<p>Our local community college has programs in things like machine tool technology, auto body repair, automotive service, cabinetmaking, carpentry, electrical technology (electrician), pipefitting, plumbing, sheet metal (mostly HVAC), truck technician, and welding. Many of the graduates of these 2-year programs go straight into apprenticeships or entry-level jobs. These are all skilled trades that pay pretty decently; generally little or no math or science, but in some of these areas you may need some mechanical aptitude and you need to be “good with your hands,” as they say.</p>
<p>Has anyone mentioned military yet?</p>
<p>Pay doesn’t start out great, but gets better over time, and housing and other benefits can somewhat make up for it.</p>
<p>My H never completed college. He tried and failed community college. Due to his ADD issues, he just could not.</p>
<p>However he always had a drive to succeed, he is not afraid of failure and he was always prepared to work hard. He is now a director of technology at the company he is working for and he also has successful small business that he is running with the help from his brother (and me).</p>
<p>Friend’s son wasn’t academically inclined–barley got through high school. After hogh school he started at a junior college in an auto mechanic course. He hated that–dropped out and started working in a restaurant. Worked his way to become a manager. He makes $40 K and is saving to start his own restaurant.</p>
<p>Bromfield-we have a friend who started college to major in restaurant management. He last a year-went back home and started working in restaurants. he’s now the manager for two so-popular-you-can’t-get-a-seat places, runs a consulting business on the side, and is a partner in a small local chain. He does other non-restaurant things too.</p>
<p>With a student like this, I’d want to know what lights his/her fire. How does she spend her free time?
I’d suggest starting to work somewhere at a low level that has potential to move up into something interesting to her. If she likes clothes and shopping, retail with the idea of perhaps becoming a buyer or manager down the line might appeal. If she likes working with kids, it doesn’t take long to become an elementary school teacher. Granted, you need college, but you don’t need to be an A student, and you don’t need to go to a competitive college. For a primary teacher, it’s more important to relate to her young charges and have some imagination, enthusiasm and compassion than to have high grades in Algebra II. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t rule out college just because they are poor in math, however. Not all college majors require math, and it’s possible to graduate without ever taking a math class.</p>
<p>What is the person’s passion? (Clearly not geometry - and there are plenty of people who have built a fine life without ever using geometry consciously.)</p>
<p>My department in the past had hired a student worker who was dropping out of school because she had discovered her passion…being a hostess at a chain restaurant. We all thought she was making a mistake, but kudos to her for knowing what she wanted to do at the time.</p>
<p>Maybe we’ll see her again in ten years?</p>
<p>My nephew did not go to college. He always wanted to work at Nintendo. While he is not a game developer or even a tester, his dream has come true: he works in their distribution center. He makes good money and has great benefits. He also travels around the country and world demonstrating Nintendo products at malls and trade shows.</p>
<p>Around here ultrasound tech, etc. all require a 4 year degree.</p>
<p>FYI
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1400171-should-u-s-consider-2-tier-hs-diploma-accommodate-non-college-track-kids.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1400171-should-u-s-consider-2-tier-hs-diploma-accommodate-non-college-track-kids.html?</a></p>
<p>There are a lot of good ideas here. However the person I’m thinking of (my daughter) is not good with her hands, is not technical, etc. She is good with kids, but she would have to get through college to be a teacher, and it seems these days they even want elementary school teachers to have a masters. </p>
<p>I think it would do her good to go away and have the whole college experience but unless things change drastically, I don’t see it happening.</p>
<p>Well, I suck at math and science, but I excelled in liberal arts, and got into a good school, where I’m an Art History student. Is that a gateway to success on its own? Of course not–but I will definitely have a better experience (and better grades) than if I did something in STEM.</p>
<p>Is she good in fields outside of math/science? I wouldn’t write humanities and social sciences off so quickly.</p>
<p>^^ that thought occurred to me also. Why are we so obsessed with math and science? The OP really has not clued us in to the whole picture…only that this person is not good at math and science. The person also presumes that anyone that is not math or science gets a crappy job that doesn’t pay much which is also a false assumption. I ignored that part of the post since it wasn’t relative to the question “what can you do without a college degree” but since you brought it up victoriaheidi</p>
<p>Someone like your daughter could succeed in business. Learning secretarial skills/office organization skills - at a big corporation, they make 50-100k.
Housecleaning, chef, daycare, retail. If she had any initiative, she’d be an entrepreneur and open a daycare, start a maid service company or a spa or hair salon or boutique shop. She has tons of options if the focus isn’t on working for someone and full benefits and retirement plans. She could be a personal trainer, aerobics instructor, gym owner, franchise a business of many types.
And if all else fails, marry well!!!</p>
<p>She’s not that academically talented in general. She’s average in the humanities. I mentioned math and science because those are the subjects that will really kill her gpa. But she’s a really bad test taker in general. Her writing skills are average. And she’s just not into any subject at all. There is no subject that she actually cares about. </p>
<p>Believe me, I think there are options other than math or science. I’m a writer myself. But if someone is not academically oriented, and maybe can’t cut it at college, a lot of the other options are very math, science and technically oriented.</p>
<p>And she’d probably be a great daycare teacher. That pays around $10/hour if you’re lucky. I don’t expect her to get rich. But I’d like her to be able to support herself, eventually.</p>
<p>OP, if your D is interested in teaching, she SHOULD explore it. It is NOT true that you need a Master’s to teach everywhere-I know of 6 states just off the top of my head where you do not-NH, WA, FL, NC, SC and GA. I don’t know where you live or where your D wants to go to school, but my niece is in NH and was hired before she even finished her BA. She’s on her 2nd Master’s and the district is helping her pay. Alaska is also a possiblity-no MA needed there either.</p>
<p>But if you feel she isn’t ready for ANY college, look into Monstessori. The Birth-6 age groups do NOT need a college degree, though the training process can be a challenge. It’s very career-specific, though. One of the schools that teaches using the original Maria Montessori methods is here in WA. Starting Montessori workers make well above $10/hr. She could start as an assistant-they make less but it’s a good way to see if you want to get certified.</p>
<p>And, if she DOES go the daycare route, she can always look at the chains like Kindercare where it’s possible to move up, or even start her own business. I have a friend whose H was laid off in 2007 and her at-home care business is doing so well he retired.</p>
<p>There’s also nanny jobs-if she takes classes in first aid, child development, etc. she might find a job in that field. It’s how my boss’s D is paying for college. She make well more than a daycare worker, and she has a place to live.</p>
<p>Just some ideas-my youngest wants to teach so I’ve done a lot of research in this area. Good luck with your D!</p>
<p>But a lot of the options aren’t technically oriented.
- customer service rep (not the same as phone sales, but she might be good at phone sales)
- data entry type jobs (A/R, A/P, inbound order taker)
- waitressing (if you’re good, you can make excellent money)
- casino worker (another tipped position)</p>
<p>Really, any service-industry or office work is a good bet. </p>
<p>Plenty of kids don’t like any school subjects, but not enjoying school doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy whatever you end up doing in life. The community college near me offers a $35 non-credit class called Career Exploration, where you spend as many hours as you want working through interest inventories and skill evaluations, and each of them suggests possible careers to discuss with the counselor you meet with at the beginning and end.</p>
<p>I think it will help her just to go out and get a job. </p>
<p>She will figure out what she likes, dislikes and what she is good at.
If she doesn’t like that job she can then go out and get another job.</p>
<p>Exposure can help her whittle down her choices. When she does see someone doing something thats great she may be motivated to complete whatever education is required for that job.</p>
<p>Personally I was a B- student in high school. I was totally unaware that some kids actually went home and studied. It never occurred to me to study for a test the night before. I didn’t even know that kids were applying to colleges when I was a senior.</p>
<p>After I graduated my dad told me I had to do something so he helped me apply to art school. I quit after 2 quarters but fell in love with a psychology class i had and transferred and got my BA psych. Top ten in my college. Then applied to grad school on my own and got a masters at Notre Dame.</p>
<p>Went on to a great career.</p>
<p>My brother was worse. He was a poor student who barely graduated from high school. He got a job on a manufacturing line, took a look around at the 50 yr old men that had been there 30 years and decided he didn’t want that life.</p>
<p>He got married, had a baby and then started and finished a BS in 4 years all the while working full time. He was finally motivated and ended up as great salesman and manager. </p>
<p>Your daughter will find her way as she moves forward SansSerif. She just needs to keep moving forward and learning about herself and about what the world has to offer.</p>
<p>I have an uncle who lives in CA and works in air-conditioning installation and repairing. He makes good money.</p>