@ChiefJustWalks Hey! I’m in the same boat my friend. It’s just not necessary. Thankfully my career choice in life doesn’t need one either or I would be deeply considering it.

@Dainbramadge yeah, college or trade school I suppose. Like if I chose a path that required me to have my GED first then yeah of course I'd get it ASAP. But oh that's surprising that I still wouldn't even need it 😅

@Reject I think if you needed to get it, it wouldn't be hard for you & I don't think you'd hesitate on doing it. I pretty much feel the same way as you on the matter. I don't think I have trouble showing intelligence through my speaking & how I carry myself & that usually means more to employers than what a paper says about you. It's no big deal until it needs to be & so far it hasn't needed to be

@Punches

Very true, very few people care how others did in high school or what college they went to, but those people we interact with daily who don't care about our academic achievements are not the people who typically employ us either.

The people who employ us are employees themselves who work for a company that hired them in the first place and then put them in a position of hiring other people to work for that same company.

That company like all legitimate companies would have established 'standards' of minimum 'education' and 'skill' requirements and therefore would have minimum qualifications posted for all jobs they offer.

Both education and skill standards are then enforced by those employees who are in hiring positions themselves who are tasked with reviewing the qualification status of potential new-hire employees who are applying for a job.

It doesn't matter what your friends or neighbors think about your academic achievement in life because your friends and neighbors are not your employer nor should they EVER be.

Who cares about your level of education are the people whom you are standing before during a job interview and therefore are asking them to employ you, but you can't come to the interview table empty handed when you show up for a job interview either.

You cannot show up for the interview uneducated and unskilled when you're 30 years old. You can get away with it when you're 16 and looking for a part-time job after school, but you can't get away with it when you're beyond about 22.

If you are a high school drop out and you have zero experience working in a job that you are now applying for, your chances of getting that job are also close to zero unless the employer is so desperate that they'd hire someone off the street with no education and no work experience whatsoever to do that job. But is that really where you'd want to work in the first place?

This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to "The real world" you speak of, Punches. The fact that you think people don't care what education you have has nothing to do with the "real world" of business and employment.

@swirlie Yeah, more or less. In a lot of ways it's kind of a trial by fire, which is one reason why so many drop out or flunk out in their first few semesters. Unlike high school, there is an overemphasis on studying, particularly outside of the classroom.

When you have hundreds of pages of reading material a week, as well as writing assignments or labs, you have to adapt quickly in order to organize all that information. Note-taking is almost a requirement, study groups are extremely common, libraries are usually packed, they have TAs and office hours to further assist students. The environment is highly conducive to learning, so in that sense you do learn to prioritize learning.

But ultimately your success is in your hands. Internships are usually where most college students learn the hands-on work skills in their fields, but I don't believe that they're a requirement for many majors.

Oddly enough, when I enrolled into technical school to learn a trade, the course was completely online and go-at-your-own-pace. It's mainly meant to be a gateway to an apprenticeship where the real hands-on learning is to take place.

@Dainbramadge I love to see how you accomplished anything you wanted even despite failing out. That’s the path I want to take. I really like that last bit too! Having what’s needed as early as 4th grade, I think it’s true and realizing that takes a deeper understanding of life that many don’t have. Even to this day people are visibly upset when I tell them I dropped out. None of my employers care though so it doesn’t bother me.

@Reject Actually it's you that will make it work.
Good work ethic is number one.
If your taking the job and the money than give them all you have. No shame in working hard.
I am bipolar with lots of ADHD shared traits so I have to bust ass or I will go to sleep. lOL
The other employees always hate me because I am good and fast. They ask "Trying to make me look bad?" I say no you do that well enough yourself. LOL
Never be afraid to take on more work or jobs.
Remember that's what they will see and when it comes time for promotions and raises. The guy just getting by because they get what they pay for, doesn't get promoted. LOL.
Oh and always keep your work area, desk what ever, neat and clean and organized.
It shows the boss you like things to be orderly.
Oh god. I'm babbling. LOL

@BlueVeins You know I understand that would be nothing but beneficial and a smart decision, but I didn’t drop out by choice. I was in a residential psych ward for more than half of my senior year which put me behind on credits I couldn’t make up in time when I got back. I didn’t ask for any of that. I was forced.

I was very angry at the time and felt cheated not getting to graduate with my class. I was so upset I washed my hands of the education system of this country and told myself I never wanted to come back to it. I didn’t care how, I’d find my own way. That’s not to say I won’t ever come back if something changes that makes me need to, but I’d rather not if it can be helped.

@swirlie Then why are you the one talking about issues where there are none? How is that on me?

@swirlie Alrighty then. You’re free to think that.