<p>"I think the original poster has already made clear that he is not seeking to be admitted to Penn."</p>
<p>Most of their satellite campuses are easy to get into, and after 2 years you transfer to university park. I saw university park and wasn't crazy about it. I want to go to a college thats part of a city, not a city thats part of a college. And I don't want a rural college either. I like the setting (the atmosphere) of my local community college but I have seen high school kids take courses their and the classes are a joke. What's the point of going to college if you don't learn anything, (with the exception of becoming a certified nurse or other trade).</p>
<p>I think I'm going to go to an online high school or something, I'll see how my schedule change goes....</p>
<p>You mean Penn State, not Penn (Ivy League private university near Philadelphia), right? Yes, I think you definitely still have a chance to enter the Penn State system and end up with a degree from the University Park campus. That will take work, but I think you could do the work.</p>
<p>Dropping out of high school and getting my GED was one of the best decisions I've ever made, but I definitely wouldn't have done it if I made it all the way to my senior year. You have a few months to go and if you drop out now there is a good chance you'll be making your first three years in high school meaningless.</p>
<p>One of my happiest, well-adjusted adult friends was miserable in her tiny high school and hated it. She applied to colleges, got in early to a school she liked and spent the 2nd semester of her senior year as an exchange student in Sweden. She says that it saved her life to get out of there when she did.
One of my other friends was also completely miserable in high school...a very serious guy. He went to Berkeley and took UC extension classes 2nd semester and then regularly enrolled in the fall.
I would not sit around marking off your calendar for 8 months...there are so many great opportunities for next semester. Start researching and come up with something that appeals to you and your interests.
I would also start with the admissions office of your intended school...I had another friend who skipped senior year of high school entirely and got into UC Santa Barbara.
You sound very capable...your future is yours to plan.</p>
<p>Believe me, you need to stay in school. I know it's tough, but you need to stick through it. My biology teacher was talking to us one day about when he used to be employed in a Home Depot during college; while looking through applications for jobs there, the manager instantly threw out any ones with GEDs instead of high school diplomas. Even without this anecdote, GEDs are generally frowned upon by employers, and colleges want to see that you can successfully complete high school.</p>
<p>Many colleges don't care a whit whether an applicant has a high school diploma or not. Harvard is one example. You can check the Common Data Set for other examples. Once you have been to college, essentially no one asks if you have completed high school or not--I can't remember the last time a live person or an application form asked if I have a high school diploma.</p>
<p>I left my parent's house and dropped out my senior year and got my diploma from american school of correspondence. i have been going to community college since 2002 (for various reasons) and plan on transferring to U of M in Ann Arbor in the Winter with my husband and two children. If you have your own ideas about things then I say go for it, it definitely didn't make my life easier, but I know that everything that happened was my decision. I left because I hated the social setting and when I applied to college I found that I know many things that freshmen applicants don't know yet. I think it gave me a definite edge in the application process. Admissions officers value diversity and someone who worked through depression and pulled their life together in their own way takes precedence over the cookie cutter extra curricular fuzzball that you see all over the place now. Just my opinion and experiences.</p>
<p>"I have talked to my parents about it. They didn't react with yelling and anger which is surprising and made me feel a lot better. They want me to finish and get my diploma, as do I. They agreed to let me skip the social days **my school has (it's a catholic school so they have things like retreats, game days (yes in high school), picnics, pep rallies, other stuff). I'm also making a a schedule change. I have always wanted to take honors or possibly AP courses **but my parents have always discouraged me. where its stricly tests. But beleive me, I want college, I want harder school work. I do have a low GPA but I'm not trying, at least not nearly as hard as I would if I were feeling "normal". I
My mom mentioned home-schooling but I have such a big family at holidays they would ask why. Also neighbors, friends, co-workers would wonder as well. This is not an option because it would be too embarassing.
I still don't know if I can do another 8 months. I'm going to try, and I thank all of you (some more then others) for your kindness and your time."</p>
<p>This just throws up so many red flags to me. Not sure I understand why your parents would not encourage you to challenge yourself with Honors Classes and AP's. Why would home-schooling be embarassing, etc.
Again, please have an outside person "help" you with your feelings of doom and gloom. Life is too short to have this much angst at such a young age.</p>
<p>Dude, switch schools, but stick it out. I got into main campus with a 3.0 (unweighted) but my SAT's were substantially higher. For a satellite school, I think if you just survived this one useless year, it'll all be for the better.</p>
<p>In the end, you have to decide what you want to do. I think you know what's best for you... you just need to find within yourself.</p>
<p>As far as feeling depressed and unhappy in school... you're not the only one. There were times when leaving school crossed my mind... I didn't feel intellectually motivated in high school nor did I feel like the people around me gave a crap about anything. And right now, I'm not sure whether college will help me at all... the majority seems to think of it as an investment for a nice paying job, while I want to learn about the world and make films and music in the future. </p>
<p>I don't think you should feel pressured to be more social if you don't want to. Once again, it's your choice. Do whatever you feel like. I also think it's healthy to have all this "angst" because I think it gives you a much better understanding of yourself and the world in the end.</p>
<p>You say high school is not enjoyable and you don't have any friends. Right now, it seems as if you think that college next year will be better and solve most of your problems. Keep in mind that your college experience might not be what you envision it to be - there will be awkward social situations and disrespectful friends everywhere.</p>
<p>If I were you I would just drop out. roll the dice, life is too short to pursue unhappiness. You should get into a decent school, no ivies or anything, but state schools shouldn't give you a terribly hard time. Tomorrow is another day, just take a shot at it, be selfish for once and make yourself happy.</p>
<p>I haven't read the rest of this thread so I don't know if this has already been said, but there are some colleges that are happy to take smart kids under 18 without a high school diploma, such as simon's rock. You could also get your parents to send you to another high school and start your social life over.</p>
<p>I was totally unhappy in high school but when I switched to another high school in 11th grade I was a lot more sucsessful with better friends.</p>
<p>I haven't read through all the posts, but here's my opinion.
I'm also a senior right now and on some really bad days I feel exactly the way you do.
But I definitely think you should just finish up high school whether it's at your current one or another one.</p>
<p>It's never too late to make friends and find people that share your interests.
If you aren't super self conscious, I would say try talking with people in your class and just have an open mind.
A good conversation starter for me lately is pretty much anything that has to do with how much of a ***** college apps, SATs, and school is =)
Another great thing is to get involved with things at school whether it be a club, volunteering, TAing, sports, etc.
I can't count the days when I've actually looked forward to banging out some stress on the courts or the track.</p>
<p>Of course, I could be completely wrong too because I go to a public high school and I have never stepped into a Catholic school before...</p>
<p>Stay strong, it's really only a few more months until you get to wear that cap and gown and get the heck out of there!</p>
<p>
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If you can't make it thru high school just forget about making it in college.
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</p>
<p>I had several friends in high school who dropped out because high school was a waste of their time. Then they went to the state university, got college degrees, and started enjoying life in the real world. Anyone who thinks every high school is good preparation for college hasn't seen many high schools (or many colleges).</p>