5 ms·

I've recently dropped out of highschool and I've been considering two options: promptly returning to school and finishing my degree or dedicating time to self-e

I've recently dropped out of highschool and I've been considering two options: promptly returning to school and finishing my degree or dedicating time to self-educate via the internet. Which pathway would you suggest? I have always felt conflicted about our current education system because it undervalues creativity and disingenuously puts forth the notion that school is for learning when clearly it is not. Teachers constantly remind us that attending school is imperative to our growth yet fail to explain that we are merely fufiling a social obligation to become stable adults. Education has always been about the indoctrination of social values and the apparent lack of effort by teachers to purvey this speaks quantities of their system. Mind you, I'm not necessarily blaming the teachers nor those who have constructed such educational pillars but rather I'm antagnozing our modern perception of the intended purpose of school. All I really hear about from students these days is which prestigious school people want to attend but whenever I question them as to why they wish to attend such facilities they respond with "to get a better job" or "to learn more and then get a better job." Is there something not inherently flawed with this kind of logic? We wish to obtain better jobs so we mindlessly waste hours cramming an entire textbook before an examination only to retain almost no knowledge of its contents afterwards. There are cultural nuances regarding this matter and my anecdotal argument is probably not very strong, but I do believe there is a problem with incessantly encouraging young students to pursue academia for the sake of acquiring a _better_ job. As someone who has always been interested with the philosophy and intrinsic beauty of learning itself, I find our current implementation repulsive. My aversion to school has led me to study various types of -- or perhaps attempts at -- artificial intelligence in the hopes that we may one day supplant this flawed approach to education with a more personalized view that can take into account my preferences. That being said, I'm still relatively young and by the duty of such a description, naive. There is still so much that I do not know about and I'm wondering now how I should proceed. Being a well informed and tech literate person, could you possibly offer me some quick guidance? Thank you.

hodgesrm 8y ago
Hi! I have some experience with dropping out and coming back. My take: go back and finish. The signal you are sending is that you can put your feelings aside and deliver even under less than favorable conditions. You'll also need that inner strength if you decide to go your own way. Also, if you want to the non-CS route make sure you learn math, especially discrete mathematics and linear algebra. Besides the ability to finish that's the other foundation that will make you truly great at software, especially if you are interested in machine learning. Beyond that good luck! We need more outsiders in the field.
walki 8y ago
> I've recently dropped out of highschool and I've been considering two options: promptly returning to school and finishing my degree or dedicating time to self-educate via the internet. There is a 3rd option (if you want to work as a programmer): You practice programming interview questions in your favourite programming language for a few weeks and start applying for jobs. Companies often hire young talented programmers without university degree in entry level positions because they are cheaper. After having worked in the industry for 5 years no one cares about your degree anymore. The good thing about this 3rd option is that you are learning on the job what the other students learn at university and you don't have to pay for your software engineering education. Students often tend to overestimate the importance and the benefits of a higher education. Personally I don't like your second option: "self-educate via the internet" because it won't help you getting a job and you will eventually forget what you have learned anyways. For this reason I prefer your first option and my 3rd option. Good luck!
52-6F-62 8y ago
You're already a competent communicator. That's unfortunately a skill lost for a lot of people with "good jobs". I recommend at least finishing high school, but it's not absolutely crucial. It will help just all the more with landing a job for someone else— Your question and situation is a tough one. If you're young and I knew you I would rail against you: "GO BACK TO SCHOOL". -- But! The world is large. You need to find your own way through it. Continue to look for advice from accomplished people and ignore advice from people who are seeking to validate their own ego. It can be tough to decode that in real time and real life, but from the sounds of it you'll be fine. -- Separate from my sloppy attempts and encouragement— you should never stop learning whatever you can that might help the direction you decide to move in. By that I mean, even if you had a high-level degree in any field you can't stop there. That is the road less travelled you're going down presently, though. If you want to talk some more (from someone with similar—but not the same—experience), check my profile for a link to my contact. I'd be happy to talk it out.
JanisL 8y ago
I think the biggest thing is just to keep that hunger for learning going strong, that will serve you well regardless of the direction you decide to go in. I think knowing what year you dropped out at matters for giving advice here.
beenBoutIT 8y ago
Get on an independent study arrangement if your HS has one. These are extremely easy and will allow you plenty of time for self-paced technical education online. If that's not an option just go back and get your diploma BAMN. Teachers will generally work with you if you talk to them and make some kind of custom arrangement. I personally found HS extremely boring, so I finangled my way out of most of it. I disliked my school's PE uniform and noticed my PE teacher was an alcoholic, so I worked out an arrangement where I would leave campus to buy him his daily cup of coffee and newspaper in lieu. At the end-of-the-day, the only legitimate excuse for not graduating from HS is that you couldn't.
abecedarius 8y ago
Read Bryan Caplan’s The case against education and consider how his cynical quantitative model applies to your specifics. (Or find his spreadsheet online, but the book’s arguments are worth thinking about.) My guess is that the high school diploma is worth the annoyance, unfortunately (though I skipped it myself back in the 80s. Different time.) College more likely not if you can get a foot in the door as a programmer without it. Also, if you can learn math and CS without being forced to.
bravenewthrow 8y ago
Test out of high school. Get a job in tech. Go to school and get a degree in the Humanities.

hodgesrm 8y ago

Hi! I have some experience with dropping out and coming back. My take: go back and finish. The signal you are sending is that you can put your feelings aside and deliver even under less than favorable conditions. You'll also need that inner strength if you decide to go your own way. Also, if you want to the non-CS route make sure you learn math, especially discrete mathematics and linear algebra. Besides the ability to finish that's the other foundation that will make you truly great at software, especially if you are interested in machine learning. Beyond that good luck! We need more outsiders in the field.

walki 8y ago

> I've recently dropped out of highschool and I've been considering two options: promptly returning to school and finishing my degree or dedicating time to self-educate via the internet. There is a 3rd option (if you want to work as a programmer): You practice programming interview questions in your favourite programming language for a few weeks and start applying for jobs. Companies often hire young talented programmers without university degree in entry level positions because they are cheaper. After having worked in the industry for 5 years no one cares about your degree anymore. The good thing about this 3rd option is that you are learning on the job what the other students learn at university and you don't have to pay for your software engineering education. Students often tend to overestimate the importance and the benefits of a higher education. Personally I don't like your second option: "self-educate via the internet" because it won't help you getting a job and you will eventually forget what you have learned anyways. For this reason I prefer your first option and my 3rd option. Good luck!

52-6F-62 8y ago

You're already a competent communicator. That's unfortunately a skill lost for a lot of people with "good jobs". I recommend at least finishing high school, but it's not absolutely crucial. It will help just all the more with landing a job for someone else— Your question and situation is a tough one. If you're young and I knew you I would rail against you: "GO BACK TO SCHOOL". -- But! The world is large. You need to find your own way through it. Continue to look for advice from accomplished people and ignore advice from people who are seeking to validate their own ego. It can be tough to decode that in real time and real life, but from the sounds of it you'll be fine. -- Separate from my sloppy attempts and encouragement— you should never stop learning whatever you can that might help the direction you decide to move in. By that I mean, even if you had a high-level degree in any field you can't stop there. That is the road less travelled you're going down presently, though. If you want to talk some more (from someone with similar—but not the same—experience), check my profile for a link to my contact. I'd be happy to talk it out.

JanisL 8y ago

I think the biggest thing is just to keep that hunger for learning going strong, that will serve you well regardless of the direction you decide to go in. I think knowing what year you dropped out at matters for giving advice here.

beenBoutIT 8y ago

Get on an independent study arrangement if your HS has one. These are extremely easy and will allow you plenty of time for self-paced technical education online. If that's not an option just go back and get your diploma BAMN. Teachers will generally work with you if you talk to them and make some kind of custom arrangement. I personally found HS extremely boring, so I finangled my way out of most of it. I disliked my school's PE uniform and noticed my PE teacher was an alcoholic, so I worked out an arrangement where I would leave campus to buy him his daily cup of coffee and newspaper in lieu. At the end-of-the-day, the only legitimate excuse for not graduating from HS is that you couldn't.

abecedarius 8y ago

Read Bryan Caplan’s The case against education and consider how his cynical quantitative model applies to your specifics. (Or find his spreadsheet online, but the book’s arguments are worth thinking about.) My guess is that the high school diploma is worth the annoyance, unfortunately (though I skipped it myself back in the 80s. Different time.) College more likely not if you can get a foot in the door as a programmer without it. Also, if you can learn math and CS without being forced to.

bravenewthrow 8y ago

Test out of high school. Get a job in tech. Go to school and get a degree in the Humanities.