I got my GED today!

[429421Cowboy]

After 12 years of homeschool by my wonderful mother who also happened to find time to help dad on the ranch, raise 8 boys into men, only two of which were her birth sons, run her doctors office and surgery practice and have another town job just to keep the ranch going and keep us boys fed. My father has done his best to give us his love for the land, eventually dropping the farm half of the opperation to have more time to raise us and also to make sure that after we return from college we'll have a place to come back to, and to make sure that we can complete college without having to worry about money or coming back to work the ranch like he had to after two years of college. It is a profound sense of achevement to have passed the test with high marks as well as making it above the minimums on my college entrance exams and proved to myself that i'm above the steriotype of the "Dum Home Skooler". I have to give credit to my parents for always being there when a was growing up, that's the way to raise your kids. And so, at age 19 i stand ready to make the next step! Does it relly matter in life that i have a GED insted of a high school diploma?

[edistojim]

Love your parents young man, they obviously love you. Congratulations, you deserve it. Now make your Mom and Dad proud in college. And no, that GED is as good as gold.

[DLCTEX]

Having a GED has never held me back in anything I wanted, got it in 1966. Actually, passed the test in 1966, but never needed the diploma until 1978 when I began teaching vocational classes. It took five days then to get the test results and have the diploma in hand. Took the GED test at Ft. Polk, La. My youngest son was home schooled and has a GED. He is in college and doing very well. Three of my other sons have diplomas from Christian schools.

[smoked turkey]

That is a wonderful family story. Be sure that your mom and dad know how you feel and what you have written about them. I believe you will do well in college and go far with your good upbringing and your grit. Congratulations again.

[Bomberman]

Congrats!

[bruce drake]

Took a GED to join the Marines in 1989 and it hasn't held me back at all. Now the key to all of this is having drive and ambition which you probably have inherited from your parents. Go to college and do your folks proud.

Bruce

[bearcove]

We home school too!

Congrats!

[P.K.]

Congrats High Speed, you have something earned.

[williamwaco]

I have to give credit to my parents for always being there when a was growing up, that's the way to raise your kids. And so, at age 19 i stand ready to make the next step! Does it relly matter in life that i have a GED insted of a high school diploma?




Chuck.

I have worked for and hired workers for almost a dozen large companies over the past 60 years.

I would rather have your attitude, than the diploma of anyone who just "got it because he was sent".

Do keep going though. Either college or a trade school. Don't sell trade schools short, the good ones do a really good job.



.

[geargnasher]

Congratulations, Chuck! I was homeschooled, too, back when it was illegal in Texas. My parents spent many thousands of dollars and their sanity battling the truancy laws in the courts, finally emerging victorious in the mid-eighties. Ended up enrolling in high school, and I'm glad I did, lots of good memories. I mention that because I thought that getting on an accelerated course plan, working my way up to fourth in the class, having all sorts of extra math and science credits as well as being involved heavily in all sorts of UIL activities would actually mean something beyond high school. WRONG. Part of me wished I'd gone your route and taken the GED instead, because the only things that mattered to getting into college were my diploma and my SAT score. At least you won't have that letdown, not a thing in the world to feel bad about doing it the way you have.

Take what Williamwaco said and double it for me: Do your parents proud, and don't sell trade schools short. The skilled trades are becoming more and more short of qualified people since the philosophy of "Ph., D or Burger King" has become so rampant.

Good luck,

Gear

[MtGun44]

Congratulations! Make sure that you guard against the continuous left wing political bias
that you will find in the majority of colleges. Keep you ability to think for yourself. I have a
number of friends that have homeschooled up through about age 14 and then went on
to a Christian academy.

What state are you in?

Bill

[crabo]

Does it relly matter in life that i have a GED insted of a high school diploma?

As someone who has been a autobody high school teacher for the last 18 years, my opinion is that a GED is a good as a high school diploma, if you complete some college hours after your GED.

Unfortunately, to many employers, if all you have is a GED, then it means that you are a person who had trouble following the rules, and dealing with authority. They may not want to take a chance on you.

I highly recommend attending a junior college and taking more courses. Show a potential employer that you have it going on.

Trade schools are awesome. I have a lot of students who are doing well, providing for their families, because of the start they got in my class. Everyone has a need for someone who can "fix things" in their lives.

[Recluse]

Take what Williamwaco said and double it for me: Do your parents proud, and don't sell trade schools short. The skilled trades are becoming more and more short of qualified people since the philosophy of "Ph., D or Burger King" has become so rampant.

Good luck,

Gear

Yep, I tell this to young people all the time. A few examples:

• Do you call your CPA when the roof is leaking?

• Do you call a computer programmer when your car won't start or is making funny noises/blowing a lot of smoke?

• Do you call an attorney when your toilet is stopped up or overflowing?

• When is the last time you paid your doctor to repaint your house and put siding on it?

• Would you ask your banker to wire the workshop you're building just for reloading? (Geargnasher might, though. . . :))

I'm a huge supporter of vo-tech trade schools. HUGE. I went to college AND graduate school, but I have to call roofers when my roof leaks, mechanics when funny noises happen (and I'm a pretty fair shade tree mechanic, but today's cars require a lot more than "pretty fair") and I've quit counting the dollars I've paid plumbers on weekends and holidays and after-hours to come fix something that started leaking.

I'll tell you something else: Those mechanics, plumbers, roofers and electricians make pretty danged good money, too. I know a lot of plumbers who are financially better off than a lot of bankers.

Regardless, never stop educating yourself and taking on new skills and challenges.

Congrats on the GED.

:coffee:

[Olevern]

Since the advent of the "multinational corp." (translate that "American corp. who outsources jobs overseas to make more money"), college degrees in this country no longer hold the clout they once did.

Welders, auto body techs, plumbers and electricians, etc. are more difficult for the wealthy to profit from by outsourcing to foreign countries, although illegal workers are also affecting those trades.

Today, engineering degrees go begging for jobs. Medical and mental health services are still good.

The USA has made a deliberate decision years ago with "free trade agreements" which allow unfair (to USA workers) competition from other countries whose regulations and low standard of living (low wages) attract the investment dollars of our uber wealthy elite, to lower our standard of living while raising the standard of living in foreign countries, all in the name of profit.

I say all this to say that you should pick your chosen field (major) in college carefully, with an eye to the new reality of globalization.

The middle class is no longer with the fashioning of the "service economy" and the ending of producing goods here in this country.

I don't envy folk your age for the country we have bequethed them.

You are to be commended for the achievement of your families commitment to a good basis for your education and your GED. It is a collective acheivement as your family had a large part in it.

I wish you the best in your furthering of your education and in your earning years.

[Recluse]

The USA has made a deliberate decision years ago with "free trade agreements" which allow unfair (to USA workers) competition from other countries whose regulations and low standard of living (low wages) attract the investment dollars of our uber wealthy elite, to lower our standard of living while raising the standard of living in foreign countries, all in the name of profit.

Make sure and tell the rest of the story--

Draconian tax laws (take from the achievers, give to the non-achievers), greedy union leaders who never set foot on the assembly line or factories except to raise hell and rally their members, absurd OSHA and EPA regulations, etc etc.

Were it not for the wealthy, those jobs that are going overseas NEVER would've existed. The wealthy are sick and tired of being screwed for every penny, nickel and dime by forces and entities that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the industry they're attacking (ie EPA, EEOC, et al) except to try and shut them down for being "evil and greedy."

Don't think this is affecting the blue-collar industries and jobs as well?

When was the last time you could walk in damn near any tire shop and walk out with a couple of five-gallon buckets of wheel weights for free? EPA rules and regs are driving the price of lead up which in turn has the battery manufacturers scrambling for lead to produce their product.

Go talk to the guys who work on cars and ask THEM about the draconian EPA and OSHA regs they have to deal with just to change the oil and filter on a car. Talk to some electricians about all the underwriting rules and codes they constantly have to be updated on just to satisfy some damn bureaucratic nimrod in Washington that doesn't know the difference between a capacitor and a cow bell.

We weren't having companies move overseas to protect their profits until the government begin squeezing those same businesses for every dime they could, then the special interest groups killing them by a death of a thousand cuts.

Yet, these same companies have hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands of employees they have to try and take care of.

Of course, now they have to GIVE them health care coverage under this new government, FMLA leave, etc etc.

Don't blame all of this on the "wealthy."

:coffee:

[geargnasher]

After reading Recluse's last couple of dead-on posts, it occured to me to mention one thing about my educational experiences beyond the employment-readiness-based trade schools that has proven priceless: The good general fund of knowledge which a Batchelor's degree can provide. There is no substitute for an education. It puts you in a whole different class, regardless of the degree. One of the most valuble things I learned was how to reason, and to express ideas, concepts, and arguments both on paper and in person, and to have a sound knowledge base upon which to stand. From such a base, you can see much farther in life, even if you're like me and choose to make your living with your hands.

Gear

[Adam10mm]

Since the advent of the "multinational corp." (translate that "American corp. who outsources jobs overseas to make more money"), college degrees in this country no longer hold the clout they once did.
The educational industry marketed the exclusive privilege that you go to college, get a good education, and get a good job that makes a lot of money. In reality they saddle students with insurmountable debt, no job after graduation, and much dispair. 25% of students will default on their loans due to inability to pay.


Welders, auto body techs, plumbers and electricians, etc. are more difficult for the wealthy to profit from by outsourcing to foreign countries, although illegal workers are also affecting those trades.
I don't know of any millionaires employing skilled trades.


Today, engineering degrees go begging for jobs. Medical and mental health services are still good.
Saturated hiring pool.


The USA has made a deliberate decision years ago with "free trade agreements" which allow unfair (to USA workers) competition from other countries whose regulations and low standard of living (low wages) attract the investment dollars of our uber wealthy elite, to lower our standard of living while raising the standard of living in foreign countries, all in the name of profit.
You mean when Clinton signed NAFTA?


I say all this to say that you should pick your chosen field (major) in college carefully, with an eye to the new reality of globalization.

The middle class is no longer with the fashioning of the "service economy" and the ending of producing goods here in this country.

I don't envy folk your age for the country we have bequethed them.

You are to be commended for the achievement of your families commitment to a good basis for your education and your GED. It is a collective acheivement as your family had a large part in it.

I wish you the best in your furthering of your education and in your earning years.
Skilled trades are the ticket. Electricians, plumbers, structural builders, mechanics, welders, how many are retiring or will be retiring in the next 10 years? How many will replace them? Probably less. I've got a 5yo son and a 6mo daughter and I hope to hell they pick a skilled trade instead of college. I've got a cousin that's a certified underwater welder. He freelances down in the Gulf of Mexico to oil rigs and makes $600 per hour with a $1,000 mobilization fee (it costs you $1,000 for him to come out, then $600 per hour once he gears up at the site). Working in a factory is no way to have a good life.

[Bret4207]

Make sure and tell the rest of the story--

Draconian tax laws (take from the achievers, give to the non-achievers), greedy union leaders who never set foot on the assembly line or factories except to raise hell and rally their members, absurd OSHA and EPA regulations, etc etc.

Were it not for the wealthy, those jobs that are going overseas NEVER would've existed. The wealthy are sick and tired of being screwed for every penny, nickel and dime by forces and entities that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the industry they're attacking (ie EPA, EEOC, et al) except to try and shut them down for being "evil and greedy."

Don't think this is affecting the blue-collar industries and jobs as well?

When was the last time you could walk in damn near any tire shop and walk out with a couple of five-gallon buckets of wheel weights for free? EPA rules and regs are driving the price of lead up which in turn has the battery manufacturers scrambling for lead to produce their product.

Go talk to the guys who work on cars and ask THEM about the draconian EPA and OSHA regs they have to deal with just to change the oil and filter on a car. Talk to some electricians about all the underwriting rules and codes they constantly have to be updated on just to satisfy some damn bureaucratic nimrod in Washington that doesn't know the difference between a capacitor and a cow bell.

We weren't having companies move overseas to protect their profits until the government begin squeezing those same businesses for every dime they could, then the special interest groups killing them by a death of a thousand cuts.

Yet, these same companies have hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, and hundreds of thousands of employees they have to try and take care of.

Of course, now they have to GIVE them health care coverage under this new government, FMLA leave, etc etc.

Don't blame all of this on the "wealthy."

:coffee:

A BIG DITTO!!! The "blame the rich, but ignore the equally rich politician who profits from the laws he makes" mentality has been working well for many, many decades. It's a spin off of the Marixism of the teens and 20's that affected FDRs administration wholesale.

[Bret4207]

Cowboy, congrats on the diploma! And best of luck to you.

It's interesting to me that so many people here are home schoolers. We're looking into it ourselves. My youngest kids (adopted/special needs) will not do well in our middle and high schools. One will be victimized and the other will do the victimizing. Having seen how well the public school system worked out for at least 2 of our other kids (dismal) we are taking a very serious look at home schooling. The investment in time and money is the trade off for giving our kids a chance.

I agree with the advice on vocational training. I never went to college, in fact my wife with her multiple degrees and Masters says I'd never have made it through the first semester due to the fact I tend to not just "follow the rules" if I see them as wrong. Anyway, in these days a skilled trade IN A DEPENDABLE FIELD is a valuable tool. You might not always be a plumber or electrician or HVAC tech, but it's something to fall back on if that inside job sitting in a cubicle doesn't pan out. My only caveat would be to look for a field that isn't totally dependent on a bustling economy. Being a yacht builder is fine if there's work, being a carpenter is fine if there's work, being a stained glass builder is fine if there's work. The problem these days is there are a lot of carpenters, yacht builders and stained glass builders standing in the UE line with the Art History, English Lit, Phys Ed and Criminal Justice Majors. You need to find a reliable market.

Someone mentioned Big Education selling the idea of college being "Oh!, so necessary!". Most of the kids I see going to college are there for 4-6 years of partying on Daddys dollars. I hope if you go you'll not become another waste of space like that.

[P.K.]

Cowboy,

Another avenue you could look into is one of the branches of the Armed Forces, you can get enlistment options like the G.I.Bill and (insert branch)College Fund as bonuses. My college fund and G.I. Bill put me through school and I didn't end up with six figures of student loan debt. If you are interested in a trade the military is a great way to get "your fooy in the door." ;-)

[smoked turkey]

To further comment on the trade school idea I'd use my own experiences to speak from. I retired with 30+ years in the electrial industry with a B.S.E.E. degree from a good accredited college. During those times there were pretty good jobs to be had in the design field. Due to the slow down in the economy there is much less need than their used to be. In addition to the degree I tended to use my hands and my brain to do "hands on" electrician work. Even though retired as an engineer I still use those hard skills almost everyday. And hardly a day goes by that I don't have the opportunity to do electrical work for someone in need of even the most basic things like replacing a three-way light switch, changing light fixtures or rewiring ballasts, etc. I wholeheartily recommend you get a good college education and supplement it with some "hard" skills as has been suggested like plumbing, electrical, mechanic, etc. These are always in demand because things break or wear out eventually.

[bowfin]

Congratulations to you and your family!

By the way, the current Miss America is a product of Christian based home schooling.

I do believe she graduated from a public high school, starting with going part time in her junior year and taking all of the required courses in two years to graduate.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/artsmom/Teresa-Scanlan-hot-Miss-America-2011-blonde-Miss-Nebraska.jpg

[williamwaco]

. . .

Take what Williamwaco said and double it for me: Do your parents proud, and don't sell trade schools short. The skilled trades are becoming more and more short of qualified people since the philosophy of "Ph., D or Burger King" has become so rampant.

Good luck,

Gear


And by the way . . . These hands-on jobs are not only indispensable, They can't be done by phone by someone in India looking at a computer screen.



.

[Reload3006]

I didn't have such a good time in school and so the Navy was my best option. I thank god for a Tough Chief that forced me to take the GED test. I have since obtained a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical engineering. The world is at your feet you just have to be determined enough to go for it. However there unfortunately is an enigma associated with it. Even the armed forces are turning kids away with GEDs. But don't let that deter you you cant catch the golden ring if you don't reach for it.
Congrats !!!!

[MT Gianni]

Congratulations on achieving the first part of your educational goal. I graduated from a good HS in the top 10% of my class. I disappointed more than a few teachers when I didn't take the ACT and went to a trade school. I graduated with a degree in Diesel Mechanics, worked for a couple of years then returned home to run my Dad's sewer & drain cleaning business while he built rentals. I searched long and hard to find an apprenticeship as a plumber in a rural area then left it after two years to work for a Gas Utility. I have employed fin that business for the last 31 years minus 6 weeks. My point is that all knowledge is transferable. Growing up on a ranch you should know this and remember it. Repairing a hydraulic system on a tractor is not much different than a plumbing system or boiler loop. Get a degree and do something that you enjoy and will provide for a family. Keep reading as that is a continuation of your education.

Recluse, you left the OWS "give me mine for nothing and I want it now" crowd out but hit the rest squarely.

[429421Cowboy]

Thanks for the nind words guys, didn't expect to get this kind of a response!
I've looked into trade school very seriously because i've had a lifetime of working with my hands already and i know that whatever i do it will only be a means to keep my cattle. I've taken quite a bit of welding at our local high school and am not bad at it' i know there is a good opportunity in it and have the option of Powell like several friends are doing now and also MSU Great Falls offers courses. I worked for a well driller and actually made good money for and enjoyed the work but i think startup would be difficult on my own. Being raised on the ranch i have alot of practical "make stuff work" skills so I'm seriously considering a skilled trade. I've also devoted the last 4 years of my life to 4-h which seriously changed my life. My main areas of study have been range managment, meat judging, ag mechanics and public speaking. The range background has lead me to look into NRCS or DNRC jobs. My training in meats judging and meat cutting is causing me to look into opening a butcher shop because there is almost no competition and a huge demand locally. Right now i am going to go to our ag college to study in the Warden Trainee program to be a game warden, which gives me potential job placement out of college.
I was homeschooled through the Calvert program through 8th then the North Dakota Center for Distance Education for high school till work over took school in the 10th grade. We are a strong Christian family however religion was always kept sepparate from school; we were not homeschooled for religious reasons. My parents also started us in 4-h at an early age which helped us tremendiously and i recommend it for any parent that is thinking of homeschooling, it gave me a chance to get out and meet kids my age and learn how to interact, things alot of homeschoolers can't do. The public speaking project that i started 4-h in has been the base for everything i've done to this point.

[edler7]

To quote my Grandfather who only made it to 8th grade " I never had a fancy education so I always had to use my brains". I think you are a lot wiser than these kids coming out of college with a worthless degree in Love Sonnets of the mid 14th Century or some other thing and $50K in debt. They may be smart, but they are not wise. You will do well with what ever you choose to do in life, because your head is screwed on straight and you have a good set of real world values.

Congratulations Cowboy. The world needs more young men like you.

[1Shirt]

Congrats and good luck. Hope you make this but the first stage stepping stone in a great life!
1Shirt!:coffee:

[MtGun44]

If you are a skilled auto mechanic, you will never be troubled with finding work.

Bill

[Recluse]

Congratulations Cowboy. The world needs more young men like you.

My sentiments exactly.

:coffee:

[geargnasher]

...and for FAMILIES like his, too! Out in the "real world", in rural areas, where reason and truth must be lived by or one suffers the consequences, such people do still exist. Too bad they're the ones who provide the support and insulation from reality that city-dwelling, entitlement-mentality socialists enjoy so much.

Want a thankless job? Work as an automotive technician in a big city. You get to be the jerk that destroys people's fantasies every day, the fantasy where they don't ever have to THINK or make decisions for themselves. Cold, hard reality hits people hard the first time they experience it. "What do you mean my engine is ruined? That synthetic oil's supposed to last 20,000 miles". Yeah. Time to learn about personal accountability ya liberal cretin.

Gear

[crabo]

There is no substitute for an education. It puts you in a whole different class, regardless of the degree. One of the most valuble things I learned was how to reason, and to express ideas, concepts, and arguments both on paper and in person, and to have a sound knowledge base upon which to stand. From such a base, you can see much farther in life, even if you're like me and choose to make your living with your hands.

Gear

This is so true. You never know what you will be doing 10 or 20 years from now. I loved working on cars, had my own shop, then went into education. The fact that I had a bachelor's, along with the industry experience, put me me way ahead of the other applicants. I then went ahead and got a masters. I have more education, as an Autobody teacher, than most of our Math, English, and Science teachers. Education is never wasted.

If you get some additional training and education now, it will help you be prepared for whatever comes next.

[Houndog]

If you are a skilled auto mechanic, you will never be troubled with finding work.

Bill

and if you go into commercial truck repair you can make some SERIOUS dollars!!!!!
It's hard, heavy work but the going rate for a commercial truck mechanic in most shops is $90 an hour, at least it was when I owned my trucks. Let's face the facts, ANY field where the job can't be exported and in high demand, whether it's a mechanic, welder, plumber, electrician, ETC will result in you making a GOOD living with a secure job.

Best of luck in the future
Houndog

[arjacobson]

After 12 years of homeschool by my wonderful mother who also happened to find time to help dad on the ranch, raise 8 boys into men, only two of which were her birth sons, run her doctors office and surgery practice and have another town job just to keep the ranch going and keep us boys fed. My father has done his best to give us his love for the land, eventually dropping the farm half of the opperation to have more time to raise us and also to make sure that after we return from college we'll have a place to come back to, and to make sure that we can complete college without having to worry about money or coming back to work the ranch like he had to after two years of college. It is a profound sense of achevement to have passed the test with high marks as well as making it above the minimums on my college entrance exams and proved to myself that i'm above the steriotype of the "Dum Home Skooler". I have to give credit to my parents for always being there when a was growing up, that's the way to raise your kids. And so, at age 19 i stand ready to make the next step! Does it relly matter in life that i have a GED insted of a high school diploma?

My dad(passed away now) went and got his ged when he was 55 years old. He always joked about his "7th grade education" Well he went to get his GED and scored in the top of his class.. He never told people that he had to quit school in 7th grade because his dad died and he had to go to work.. That man had more common sense than most college educated people will ever have.. Congrats

[Bret4207]

I don't know about anyone else but I would also recommend looking into something you ENJOY. I understand completely about "what ever I do it's so I can keep my cattle", but when the job becomes something you hate all the pleasure goes out of life. There are days I hate the things that bust and die here on the farm, but it's the last thing I'd give up. So, try to find something that allows you to enjoy your work and to diversify or try new things. Maybe this doesn't apply to everyone since I've met a lot of people who can go through the same grind day after day for 40 years and never have a problem with it. I get bored silly with repetitive work.

[EMC45]

Well done young man! My wife homeschools our kids. It is a great thing!

[Flatlander]

Great Job, all that will matter is your attitude and motivation. Once you get a degree from college they know you met the entrance requirements. It will not matter where you get your college degree either as long as the school is reputable. Do not make the mistake of going deep into debt for your collage degree, you do not want to dig a deep financial hole for yourself with no way to pay for your higher education. The first two years of college are the pretty much the same no matter what field you pursue so go to an less expensive school the first two years to make sure its where you want to be.

Good Luck!

[alamogunr]

Congratualations! Getting that GED shows a lot of initiative. Unfortunately it doesn't stop there. As others have said, keep on learning. Trade schools, apprenticeship programs, college. All these can be a means to your life's work.

When I graduated from high school(yes! public school) over 50 years ago, my parents insisted that I go to college. I often tell people that when I graduated, I was too dumb to do anything but go to college. I value my engineering degree but I also value the non-engineering courses I had to take. They helped to round out my education. Today's engineering students are not required to take these courses.

My greatest regret is that I never used spare time to take vocational type courses. I envy those who can operate machine tools, weld, etc. These skills would have enriched my personal life. As it is I can perform most simple household repairs involving electricity, plumbing and carpentry. Automotive wise, I change my own oil. Beyond simple, I rely on those more skilled than I. At almost 70 I will be relying on them more and more.

My late mother was a public elementary school teacher. Despite the current prejudice against public school teachers, I know she took her responsibilities seriously and did a good job. My wife was also a public school elementary school teacher. She decided to retire when the administrative paper work got to be more important than teaching children. Considering the current tendency to condemn all public school teachers as lazy, incompetent, and selfish, it is a wonder that anyone wants to teach. I have noticed that prejudice here as well as on conservative media.

Possession of a college degree should not be scorned, degraded and ridiculed. Most who possess it worked hard to get it. A few, who get most of the headlines, do fit the oft repeated description as "party animals". I'm proud of my two sons who hold graduate degrees(Pharmacy, Ph.D) and approve of their choices.

Sorry for the length but I felt that I had to answer some of the stereotypes that I have read.

[Bret4207]

Alamo, it's not the teachers that are being criticized, it's the system that forces the teachers to become nannies and places paperwork and political correctness before anything else and makes the school it's own bureaucracy. The old style teacher of the 30's. 40's and 50's is long gone.

[P.K.]

Alamo, it's not the teachers that are being criticized, it's the system that forces the teachers to become nannies and places paperwork and political correctness before anything else and makes the school it's own bureaucracy. The old style teacher of the 30's. 40's and 50's is long gone.
Tell that to Sister Mary Francis, my sixth grade teacher (RIP), I had an eraser in a ballistic arc towrds my desk at least once a day. :grin:[smilie=1::mrgreen:

[Bob Maerdian]

Great!! Good luck to you!!

I got my GED back in 1956, while in the army. I took night classes while in the army and passed high on the college boards. After discharge, I got an AA at a community college, then a BA at a State University, and finally a teaching credential at a State University.

I taught school, math and history for years and retired in 2002, at 65. I don't regret all the work at all.

All the best to you!!

Bob

[ErikO]

Congrats on your GED. now, on to the next part of your learning!

If you're going to a trade school, be careful if they offer you 'student aid' as many financial institutions are giving kickbacks to schools that use them.

If you're going to college, consider going to a community college first. That's a great way to save money on your general studies and also open you up for some acdemic scholarships.

Either way, be sure to ask LOTS of questions before you sign any financial agreements. Don't get stuck with bad non-government backed student debt. :)