someone who went to RPI who didn't complete his HS PE requirement and had the school laugh it off, even though RPI claims it does require the HS diploma.</p>
<p>just called princeton, they are getting back to me. the question puzzled the admissions officer i spoke to, so she is going to ask the dean i guess.</p>
<p>georgetown was also confused, they said i will need a GED if i dont have a diploma, which is fine anyways.</p>
<p>Interesting about PRINCETON....or maybe not. My S HATED PRINCETON..thought it was too preppy and provincial. Anyway..your SAT's look great!! Now if you can only circumvent the system....take the GED exam. For you..it would be breeze! A six hour test that only requires an 8th grade reading and math level to pass. There's your ticket! Don't worry about those HS teachers...sometimes I wonder if they all don't suffer from "TERRITORIALISM" to the extreme. In their infinite wisdom, they sometimes do more harm than good!!! GOOD LUCK!</p>
<p>It is not the breeze that you think because in order to take the GED he would have to sign him self out of day h.s. a move at this late stage of the game could jeopardize all of his acceptances as they are contigent upon him successfully completing H.S. (since he is applying as a H.S. senior not as a person who holds a GED) at the level upon which he was accepted. There are just too many variables.</p>
<p>Neither of the conditions would hold true if he should opt out and take the GED. My advice is still the same, work this through your school even if it means not talking a college course next semester and doubling up in H.S.</p>
<p>Since each college on your list is a different case, and some might require a diploma and some may not, I would be working out a solution that involves getting a diploma. I think for all you have done academically to this point, it would be a shame to not get a diploma. </p>
<p>It is not like Mini's daughter who was homeschooled or even as much like a GED situation. You are enrolled full time in your senior year. I think there are other solutions here. First, I would meet with your mom, your psych teacher (that is the only class where there is a threat of your class not counting due to absences) and your guidance counselor to work out a solution there first. Your absences are legit and perhaps there is a way to make up for the work otherwise, given that you have an excellent grade in it right now (might be different if you had a D). If a solution cannot be reached there, I would see about taking Psych or whatever you have to take for this requirement second semester this year either at a college or at your high school (and just take less college courses next semester as most of those were not required and merely your choice to take). Another solution is a long distance course. I would meet with those at school for advice and approval of an alternative solution because yours is not a case of a failing student. </p>
<p>I hear you about not being "psyched" (pardon the pun) about Psych or Gym but that is how it is for many kids in school, there are subjects they do not like or can see as pointless to their career aspirations. What I say in those situations is to look at the total picture/goal and if it is to meet requirements to get a diploma and to go to the college of their choice, then take the courses for that purpose and you will live. My D does not like science or math that much but has taken the hardest math courses and accelerated two years (happens to have aptitude in that subject, just does not care about it or is not going into anything related) as she realizes this is needed for her goal to go to college. She is in the highest level Chem course only cause she should be in the most rigorous classes (due to ability and her college goals) but truthfully hates science and likely will never be taking another science class for the rest of her life. You are not alone in this respect. I would also look into alternative means for getting gym credit. This varies from school to school. Here, one must take a third of the gym credits via gym classes but may use other things like varsity sports or dance for credit for gym, and my kids have used that for some of it. </p>
<p>I realize you preferred your elective college classes over gym and psych but you truly need to put the required courses for graduation first here. See what you can schedule into second semester to get these credits and make that a priority over the college classes you wanted to take but that were not required (you'll have plenty of time for those in college), IF you can't work something out with the psych teacher which would be my first choice here if possible.
Susan</p>