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Some people have a learning style that is not compatible with public high school. This is true for both me and my kids. All of us had problems in school and w

Some people have a learning style that is not compatible with public high school. This is true for both me and my kids. All of us had problems in school and were evaluated to see if we had learning disabilities. We all tested above the 98 percentile and were in AT/GATE programs. Also, we all tested out of high school via the CHSPE. For me, it was a choice that I have never regretted (except for not going to the prom). It put me on a career track where I was years ahead of my peers. For my kids, not so much. They had such bad experiences in high school that they are sour on higher education. I am still working on convincing them to finish a college degree, but I feel like a hypocrite because I did not get mine until age 50. Back when I was their age, I was lucky to work in jobs were nobody cared whether or not I had a degree. Today it's impossible to get a "professional" job without a degree.

oorza 6y ago
Honestly sounds like you, and to a lesser extent your children, needed high school for non-academic reasons as much as most people need it for academic reasons. If you have problems in school and test in the top 2% of intelligence, you have problems in other areas that need to be addressed, and can be in a social classroom. Speaking from experience.
- jcims 6y ago
  I think you have to allow for the possibility that not all high schools have ’social classrooms’. Mine was filled with a bunch of children in adult bodies operating on hormones and hairspray. I hated it so much I didn’t want to be surrounded by it in college and decided to commute instead. I dropped out after three years. I was also fortunate to find a career path that didn’t require a degree, and while my oldest child had no choice based on her career interests, I’m having the same struggle with my youngest who’s in her freshman year with an undecided major.
  - swader999 6y ago
    Yep, sort of like being in a bar full of drunk people and you're stone cold sober.
  - Waterluvian 6y ago
    I get what you're saying. But other than my girlfriend, being a Muppet was my favourite part of high school. Screwed around so much. Learned how to be quick witted and fast on my toes. Then came university and that all went away, seemingly forever.
- thethethethe 6y ago
  This is kind of rude. You are flat out saying that OP and their children likely have problems because they are both smart and don't go to school. Have you ever considered that school might be the problem? That maybe it doesn't work for everyone the same? Speaking from experience.
- anonymousiam 6y ago
  What you said may be true for many people in situations similar to mine, but I am pretty stable, well adjusted, and happy. Thus I have no "problems in other areas that need to be addressed." The main issue I had with high school was no escape from the tediousness of homework assignments for content that I had already mastered. The CHSPE was a godsend to me. I fit right in at Jr. College and got along well with my teachers and classmates. The environment was different because my peers were (mostly) emotionally mature, and they wanted to be there. High school was like a prison in comparison.
- kstenerud 6y ago
  "I don't need treatment!" "Saying that you don't need treatment only further proves that you need treatment."
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- barry-cotter 6y ago
  I hope you’re this insulting sometimes in person because it would be great if you got the kind of consequences that come of that kind of language.
lelanthran 6y ago
TBH, if a person is in the top 2% of intelligence and don't finish basic post-school academia, then they are likely prevented from doing the types of jobs that appeal the most to them: new/novel research, high-level problem-solving, etc. Those individuals doing interesting stuff are almost always certified. Software Development is an anomaly. So, sure, you can get hired as a web developer, or even some non-web development roles, but that's kinda pointless because if you could stand doing boring shit you'd finish the academia to at least a very basic level. TL;DR: If you couldn't stand the uniformity of school, then the roles available to you without a formal education are going to be just as boring and unrewarding to you anyway.
- anonymousiam 6y ago
  You are probably correct, but there are always exceptions. The last half of my career was spent doing cutting-edge research and development with some of the best and brightest people I have ever known -- about half of them with at least one PHD. Sometimes ability can make up for lack of credentials, but it is rare.
  - lelanthran 6y ago
    > You are probably correct, but there are always exceptions. That is why I hedged my assertion with "likely" :-) Outliers always exist.

oorza 6y ago

Honestly sounds like you, and to a lesser extent your children, needed high school for non-academic reasons as much as most people need it for academic reasons. If you have problems in school and test in the top 2% of intelligence, you have problems in other areas that need to be addressed, and can be in a social classroom. Speaking from experience.

jcims 6y ago
I think you have to allow for the possibility that not all high schools have ’social classrooms’. Mine was filled with a bunch of children in adult bodies operating on hormones and hairspray. I hated it so much I didn’t want to be surrounded by it in college and decided to commute instead. I dropped out after three years. I was also fortunate to find a career path that didn’t require a degree, and while my oldest child had no choice based on her career interests, I’m having the same struggle with my youngest who’s in her freshman year with an undecided major.
- swader999 6y ago
  Yep, sort of like being in a bar full of drunk people and you're stone cold sober.
- Waterluvian 6y ago
  I get what you're saying. But other than my girlfriend, being a Muppet was my favourite part of high school. Screwed around so much. Learned how to be quick witted and fast on my toes. Then came university and that all went away, seemingly forever.
thethethethe 6y ago
This is kind of rude. You are flat out saying that OP and their children likely have problems because they are both smart and don't go to school. Have you ever considered that school might be the problem? That maybe it doesn't work for everyone the same? Speaking from experience.
anonymousiam 6y ago
What you said may be true for many people in situations similar to mine, but I am pretty stable, well adjusted, and happy. Thus I have no "problems in other areas that need to be addressed." The main issue I had with high school was no escape from the tediousness of homework assignments for content that I had already mastered. The CHSPE was a godsend to me. I fit right in at Jr. College and got along well with my teachers and classmates. The environment was different because my peers were (mostly) emotionally mature, and they wanted to be there. High school was like a prison in comparison.
kstenerud 6y ago
"I don't need treatment!" "Saying that you don't need treatment only further proves that you need treatment."
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
barry-cotter 6y ago
I hope you’re this insulting sometimes in person because it would be great if you got the kind of consequences that come of that kind of language.

lelanthran 6y ago

TBH, if a person is in the top 2% of intelligence and don't finish basic post-school academia, then they are likely prevented from doing the types of jobs that appeal the most to them: new/novel research, high-level problem-solving, etc. Those individuals doing interesting stuff are almost always certified. Software Development is an anomaly. So, sure, you can get hired as a web developer, or even some non-web development roles, but that's kinda pointless because if you could stand doing boring shit you'd finish the academia to at least a very basic level. TL;DR: If you couldn't stand the uniformity of school, then the roles available to you without a formal education are going to be just as boring and unrewarding to you anyway.

anonymousiam 6y ago
You are probably correct, but there are always exceptions. The last half of my career was spent doing cutting-edge research and development with some of the best and brightest people I have ever known -- about half of them with at least one PHD. Sometimes ability can make up for lack of credentials, but it is rare.
- lelanthran 6y ago
  > You are probably correct, but there are always exceptions. That is why I hedged my assertion with "likely" :-) Outliers always exist.