It's official: I'm dropping out of high school.

Parents Forum
41

<p>I'm glad you're having a good day, faransaa. :)</p>

<p>Although it's probably a good idea to have 4 years in each core area for elite school, don't feel like you have to be a slave to a recipe either. My son, for example only did 3 in foreign language, but he had extra course work at a high level in social sciences (his favorite area). Admissions committees are looking for a rigorous education, but also they want to see you pursued special interests as opposed to checking off obligatory course work. I'm not saying it's not important to cover your bases well and in a challenging way, just that you also need to look at your special interests and talents and make sure to feed them. Ultimately, it's YOU an admissions officer is looking at, not yet another bright student who followed the recipe. That may be why it's in your interest not just to load up on classes. A little extra time to explore and commit to some special interest of yours can be not only good for the soul, but good for the application. ;)</p>

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<p>It was wonderful to read your good news! :)</p>

43

<p>faransaa, I agree with the other posters that you should not take too many official classes, especially in the first semester you are trying this. If you have to be a full-time student (e.g. to keep the medical insurance) - take two academic courses and two light ones, like tennis or art. Think of some exiting creative project for independent study - you don't have to follow any curriculum. Make sure that you are learning some English, some Math, some Sciences and Social Sciences - you'll want to have those courses in your transcript when you will be applying to universities. But how much you will learn and what you will learn - it's up to you. If you don't want to take an official course in History, you can just read books (look up suggested readings at university websites) and write a final paper on the topic of your choice. Or you can take a semester of Philosophy, Anthropology or Economics instead... If you don't like "hard sciences", take Psychology or Enthomology, or just read a book, or work through an interactive CD like this one: Amazon.com:</a> ChemTutor Excalibur: Software You don't have to spend the entire year studying every subject: you can go through a Chemistry or Physics textbook in two months (like they do in summer school), and you'll be done by the time you will start the community college.</p>

<p>You can learn as much or even more on your own; just don't create too many obligations hanging over your head. If you have an university nearby, auditing an interesting course unofficially may be a good idea (just do a final project at the end, similar to what other students submit to the professor.. or maybe invent your own). Or contact a professor in the area you are passionate about, he may have a project for you.</p>

<p>Keep in mind, many public high schools give their students a full year of credit for one-semester course taken at a college or university. Besides, you probably already have lots of credits because you've repeated the 11-th grade. So, don't worry too much about the academic subjects, you'll collect thecredits some way or another... </p>

<p>You don't have to have tutors (although it may be a good thing for you, especially for the subjects you are not interested in: gives you some motivation). For example, you can learn Precalculus with:</p>

<ol>
<li>self-study with no supervision or supervision by your own tutor:</li>
<li>just books and interactive CDs from your local library

<ul>
<li>ALEKS</a> -- Assessment and Learning, K-12, Higher Education, Automated Tutor, Math<a href="they%20have%20wonderful%20diagnostic%20program,%20and%20you%20will%20be%20only%20learning%20the%20topics%20you%20are%20ready%20to%20learn;%20but%20you%20will%20not%20have%20to%20cover%20the%20topics%20you%20already%20know">/url</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>[url=<a href="http://www.thinkwell.com/%5DThinkwell%5B/url">http://www.thinkwell.com/]Thinkwell/url</a></p></li>
<li><p>official programs where you will have teachers/supervisors, and will get an official credit: </p></li>
<li><p>[url=<a href="http://epgy.stanford.edu/%5DEducation"&gt;http://epgy.stanford.edu/]Education&lt;/a> Program for Gifted Youth </p></li>
<li><p>local colleges and universities (or online courses at any of the institutions which offer online classes; it does not have to be a special program for high-schoolers)</p></li>
<li><p>in some states it's possible to take classes at a chapter virtual school for free (WI has several virtual schools)</p></li>
<li><p>some states allow homeschoolers take part-time classes at a nearby high school</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I am pretty sure other homeschooling families can come up with zillions of ideas how you can do it; if you take the self-study route, you may want to take SAT II at the end of the course to have some official evidence (but that is not necessary, either).</p>

<p>I think you should spend some time learning about homeschooling. You can find some resources and links at this page:
Hoagies</a>' Gifted: Home Schooling Gifted Children
And this group may be a good source, too (the members discuss what resources they are using and how it works for their children)
homeschool2college</a> : Homeschool to College</p>

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<p>Just remember that one semester of a college class generally equals a full year of a high school class. So the four classes that you will be taking in the spring will be the equivalent of 4 full year high school classes. By adding two additional classes to that schedule, you are taking an extremely heavy load. I would suggest that instead of 4 college classes, take only 3 in the spring and then take the 4th as a summer class. That will spread out your academic commitment and may work much better for you. If you are not overcommitted, you will have a much better chance of success. Also, not all colleges require 4 years of each subject.</p>

45

<p>Right now, as I am applying to certain online high schools (EPGY and the Laureate School for the Gifted and Talented), it seems I need to know what grade I'm in. Though I'm eager to finish high school and move on to college, I don't want to rush through or do anything mechanically. (Everyone keeps telling me to "just go through the motions," but I can't do that anymore.) </p>

<p>My options: </p>

<ol>
<li>I could be a junior again, and continue what I would have done at the prep school - that is, 6 academic courses, all challenging but not overly rigorous -, "savoring" my time in high school and applying to colleges next year, at my leisure and once I have had time to build up my extra-curricular involvement/stats to the level they should be. </li>
<li>Or, I could be a senior - the grade in which I am actually supposed to be -, apply to colleges now (where I most likely won't have sufficient time to get my applications/essays to my standards), perhaps bombarding myself with classes and unneeded stress, and hurry out of high school.</li>
</ol>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

46

<p>faransaa, it sounds like you want choice 2. Does age matter much in applications? How will spending a lot of time as a junior be perceived? That's what you really need to know. Let's see if anyone knows those answers.</p>

47

<p>I forgot to mention that I'm young for my grade, a summer birthday. Does that make a difference?</p>

48

<p>You know, when it comes down to applying to colleges, you'll probably be writing up your own transcript anyway. You don't have to say you were a junior twice. You would just list "Junior year classes" and put them all down. Or you could write up your transcript the way the Common Application's Homeschool Supplement wants it, which is just organized by subject, not year. You list all your English courses, then your Math courses, and so forth. I really think you should do what feels right, and my guess is that's #1 of your options.</p>

49

<p>It sounds to my ears from what you wrote that you would be more comfortable with #1, with being a junior.</p>

<p>I think that doing stuff up to your standards is more important than doing stuff fast or "on time".</p>

<p>Why rush? "Savor", as you say, the chance to free, to get to know, to live up to your "new" yet true self.</p>

50

<p>^^ my bad, I meant to say "choice #1!"</p>

<p>And especially as you are young, it seems like a wonderful choice to take your time, enjoy exploring academic topics you are curious about, and give yourself a chance to get comfortable with yourself before you start filling out applications and trying to think about college. Plenty of time for all that.</p>

<p>I don't know if you realize how happy we are for you that you are able to sound so positive. Hang in there with your treatment plan so you can stay on an even keel.</p>

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<p>Entering high school as a fairly quiet, fairly anxious child was perhaps one of my strangest experiences. I was completely ignorant of the essence of hard work and the quality of an education. School seemed to go over my head as my indolence strengthened. School grades came and went. I went home to play computer games until 4 am, waking up at 6:30 to go to school. I grew out my hair to cover my face and rarely opened my mouth to speak. I didn't have any close friends (or so I thought) and my relationship with my family was extremely weak. I thought about suicide every now and then, but my machinations never came to fruition (as you can see). </p>

<p>Being a typical Asian male, my father stressed manliness and strength, a clear mockery of my frail and lanky frame. He pulled my hair, yelling at me to cut it, with the normal dosage of verbal assault. My hair, the symbol of my individualism, would most definitely not be cut. One night, my dad came home in a drunken stupor, and in a series of events our relationship reached the threshold and he began to beat me (although he had always hit me, it was never this extreme). When he left for a smoke I ran from our apartment and called the cops. </p>

<p>Coming from a relatively poor family, I had no choice but to drop the charges. Removing the male of the family would mean certain financial doom, not to mention it would be an overwhelming burden for my already emotionally-burdened mother. My situation at school was definitely not helping, seeing as how I had decided to take 3 AP classes, a gigantic leap from a schedule of entirely standard classes. You can probably guess how that turned out. You can probably also guess the course of my depression. It wasn't a problem that I could speak about, certainly not with my ignorant parents or my seemingly distant teachers/counselors. </p>

<p>After some deliberation, I--by myself I might add--abruptly boarded a plane and traveled abroad the middle of junior year. I enrolled in school, not knowing the language and barely knowing the culture. I cut my hair (because it was absolutely necessary) and got glasses to fix my vision (something which I didn't care about back in America cause school didn't matter). After a whirlwind 6 months I returned and repeated junior year. I can honestly say that I did well my last 2 years, despite my failure of the previous two. </p>

<p>My message is this: don't give up. It's obvious that you're intelligent and you have a thirst to succeed, something that I didn't have until it was too late. You also have invaluable support from your parents and teachers, and probably your friends as well. Us late bloomers are eager to catch up, so we need to work twice as hard as the others. You shouldn't have to follow this path.
I would suggest traveling. Community college is good and all, but you're not really getting away. Go somewhere far by yourself. That's where you really get to muse about your past, the future, and your life. We all need to step back once in a while to get a glimpse of the big picture.</p>

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<p>Thank you all for your overwhelming support and understanding! </p>

<p>You're all correct in your inferences: option #1 is most definitely the better option for me. It allows me to take my time, explore the seemingly endless opportunities in front of me, and even enjoy this new time in my life. I'm trying my best not to worry about college at this point, only to live in the moment and be "mindful," as my therapist loves to say. (Bonus: This option also gives me time to publish my book; perhaps a whirlwind book tour is in the making? Who knows?) The exciting thing is, I don't know. What used to scare me before now only proves to energize me. This "dropping out of high school" business is definitely the best choice I have ever made, definitely not closing doors, but instead opening up doors I never even knew existed!</p>

<p>"I just want to thank you for your warmth and compassion." /Ferris Bueller's Day Off</p>

<p>Is there anything else you guys would like to know? Anything that would help you help me?</p>

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<p>Your book? </p>

<p>Inquiring minds want to know!</p>

54

<p>Thanks for asking!</p>

<p>It's very Catcher In the Rye-/The Bell Jar-esque, based not-so-loosely off my life and struggle with depression. It's quite teenage angst-y, not for the faint of heart, but I think it holds light in its darkness. </p>

<p>I'm quite proud of it, as it has been extremely trying to write when all I've wanted to do was sleep.</p>

55

<p>Agh, today isn't so good. I'm discouraged with everything and just feel trapped inside my mind. It's a terrible thought to know you can't escape yourself, one I face nearly every day. I hate this cyclical nightmare: happy, sad; manic, depressed; Jekyll, Hyde; me, not me. Some days I feel so inspired, ready to take on everything that comes my way. Other days - days like today -, I feel so deeply sad, incapable of doing even the simplest of tasks. </p>

<p>The medicine isn't working! My doctor is too cautious and dense to do anything about it, and at this point, I'm beyond frustrated - I'm angry! </p>

<p>I'm sorry to rant on about this to you guys, but you seem to be the only people I can "talk" to when I feel this way. I just don't know what to do anymore. I'm completely hopeless now.</p>

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<p>I'm sorry today isn't the best day. Try to be patient with yourself. I'm not a doctor or therapist, but from what I've read, it takes time, sometimes weeks, for medication to start working. So if you've just started a new medication for bipolar, it may take some time for it to reach its peak effectiveness. </p>

<p>Try to look at the waves of sadness as just that, waves that come and go and know that you can and will get through this one. Tomorrow, as they say, is another day. </p>

<p>You've written a novel at such a young age; I'm very impressed. That is more than most of us middle aged folk (including yours truly) have accomplished. Many very creative people have bioplar - you might want to check out Kay Redfield Jamison's books. She's a psychiatrist who has it, and has written an autobiography and another book that documents the connection between bipolar and creativity.</p>

<p>As for whether to apply to colleges this year or next year, I agree with the posters who suggest waiting a year. When you're 40, the year you finish high school really won't matter, and I don't think it will matter in college applications either. Combining community college and homeschooling is going to be a good way to gradually transition into the college experience.</p>

<p>Take care and keep us posted.</p>

57

<p>For stated personal reasons, I have now been looking into colleges nearby (Milwaukee, WI). Does anyone know anything about Beloit? I'm really intrigued by its supposed strength in creative writing and overall feel. Still, I'd like to know more. How is it intellectually? That is, does it foster a sense of learning for its own sake? Are the academics rigorous enough to keep an A-student challenged, but low-key enough to allow for some actual fun? (My idea of fun being opposite of the standard college frat scene.) What other colleges should I look into?</p>

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<p>Check out Lawrence. It's very similar to Beloit, actually. Don't know about creative writing, but yes, you'll find lots of people there who loves learning for the sake of learning.</p>

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<p>Is this a feasible list? Does anyone know about these schools? If so, do you think they're right for me? Are any impossibly out of my reach? </p>

<p>High Reach:
1. Brown
2. Vassar
3. Wesleyan
Reach:
4. Oberlin
5. Barnard
6. Kenyon
Match:
7. Skidmore
8. Bard
9. Sarah Lawrence
Safety:
10. Goucher
11. Bennington
12. Hampshire</p>

<p>Are there other schools I should consider? Are there schools I should reconsider/remove from my current list? </p>

<p>To give you a better idea, my ideal school would:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Maintain a certain level of intellectuality among students; no direct form of competitiveness pervading the campus; learning for its own sake is the main focus and want of (almost) every student</p></li>
<li><p>Have fun times. By this I do not mean the obvious "frat fun" of binge drinking and purging thereafter. I am not a fan of the bulimic drinker. I do mean, however, a fun aside of Scrabble after a not-TOO-intense study session while discussing life over a cup of coffee, maybe listening to a poetry reading at a slam of sorts. </p></li>
<li><p>Have an incredible English/creative writing/film department. Everyone is beyond excited to be there, to be learning and actually thinking of the world in which we live, of drawing parallels between our society and those of fiction. Ah, such a dream world, for me.</p></li>
<li><p>Focus mainly on the arts. (They draw larger crowds than the sports games). School spirit shared through a unifying love for all things cultural. Dance, theater, art, music, literature, all these things foster increased creativity in the already-creative student body. Everyone is passionate about something: languages, or philosophy, or juggling, or an exciting combination of the three. I don't care what it is: the weirder, the better. Just have passion, uncontrollable, undying passion, for something(s).</p></li>
<li><p>Be small (>3000), cultivating a sense of community not to be found in a larger environment.</p></li>
<li><p>Professors are intelligent, engaging, thought-provoking and -encouraging, brilliant in their respective fields, and exceedingly receptive to outside needs. Willing to grab a cup of coffee/tea to talk about academics or life in general. Very open to anything.</p></li>
<li><p>Liberal student body, though not to the point where contrasting ideals and beliefs are unacceptable. Environmentally and socially aware. </p></li>
<li><p>Most of all, an open and accepting environment where all walks of life can gather together in a utopian-like atmosphere to discuss politics, philosophy, religion, what have you. Everyone accepted. No discrimination for mental health, religious views, political views, sexuality, gender; anything, and I mean anything, goes. People are happy to be there.</p></li>
</ol>

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<p>Well, if you want my opinion, I feel that Skidmore is at least as good, if not better, than any college on your list. Check it out as it is a brilliant college, gorgeous campus and intellectually challenging. It is very open and accepting and really one of the best colleges in America. I think within ten years, it will be a top ten college on most lists.</p>