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Graduating High School Early

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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
So I'm talking to my guidance counselor/friends/parents about graduating early from highschool. Who has experience with this? My counselor is pulling up records tomorrow, and told me to come to her with a plan for after hs at the end of the week. I'm only mildly interested in college, if I can't get a scholarship, then I'm not really interested. I want to get out of Central New York and travel. No intentions of getting a career, just want to ski bum it all winter, hop trains all summer, and RV it when I'm old. Obviously that won't fly as a plan with guidance/parents, so what should I tell them? I've shown interest to my mother in going to heli flight school in AK (alyeska helicopters in Girdwood), and I think I might roll with that. What else should I tell them?
Some of my friends advise against it, saying that I won't want to miss out on the parties senior year, or that the workload will be too much. Bullshit man, I hate partying (at least the whore-fests that our area hosts), and I can handle the work. I've got 1,000,001 places I wanna go, and in the eyes of the universe, not enough time. And its boring here. There are no guys for me, I haven't gotten laid in months, my entire family of about thirty people lives in the same 5 square miles, my home life just stabilized, the skiing fucking SUCKS, there are a host of reasons for me to want to leave; sure, sex and skiing aren't hugely important in the long run, but still, they rank pretty high on any man's list.

Thoughts?
Apr 5 2010 4:31PM
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DUKES
Posts: 5149 - Karma: 686
its your life do what you want, at least you kinda have a plan, i have no clue on what i want to do, so yeah im fucked, especially in florida
Apr 5 2010 4:43PM
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squibble
Posts: 4569 - Karma: 104
i didnt read that wall but if you can graduate early do it, then go to uni and then take a break
Apr 5 2010 4:45PM
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leahey
Posts: 2548 - Karma: 32
If you want to basically devote your life to ski bumming that would be good. But you wouldn't have college and idk but how many girls do you know that want to sleep with a guy sleeping in his car all year? No offense, but I think you really need to think about it and get your thoughts strait and make sure that this decision is the right one. Because, if it isn't, there goes the rest of your life.
Apr 5 2010 4:45PM
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Gnarshred
Posts: 5670 - Karma: 18
Tell them you want to gain real world work experience so you can better know what you want to do in life.

On the other hand, an extra 4 months of school wont kill you, and as soon as you are out in the world doing whatever it is you end up doing, you wont even remember high school, you can trust me on that!
Apr 5 2010 4:46PM
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Cheezcake.
Posts: 721 - Karma: 22
you should enjoy having zero responsibilities while you can.
Apr 5 2010 4:49PM
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PaleCelery
Posts: 7228 - Karma: 608
I graduated high school a half year early and hiked the Appalachian trail. Best thing I ever did. I greatly support your ambitions, whether you ski bum it, live as a bum for a year, or whatever, Im sure it will help you grow as a person. I dont know how early you plan on graduating but a half year was really east, all I had to do was double up on english and social studies classes  my senior year so I had a full years of credits while only being there for half a year, but thats all I needed, all my other credits had been taken care  of at that point. Let me know if you have any questions. Maybe you should go for a backpacking trip? I know I'm obviously jaded, but I think you would probably greatly enjoy it.  The AT or one of the other long distance trails are a great experience, plus you come back in great shape
Apr 5 2010 4:50PM
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Gnarshred
Posts: 5670 - Karma: 18
He's talking about doing that for his whole life!
Apr 5 2010 4:51PM
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Cheezcake.
Posts: 721 - Karma: 22
call me crazy but i figured having a roof over your head, food on the table, a little parents money in the pocket, and just being able to spend all your time screwing around with your friends for a year, beats the crap out of being broke, out of your element, and living in a car.

i guess i've just never understood the allure of that whole lifestyle, call me ignorant if you want.

i'm just saying have a plan before you just go out there.
Apr 5 2010 4:59PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
Cosden, I'm feeling what your saying, definitely. (But update: I sleep with men.)
And yeti I totally get why you wouldn't get the allure of the lifestyle, I still don't know why I do. I've had brief stints living like this, your dirty, hungry, tired, and smiling HUGE.
Basically, I'm in for a crazy ride. I'm writing up a little "life outline" (if you will) that I'll print off and go over with my counselor. I'll post it up here before I print it off.
Apr 5 2010 5:08PM
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JZ
Posts: 577 - Karma: 15
if you would like to prove to the school that you have been educated well enough to forgo your senior year then try "graduating from high school"...not "graduating high school"
/end grammar police
Apr 5 2010 5:09PM
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zylstra
Posts: 3613 - Karma: 125
i just got back from living out of a van for a week...
and im also working on early graduation
don't give up on the dream its every bit as fun as you think it will be, as long as you know what you're up for, and against.
Apr 5 2010 5:16PM
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steezmoe*
Posts: 357 - Karma: 13
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Apr 5 2010 5:18PM
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pomme-de-terre
Posts: 3915 - Karma: 703
i dunno if you are currently a senior or not, but at the end of my junior year i talked to my guidance counselor about taking all of the requirements for my graduation at a community college instead of going to my high school every day, i was in the very much same situation as you, i hated where i was, hated my school, was doing terrible at high school and just wanted to snowboard every day.

so instead of going to high school every day for my senior year, i took all the appropriate classes (and a hell of a lot more) at the community college, knocking off both a year of highschool and a year of college in one go. i know its not quite travelling or ski bumming like you wanted, but i only went to school 2 days a week this year and i was at the hill every. single. day. i got in more than 100 days.

thats just another option.

i got distracted while typing this and totally forgot what your question was...
Apr 5 2010 5:28PM
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DUKES
Posts: 5149 - Karma: 686
what's with you people saying that you hate where are and you want to get out, you know it could be worse you could live in florida
Apr 5 2010 5:33PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
can you make it back to CNY for a week or so every year so we can ride? i'll miss you on the mountain if you take off
Apr 5 2010 5:43PM
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amo
Posts: 6709 - Karma: 1,248
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Apr 5 2010 5:46PM
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Shadows
Posts: 8068 - Karma: 42
i didnt read much of the posts but if youre gay you will have a blast in mountain towns haha.
Apr 5 2010 5:49PM
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mozzy
Posts: 1034 - Karma: 60
I finished my HS classes three years early, then hung out for another year taking several college courses and an independent study HS class. So I was 16 when I finished HS, and what do you *really* know about the world when you're 16, aside from the stuff you learn in your classes?

At least for me, the problem was that you were expected to be an adult early, and in retrospect I missed (and still miss) being a kid. I was so out of tune with the typical HS experience that I had no intention of doing the prom or graduation thing until my parents mentioned that it was probably worth experiencing.

My scattered $0.02.





Apr 5 2010 5:51PM
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Jimmy.
Posts: 2888 - Karma: 27
did i miss something?
Apr 5 2010 5:51PM
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Red_Shirt
Posts: 292 - Karma: 8
I've been bumming this season and I can definitely say it's the experience of a lifetime. Do it.
Apr 5 2010 5:52PM
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1337
Posts: 31038 - Karma: 29,002
you lucky fucker, my school doesn't allow graduating early. That's total bullshit, if i could i would do it in a heartbeat, high school blows
Apr 5 2010 6:06PM
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applejuice.
Posts: 5506 - Karma: 1,512
lololololololololol yeah some reason to stay in school...


idk if you have the opportunity why not take it? it's a pretty cool thing to be able to do and clearly says something about you. seize life, no matter what you decide to do after graduating. make a plan that you're gonna stick with, don't just bullshit something for the sake of it.
Apr 5 2010 6:09PM
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i0z
Posts: 896 - Karma: 40
OMG CNY! I LIVE THERE!
Apr 5 2010 6:11PM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256
props for following your ambitions but you have to remember that everything costs money. its gonna be fairly difficult to travel without it, so i'd advise maybe going to a state school and getting a practical degree, as opposed to like sociology or some bullshit haha
Apr 5 2010 6:13PM
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Gnarshred
Posts: 5670 - Karma: 18
Because some of us will never be satisfied, unless we keep searching for that satisfaction...
Apr 5 2010 6:17PM
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cclan
Posts: 742 - Karma: 19
Ive spent a few weeks posted up in the day lots in the summer in whistler riding bikes, and a few scattered weeks living in parking lots in my van in tofino, get up early, lurk the beaches and surf all day and party on secluded beaches all night.
My favourite expiriences ever have been living in bushes on west coast islands, or road tripping, basically anything but the norm.
this coming summer i wonna take off for a couple of months living in my van beofre taking off to katimavik in the fall.
go for it dude, you wont regret it basically no matter what.
Apr 5 2010 6:24PM
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b-ladd
Posts: 2300 - Karma: 48
I graduated a semester early, and it was one of the best things I've ever done. After finishing, I moved up to Vermont and worked on the Okemo ski patrol full-time. I skied everyday after I finished school til the mountain closed, and then some. I had a couple people give me the same shit about missing out on the second half of senior year, blah blah blah, but while everyone else was sitting in a classroom, I was on the mountain. When everyone else was doing homework, I was doing whatever the fuck I wanted. I met a bunch of cool people, and still got to go back and walk at graduation and go to senior outing and reception and all that. I'm in college now, so I can't give you too much advice as far as alternates to that, but just make sure you have some kind of job lined up for when you finish, and let your parents/guidance counselor/principal/whoever know that some real world experience would greatly benefit you, and you'll be all set.
Apr 5 2010 6:34PM
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b-ladd
Posts: 2300 - Karma: 48
OP likes tha d.
Apr 5 2010 6:36PM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
I graduated a few months early. It was aight. Honestly though highschool is the easiest and most fun time of your life, or it should be. If it doesn't feel that way then GTFO of there. I went travelling for a year after highschool before deciding to go to college, backpacked around europe and lived in the himilayas for a while. Best decision I ever made. Right after I got out of school I worked construction for a month, saved everything, and made $1600. Went to Europe, traveled as cheap as possible, and it managed to get me around for 6 weeks (had help on the plane ticket though that bitch is like $900 round trip). So yeah, if you hate school, fuck it why not?
Apr 5 2010 6:38PM
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Jimmy.
Posts: 2888 - Karma: 27
ah.
Apr 5 2010 6:53PM
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SpaceTiger
Posts: 377 - Karma: 62
just send it dude and follow your gut, mad props if truly follow your heart, not a lot of people can really deem themselves happy in the confines of our modern society.
Apr 5 2010 7:12PM
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.catierob
Posts: 670 - Karma: 15

take this oppurtunity. i did

last winter my dad retired early decided to move to mexico. something i was not into at all. i was comming up on my last semester of hs and spending it in mexico with no friends was not my idea of awesome. suprisingly my mom was the one who told me to graduate early, and even suggesting working at a ski resort, for the winter, i grew up skiing in utah because of family so that was my main destination, particulary alta, i went on this  site ( www.coolworks.com) and they had a list of ski resorts that were hiring, (ca,mt, nv,co,ut) i applied at alta, and suprisingly got the job, so i graduated high school jan 10 last year and headed out west for the rest of the ski season working as a lifty,

im in school now, at university of vermont, and  all i can say is that taking that time of was the best choice i ever made, it was hard to go back to the real world after the season ended because i was leaving such an unreal world.

if you plan to graduate early, i strongly reccomend it, and if you have interest in working at a ski resort, alta was perfect, they provide you with lodging and meals ( they take it out of your pay check) and you get a free pass, you have two days off and on one of those days, you get a voucher and go over to snow bird.

the two bum things for me ( but werent bad) was that  i was the only girl living with 37 guys, and when everyone goes to the bar ( im assuming youre not 21), youre stuck back at the buckhorn ( the dorms)

 feel free to pm me if you have questions.

seriuosly do this

Apr 5 2010 7:51PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,012
teehee i live in CNY too
Apr 5 2010 7:53PM
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KMalinich.
Posts: 1053 - Karma: 19
I would do it, u know what you wanna do with your life if you know you can graduate early. Your friends and parents will understand your decistion.
Apr 5 2010 9:20PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
fuck all this talk stokes me up and I love it.
Firstly, yeah everyone, I'm gay, pay attention haha.
Secondly, I just beat my personal highjump record (Yay!)
and thirdly, fuck yeah, I'm going to do it. Graduate next year, go to "flight school" (lol) and get out and blow the fresh with all y'all.

And to whoever said gays have fun in ski towns, fuck yeah, now I'm REALLY stoked.

I love all you guys
Apr 5 2010 9:51PM
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eheath
Posts: 61090 - Karma: 118,060
You need a reason to graduate early? just tell them you wanna get the fuck out of highschool.
Apr 5 2010 9:56PM
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actchill
Posts: 2114 - Karma: 259
best thing i have ever done
Apr 5 2010 10:35PM
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teleTay
Posts: 2320 - Karma: 186
im planing on only needing 3 or 4 credits my senior year and either taking Community College classes(through my high school) or working  the second semester of senior year.
Apr 5 2010 10:41PM
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SkiAlyeska
Posts: 100 - Karma: 20

i am also considering graduating early. they way i feel is that high school is just a huge waste of time that is just "required" to keep kids off the streets and give them "social experiance". i seriously don't feel as though i ever learn anything which makes me really angry because i still do want to learn.

I live in Girdwood, AK.

i've never heard of flight school here with chugach powder guides, but there might be. i would do your research before you make any huge decisions

Apr 5 2010 11:01PM
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speedy29
Posts: 868 - Karma: 10
If you have a little scratch saved up go over and backpack Europe as long as your 17 youll be fine. I wish I could have finished a semester early and done that. I did leave right after graduation but I wish I had a few extra months of it.
Apr 5 2010 11:05PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
yeah, I think I need to do some long term backpacking. Not sure what/where though.
Apr 6 2010 6:09AM
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WVskiing
Posts: 3007 - Karma: 1,948
i am thinking about doing it
Apr 6 2010 6:55AM
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J.DUKE
Posts: 1233 - Karma: 38
go to uni/college for atleast two semesters.  then make your decision.


Apr 6 2010 12:27PM
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T-Holt
Posts: 5020 - Karma: 639
Wait hold on a second, are you gay?

But in all seriousness, that sounds dope. I wish my school allowed graduating early. After college I'm gonna ski bum for a while. I'm going to college because I want to have something to fall back on in a pinch and I want the experience. That being said your decision is your decision and it sounds legit.

Congrats on beating your high jump record too. I love those times where everything is just going your way and you're just super stoked on everything.
Apr 6 2010 1:46PM
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Travapple.
Posts: 6787 - Karma: 88
thats so sick!
Apr 6 2010 2:15PM
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Alex_G
Posts: 11902 - Karma: 1,018
dickie styza did it...and if you dont know who dickie styza is you better get the f outta here
Apr 6 2010 2:20PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
haha, who is that?
Apr 6 2010 4:06PM
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little_ey
Posts: 609 - Karma: 392
I graduated high school a year early.

The only thing that I had to really consider was to stay in state or go out of state.  It's a lot easier to stay in state when you're still a minor and need your parents to sign a bunch of things.

It made some weird things with my mom at first too.  I was like: "I'm living on my own now, I can do what I want."  Then my mom being: "You're still under 18 and still my kid, so you do have to check in and call us."

It was neat to finish college at 20, but unless you got a reliable fake or go to lots of house parties, prepare not to go out much.  That wasn't a big deal for me though since I didn't go to a party school and wasn't much of a partier myself.

Apr 6 2010 4:58PM
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little_ey
Posts: 609 - Karma: 392
Oh, yeah.  and it was the best decision ever for me.  I did all but one semester of college only going 2 days a week, and skied/worked the other 5.


Apr 6 2010 5:02PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
So I did some research, and did some thinking, and writing, and this is what I came up with. Tell me its flaws:
____________________________________________________

After graduating I intend to go to flight school in Girdwood, AK, at Alyeska Helicopter Flight School.
Because of the experience-oriented nature of helicopter jobs, having hours of actual flight time is crucial to score a good job. This takes a tremendous amount of focus, money (unless you own a helicopter, you have to rent one for around $200/hour), and time, but always pays off. I plan on living and working in Alaska. Alaska is its own very unique environment. Because of the arctic winds, heavy rain and snow, and volatile weather conditions, most heli employers require greenhorns to have AT LEAST 1000 hours of "Alaska time", where I'll be flying in all sorts of atrocious conditions. In addition, many jobs in the oil, logging, and fishing industries require so many hours of "heavy lift time" where the pilot flies a course with weight attached to the frame of the helicopter, to get used to flying with heavy loads of logs, fish, or oil rig equipment.
The commercial helicopter licensing (CHL) program is a $56,000, 9 month course. The structure of flight school is not at all like that of a traditional 4-year college. There are no semesters or set first days. You start when you show up. Therefore, I plan on getting to Alaska the summer of "sunior" year, and finishing my license around late winter of the following year. Most heli employers hire at the beginning of summer. This leaves me with a 5 month gap where I can get on the fast track with the required heavy lift, cross country flight, and AK hours that are so crucial to landing a good job. That way, the summer of my eighteenth year, I can break right into the industry and shoot up to mogul status in no time flat.
Now, if I graduate in 2012 with the rest of my current class, I will be on no such fast track. Because of the 5 month gap my plan creates, I have time to rack up special requirements hours, whereas without early graduation, I simply won't have the time to get my hours in. Most employers want greenhorns fresh out of flight school. However, if I want to make first season (directly after flight school) I'll need to have already acquired my special hours. Pilots in the situation that would put me in generally go south for the summer, landing jobs doing flightseeing in the grand canyon/death valley. These jobs don't look as good on a resume for future employers, pay much less than real AK jobs, and give few (if any) employee benefits. Flying a gig like this would make it much, much harder for me to break into the oil/fish/timber scene in Alaska.



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Apr 7 2010 10:15PM
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