<p>Currently I'm a junior in high school and I'm pretty sure I don't want to go to college. I don't like school and I can't bare to think about doing four more years in college after 12 years of school. I take track 3 classes(like general classes) and I do pretty good in them except for math. I want to work on the railroad when I grow up as a locomotive engineer. It doesn't require any college. I'll have to start out as a conductor which I can start out as at 18 which means I can do it out of high school. They make good money as the starting salary for the company I want to work for(CSX) is $43,000. My mom doesn't really like my plan but I realized a long time ago that college probably isn't for me especially since I can barely pass some of my grades (I almost failed 3 times because of math) I want to know if my plans are right because my mom says that I'll never get a good career but I don't believe her. I also refuse to be in debt over college. As of right now I don't think I'm taking the SAT either.</p>
<p>You don’t have to go to college. Plenty of people have comfortable lives without doing so. But definitely take the SAT just so you have the option available. The SAT really is not a huge inconvenience. Good luck with your future. If you want to be a locomotive engineer, and that doesn’t require a degree, then I see nothing wrong with not going to college.</p>
<p>I would definitely agree with taking SAT. Right now the information is as fresh in your mind as it’s going to be and if you change your mind a year from now it would be harder. Also look at technical college requirements. In my state, a B average means tech is free and a lot of gen. ed.classes transfer to state schools. It’s good you have a plan you’re happy with, but do you know you will be hired as trainee? If not, tech school is good way to test out college or to get a technical degree/skill certificate…specific training that will give you more future options than “do you want fries with that?” College is not for everyone, but you might want to hedge your bets a little.</p>
<p>No tech school or community college should require an SAT score.</p>
<p>From your description of your classes, I’m afraid you won’t do very well on the SAT. </p>
<p>There are plenty of people who have left high school thinking they’d never set foot in a classroom again. Some have changed their minds, sometimes years later. In the future, if you need scores, you can deal with prep classes.</p>
<p>Stay in school now and get the diploma; that really is necessary.</p>
<p>Don’t go to college if it is not for you. Almost half of the people who go to college drop out before graduation. They get into debt and waste a few years of their lives for nothing. Admitting that you don’t want to go down the path that most do and that you are not going to succeed on that path is the best way of thinking. It allows you to pursue what you actually want and be successful at it. I suggest looking into vocational school and such for after high school.</p>
<p>If you don’t want to go to college, that’s fine. Recognize that you may be at a disadvantage in the future, though, if you ever decide you don’t want to be a locomotive engineer, or if the job doesn’t pan out. It’s probably worth taking the SAT now just so you have your score if you change your mind. Also, consider just taking a gap year to see if it recharges your batteries with regards to education. Again, you wouldn’t have to apply now, or even ever, but it’s probably smart to take the SAT anyway.</p>
<p>Sounds like you know who you are and what you like. Get busy researching the kinds of work you are interested in - are the train systems hiring locomotive engineers? Or laying them off? What’s the future offer for that industry? What kind of training to locomotive engineers have? Do informational interviews with people who work in the fields you like and find out what they recommend to someone starting out in the field, what they like best and least about their jobs, what they would do differently if they were starting over, etc…Most people don’t have to do this until they are finishing up college - you clearly will need to get an earlier start on understanding the job market in the fields that appeal to you.</p>
<p>For lots a people, heading directly into college (or going at all) is a mistake. They spend the money and end up dropping out with a lot of debt and no degree to show for it. Spending a few years to pursue a different goal isn’t a bad thing. If it doesn’t work out, you can always change your mind - that’s what community college is for.</p>
<p>Please listen to MMom’s advice about researching the rail road industry. One thing you must understand is the competitive job marketplace. In your description, one would believe that jobs like that are just waiting for any breathing body to come in and sign up. Go to your nearby unemployment line or food pantry with a job offer like that and you’ll probably have a hundred able-body men (with work experience) willing to sign up for it. Or go to the local retail or restaurants – see if that job wouldn’t pull them away from their part-time/no benefits/little future type of jobs. </p>
<p>Certainly college isn’t for everyone but the idea of just jumping into a $40K+ job for the able body 18 year old isn’t as simple as it sounds.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>You’ve defined yourself to a large extent by what you don’t want to do. So, here are a few questions for you.</p>
<p>What do you do after school? How do you spend your free time? Do you come home, shut yourself in your room and play video games? Do you have a part-time job? Do you participate in school activities such as band or sports teams? Do you participate in any type of community service?</p>
<p>What is your plan to get hired as a conductor for the railroad? How many job openings are there likely to be when you graduate? Why would they hire you over the other people who are applying? What will you do if they don’t hire you?</p>
<p>If you don’t want to go to college, you should be in a technical/vocational high school, rather than a regular high school. Are you? Vo tech schools prepare you for a trade right out of high school. You should be learning a skill (carpentry, electrical, etc) right now in case your dream job doesn’t pan out.</p>
<p>College is not for everyone, and I think there are probably kids in college who shouldn’t be there, but for those who don’t want to go, learning a sellable skill in high school is the only way to go. My middle brother dropped out of college (and he was definitely someone who shouldn’t have gone), but because he never learned a useful skill, he’s now working as a barista at Starbucks and working p/t with a catering company…at age 44. He’s barely supporting himself and his son. Don’t do this to yourself.</p>
<p>The OP said he’s in tier 3 general classes. That’s why I advised against taking the SAT now; classes like that don’t tend to teach much of anything, especially not the kinds of things that show up on the SAT. And getting 800 total for all 3 sections won’t do him any good.</p>
<p>I am very close to someone who works for the railroad. He works with a gentleman who used to work for CSX. He is now an engineer for Amtrak… the pay is actually closer to $80,000/year believe it not. But it might behoove you to look at the job qualifications for the jobs that you are considering. Then you will know what it is that needs to be done to prepare yourself.</p>