16 year old needs advice

Betrayal

Hey, I'm 16 and I'm planning to drop out of high school since I'm pretty much failing all of my non-IT classes and I have no interest to try in them anymore.

I have my A+ certification (got it when I was 15) and I don't care if you think that dropping out of high school is a stupid decision. I just wanted to know if it's possible to get an entry-level IT job such as Help Desk Technician with my A+ and the GED for when I turn 18.

I am currently self learning for the CCENT, Network+, and MTA if that would help me get a job in IT as soon as I turn 18.

I also have background knowledge in computer security but don't have any security based certifications.

lsud00d

You can certainly get an entry-level job at 18 with those certifications, but why do you have such a bad attitude about finishing high school? I think you should address those things because on the surface it seems to be a personality deficit.

You will encounter things in the work place that you 'have no interest in' but you typically still have to do them, at least in the early stages.

Akaricloud

Yeah, you should definitely be able to find something entry level with a GED and A. Any additional certifications you can get between now and then will only help your chances!

I'm not going to say dropping out is a bad idea but I would recommend you get your GED sooner rather than later and consider pursuing some college courses.

Your unwillingness to try in areas that don't interest you needs to be changed before you enter the work place though.

Mutata

I can't tell you whether or not you will be successful with an A+ and GED, I would advise you to base your education decision more on what you have to do to be better than the guy next to you. Most likely he'll have some post-secondary and similar certifications

I can tell you I graduated high-school with good marks - but regret some of the lack of effort I put in to some courses and am retaking them to upgrade the marks.

Regardless of whether or not you complete high school as a regular track student, or through a GED test/program you will have to put in the effort to learn the material at some point. To me it would make more sense to not waste the time you have invested already in high-school only to have to re-learn the material at a later date. As a broad generalization you may find life gets in the way more as you get older. Now is the time to make use of your youthful freedom and get the basics out of the way - so that when you are 18 - you can move on to bigger and better things.

I don't think you'll find many people who will advocate a GED and an A+ as the ideal foundation for the start of a career. Although some may have gone this route and been vastly successful.

In any case- I wish you the best of luck!

Ismaeljrp

Well, we can definitely tell you're 16. It's cool you are seeking advice here on TE, but don't go around making demands such as " I don't care what you think, just tell me what I want to know ". Not verbatim, but it was the gist of your message.

Now, I really would question your ability to handle tasks out of your comfort zone , based on you wanting to quit on high school. As if high school were that difficult, really ?
It's not the same as a person dropping out for good reasons, yours just stems from laziness. Sure, there have been extremely successful dropouts, but they are far and few between. You should play the odds. I'd say, you can get a job, maybe. Do you have better chances finishing your high school degree, maybe. It all depends on you.

Those certs are fine for entry IT. Don't know about the MTA's value. Nobody should say you'll get a job as soon as you turn 18, certs aren't a guaranteed ticket towards jobs. It'll depend on 1) your attitude 2) your resume 3)your experience 4) your certs

Betrayal

lsud00d wrote: »

You can certainly get an entry-level job at 18 with those certifications, but why do you have such a bad attitude about finishing high school? I think you should address those things because on the surface it seems to be a personality deficit.

You will encounter things in the work place that you 'have no interest in' but you typically still have to do them, at least in the early stages.

Hmm, thanks for the reply, and yeah, you make a good point.

Akaricloud wrote: »

Yeah, you should definitely be able to find something entry level with a GED and A. Any additional certifications you can get between now and then will only help your chances!

I'm not going to say dropping out is a bad idea but I would recommend you get your GED sooner rather than later and consider pursuing some college courses.

Your unwillingness to try in areas that don't interest you needs to be changed before you enter the work place though.

Hey, thanks for the reply, and yea, I figured that additional certifications should help.

Mutata wrote: »

I can't tell you whether or not you will be successful with an A+ and GED, I would advise you to base your education decision more on what you have to do to be better than the guy next to you. Most likely he'll have some post-secondary and similar certifications

I can tell you I graduated high-school with good marks - but regret some of the lack of effort I put in to some courses and am retaking them to upgrade the marks.

Regardless of whether or not you complete high school as a regular track student, or through a GED test/program you will have to put in the effort to learn the material at some point. To me it would make more sense to not waste the time you have invested already in high-school only to have to re-learn the material at a later date. As a broad generalization you may find life gets in the way more as you get older. Now is the time to make use of your youthful freedom and get the basics out of the way - so that when you are 18 - you can move on to bigger and better things.

I don't think you'll find many people who will advocate a GED and an A+ as the ideal foundation for the start of a career. Although some may have gone this route and been vastly successful.

In any case- I wish you the best of luck!

Oh, thank you, and I guess it's time for me to hoard some more certifications. ;3

DoubleNNs

Skip the MTAs.

Get some professional experience in the meantime, even if unpaid.

Betrayal

DoubleNNs wrote: »

Skip the MTAs.

Get some professional experience in the meantime, even if unpaid.

Yea, I know a guy who runs a computer repair shop, he told me I could work for him about a year ago as soon as I got my A+ but I never really contacted him about it yet.

Ismaeljrp wrote: »

Well, we can definitely tell you're 16. It's cool you are seeking advice here on TE, but don't go around making demands such as " I don't care what you think, just tell me what I want to know ". Not verbatim, but it was the gist of your message.

Now, I really would question your ability to handle tasks out of your comfort zone , based on you wanting to quit on high school. As if high school were that difficult, really ?
It's not the same as a person dropping out for good reasons, yours just stems from laziness. Sure, there have been extremely successful dropouts, but they are far and few between. You should play the odds. I'd say, you can get a job, maybe. Do you have better chances finishing your high school degree, maybe. It all depends on you.

Those certs are fine for entry IT. Don't know about the MTA's value. Nobody should say you'll get a job as soon as you turn 18, certs aren't a guaranteed ticket towards jobs. It'll depend on 1) your attitude 2) your resume 3)your experience 4) your certs

Yes, lol, sorry about my "carefree" attitude about school. I still care about my future, though, and my future will be in IT. As for high school, my non-IT classes are advanced ones and AP, it would be much easier if I switched to regular classes.

TechGuru80

Dropping out of high school is going to look terrible plain and simple. "Why did you drop out of high school?" .... "I had no interest in what they were saying." Frankly that is going to hurt you for several years to come. In today's market it is hard enough for people with college degrees, certifications, and experience....I would think about it because your resume will probably go straight to the bottom of the pile if not the trash...honestly.

I somewhat disagree with skipping the MTAs. Although they are very entry-level you will need all the help you can get. Also you mention when you turn 18 getting a job in IT...well what are you going to do until then? Just a poor decision and your eyes will open that not everything in life will be considered "awesome".

Best of luck.

Betrayal

TechGuru80 wrote: »

Dropping out of high school is going to look terrible plain and simple. "Why did you drop out of high school?" .... "I had no interest in what they were saying." Frankly that is going to hurt you for several years to come. In today's market it is hard enough for people with college degrees, certifications, and experience....I would think about it because your resume will probably go straight to the bottom of the pile if not the trash...honestly.

I somewhat disagree with skipping the MTAs. Although they are very entry-level you will need all the help you can get. Also you mention when you turn 18 getting a job in IT...well what are you going to do until then? Just a poor decision and your eyes will open that not everything in life will be considered "awesome".

Best of luck.

Well my plan is to get certifications and do internships over the summer. I want to get my CCENT, CCNA, MTA, Network+, and Security+. So you're telling me that once I get all of those certs, my application for an IT job would still be thrown in the thrash?

Danielm7

Betrayal wrote: »

Well my plan is to get certifications and do internships over the summer. I want to get my CCENT, CCNA, MTA, Network+, and Security+. So you're telling me that once I get all of those certs, my application for an IT job would still be thrown in the thrash?

As a HS dropout, possibly. As others said, if you are in AP classes and hate it, just take some regular classes. They put you in AP for a reason, most likely because you are capable of doing it. A career in IT is all about constantly learning, so starting that off by refusing to learn isn't really the best start.

clouder

EDIT: Reconsidered my post. Fix your grades while you still have a chance. It's not that much longer, just get it out of the way. I went the GED route and have done well for myself, but you can still turn it around.

Betrayal

clouder wrote: »

EDIT: Reconsidered my post. Fix your grades while you still have a chance. It's not that much longer, just get it out of the way. I went the GED route and have done well for myself, but you can still turn it around.

Wait lol, you said that you went the GED route and did well, why do you recommend that it's better to go the diploma route?

clouder

Betrayal wrote: »

Wait lol, you said that you went the GED route and did well, why do you recommend that it's better to go the diploma route?

A diploma looks better than GED. I didn't value education as much as I do now. I was lucky to stumble upon my first real job, but I'm now getting to a point in my career where education is more important, hence why I'm currently preparing for WGU. Granted, I made it to a six-figure job on just certs and a GED, and that's likely not the norm. However, it makes me wonder where I would be had I applied myself a bit more, though I have no real regrets. Just really think hard about it before you decide, I don't want you to regret it later.

TechGuru80

There are companies out there that will not hire somebody with a GED...until plenty of experience. You must remember today vs when it sounds like clouder was taking the route are two completely different era's. Job listings today by a majority want a college degree, especially at major fortune 500 companies. It is not inconceivable the route you are taking to not even be given a shot until late 20's early 30's. Then consider the kind of position and money you want to make. Without an undergraduate degree...in a lot of cases a masters degree... management will basically be 100% out of the question. You really need to go talk to your counselor, parents, find an IT manager (not a repair shop manager) and ask for their advice. Heck you can search for job postings for CCNA, CCNP level jobs and see requirements. You are kidding yourself if you think a high school diploma will not be better than a GED and then a college degree better than a high school diploma...college degrees represent critical thinking skills and dedicating yourself if nothing more.

Internships that are worth anything significant are for students in college. Take the advice for what it is worth...we were all 16 at some point but again even Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and the majority of other people who made it anywhere at least got their high school diploma. It sounds like you are just lazy...not a good characteristic of a good employee.

Zartanasaurus

So what are you going to do when your boss assigns your tasks you have no interest in?

SteveLord

If you were my kid and wanted to drop out of highschool, I would tell you that you better have another place to live and are able to fund your certifications on your own. Failures still get respect. Quitters don't.

And you do know that many internships require you to be enrolled in college right?

lsud00d

Also lightly touched on, high school is about more than the education. You will deprive yourself of social experiences and learning how to work with others that directly translates to the real world. You are in formative years of cognitive development that will continue into your mid-20's. Stymie those now and you'll increase your likelihood of another contributing factor to less earnings over your lifetime.

wes allen

Lots of different paths in life, so, maybe the standard HS route just isn't for you. Your life may be tougher without that piece of paper, and it may not. Really hard to know for sure. That said, rather then totally dropping out, maybe some type of homeschool / self taught plan might be an alternative. Check out this book, and look around and do your research on the good and bad of whichever way you go, and make an informed decision either way: The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and Get a Real Life and Education: Grace Llewellyn: 9780962959172: Amazon.com: Books

N2IT

You can still land a gig with a GED and those certifications. I would consider working towards a mid level certification like a CCNA or MCSA personally, while landing an entry level job like help desk or desk side support.

jvrlopez

FWIW, I don't have my lower level education (high school grad) on my resume nor has my employer inquired into it.

Snow.bros

I like the fact that you are motivated and seems like you know what you are doing and you have some plans for your future, i also had some hard times in high school, i am 21yrs old now and believe me i only finished my high school diploma just last (2013) you do the maths but to tell you the truth i have dealt with failure, failure doesn't kill me it only builds me it gets me stronger and still to this day i am still motivated by failure, but yeah like the guys are saying you can still make it, it all depends on the attitude and remember you must be prepared for a competitive environment, hard work and you got to be self-motivated. Otherwise i don't see why not so all the best of luck luck soldier!!!!

Cleverclogs

It is possible, because I got my first IT job in an IT repair store and I never went to College/University. However, I'd recommend finishing High School first. Like you I had absolutely no interest in most of the things there, but I took it to the end because it was better to have those grades behind me in the long run, rather than none. Whatever you do, good luck. If you put the hard work in, anything is possible

NicWhite

Are you sick of school all together? Have you thought about maybe doing home schooling to finish up high school? Do you plan on going to college after getting your GED?

If you are able to self study certs, then it's obvious that you have a good capacity to learn. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

the_Grinch

Have you perhaps looked into alternative high schools? I know in PA they allow students to complete their K-12 education online so perhaps your state has that option. I'd highly suggest that you finish and get the diploma. Looking back a lot of the courses I thought were unimportant honestly did have a point. In college there were a ton of courses that I found at least interesting, but thought were a complete waste (and I was paying a lot to take them). One that always stuck out as a "waste" was my public speaking class. I always thought, really? You want me to give a speech about the "I made the donuts" guy from the 80's? But I did it and went all out with it as well. Now, almost six years later I've never been happier that I took that class. I get compliment after compliment on my ability to present information.

Soft skills in IT are more then essential. That's the difference between being an ok tech and a great one. One company I worked with had a Cisco guy who could run circles around anyone when it came to networking. They fired him. Why? Stick him in a closet for 12 hours straight and he wouldn't care, but put him with a customer and he was terrible. Hate to say it, but based on your attitude I'd see your soft skills lacking and that will burn you in IT. Your first job is going to be more customer facing then technical without a doubt.

As for certs, besides the MTA, I think your on the right track. Your issue will be that being that you're 16 working is definitely going to be an issue for your (since you are in the US). Until you're 18 I think you'll have a pretty hard time getting an IT gig outside of a small repair shop or BestBuy.

hasasn

Speaking from experience I know that getting your GED may seem like a good idea. The A+ cert may very well work out for you. Ill provide my example form this point on; I am third year B.S. in Information Computer Science. Smoked pot and failed to show up for my SAT on time, big mistake in high school, now I am pursuing an online IT degree with Park University and trying to enroll in WGU at this point. A+ cert is crap in the field ( personal opinion). Honestly I have 84 credit hours in my bachelors in IT security, network+certificate, and a PLC certificate from George Brown College. However, this has amounted to no call backs or interviews on applying to 5+ jobs a week in my area. My ego is tremendously larger than my actual certifications. Certifications are for people with experience they are a validation of what you have nothing more or nothing less. I encourage you to develop yourself in any manner possible but never expect this development to pay off in any other manner other than what work you have put in. Most careers depend on "previous sacrifice" in order to obtain any respectability. More often than not college is represented (online college that is ) as a sort of I've paid my dues now let me in. This is the same issue with certifications. Good luck with your endeavors but, realize that self-entitlement is never becoming of anyone seeking an employment opportunity.

Slowhand

Betrayal wrote: »

Well my plan is to get certifications and do internships over the summer. I want to get my CCENT, CCNA, MTA, Network+, and Security+. So you're telling me that once I get all of those certs, my application for an IT job would still be thrown in the thrash?

Yes, actually it most likely will. You'd be surprised how important an education can be to employers, even if it only means that you're able to complete a major project (like getting your high school diploma or college degree.)

If I were in your shoes, I'd be looking at taking the Ability to Benefit (ATB) exam and looking at an IT-related degree at a community college. The ATB does two things: it allows you to get financial aid and it serves as a placement exam. Once you're in, you do have to complete some general education courses, but they'll be one semester long as opposed to a full year, and they will definitely feel a little less. . . stupid than the courses you're taking in high school. Work while you're in college, hit up that computer repair shop you mentioned and start working on that experience.

Chances are, the classes you'd be taking for your degree-related classes if you enroll in a CIS or CIT program will help you earn some certs along the way. By the time you're 18 or 19, you'll have an Associate's degree in hand, a pocket full of certs, and two years of experience. You'll be in a fantastic position to make some choices about what to do next: go on in school and earn a four-year degree by the time you're 20, start looking for a new job immediately, or completely change your mind after being exposed to IT and decide to do something else entirely.

ptilsen

Betrayal, I had a similar attitude. I got my A+ at 16 and was ready to get working. I barely made it through high school because I was completely uninterested in almost every class. Either the subject was irrelevant, the education level and pace were beneath me, or I was just too bored to give a damn. I even took AP and accelerated courses knowing I would put no effort in and possibly fail. However, I graduated. I made it, somehow. Having a high school diploma probably got me considered for every job I've ever interviewed for prior to finishing my AAS. Certainly, none of the companies I worked for would have considered dropouts without GED, and most wouldn't consider GEDs. To be honest, even with how much I can empathize with you, I probably wouldn't consider hiring someone with a GED on their resume and no college. I certainly wouldn't consider someone with no completed secondary or post-secondary education.

I did get my first job while in high school just because I had my A+ and a good resume. I was considered an intern because I was in high school, but I received the same starting pay as everyone else. I was lucky to get that opportunity, and you should at the very least look for one like it. I worked after school my entire senior year, and was able to graduate with more than a year of professional experience. That made up for my GPA, which has never held me back. It won't hold you back, either, if you can get some experience (more certs are big, too), but having no diploma will hold you back. Certainly, a GED doesn't look great, but at the very least get that if you do ultimately drop out. A GED will also get you into college, which you might actually find bearable if you go into a two-year tech program or an online program like WGU. Even though I hated school and just wanted to be done with it, going into an AAS program was definitely doable in my late teens/early twenties and probably helped my resume and with avoiding the GPA question.

If you're really interested in your career, though, I encourage you to graduate, even if you have a 1.5 GPA and go to summer school and do as little work as humanly possible. So many things in life, especially in any profession and certainly in this one, are much more difficult than high school, all without being any more interesting or fun or whatever. Being unable to finish high school or to at least go on to get your GED and college is a big sign that you're not ready for these things.

This isn't a judgement. I've been there. I get it. It just took some growing up to make me see things differently. For all my regrets, I'm glad I didn't try to go the traditional route, because I wasn't mature enough for it. I don't think you should force it if you're not ready. And I absolutely think you should start your career at 18, even 17 or 16 if you are ready for that. I just think you want to really consider your future very carefully. If you look at some of the alternatives to your plan of dropping out and going into your career with just certs, you might find something that you can stand or even like. If that's a GED and WGU, or an alternative high school, or anything, really consider it.

Also, don't waste your time on MTA, and probably not on Net+ if you are working on CCENT and can get access to equipment or a good simulation setup. Plow through CCENT and either go onto an MCTS or CCNA or both. If you are going to try to go for cert-heavy career introduction, get the ones employers are looking for more. MTA has no demand in the market, and Net+, while good, makes little sense if you can pass CCENT, and none if you can pass CCNA.

W Stewart

I've got my GED and plenty of people I know in IT have theirs as well. I've never seen anybody discriminate against a GED in IT. I can tell you from experience that It's not going to hurt your chances for an entry level position any more than only having a high school diploma vs a college degree would and I don't feel like I would be in any better of a position right now if I had my high school diploma vs a GED. College is what really matters in if education becomes a factor but then you'd run into the same problems your having with high school.

Like others have said, your attitude towards doing things that don't interest you should definitely change because within a few short months of doing repetitive entry level tasks, taking calls and dealing with less tech savvy individuals on some of the simplest issues, an entry level help desk job will soon become something that doesn't interest you. There's always the option to try to move up, but you need to get some experience doing that crappy uninteresting job before anybody will give you the chance to do a bigger more interesting job. That bigger more interesting job will also require you to do things that don't always interest you. That's just called having a job and the real world in general so at 16, I would think twice before making such life changing decisions. You may regret it when your mature enough to realize your mistakes.

instant000

When I was 16, I had opportunities to drop out of high school to go to college, quite a bit different situation than you have here, though.

High school is boring. I get that. I have done it before, believe it or not.

I applaud you for looking for other ideas (which is good).

What is telling, is that you went to a place (certification-focused site) that would be most likely to give you all the positives about certifications, and the consensus is that you should not take this decision lightly.

If high school is truly boring, then I challenge you to this idea:

While going through your boring high school classes, you prepare for and CLEP college-level classes. Just knock out your General Eds like crazy.

Also, I don't know the rules across the US, but in some places, you are allowed to enroll in community college courses without a high school diploma. (I believe this is what SlowHand is referring to.) You could use the community college to cover any maths or lab-based science courses that you couldn't get through CLEP.

Then, by the time you get out of your boring high school, you're ready to work, and also set to join college at the junior or senior level.

One point of caution: As others have mentioned, you are not going to like EVERYTHING about your job. You cannot always quit just because you do not like doing something. (I guess you could, but then you might not make it far.) Now, if you're being abused, that is another issue, entirely. (I hear a lot in the news about high school teachers, so if that is the reason, homeschool all the way!) As far as your classes, I don't think that AP Chemistry is abusing you unless you're getting chemical burns.

I mentioned it in jest earlier, but homeschool is a legitimate option. You can also take advantage of it to start doing college-level courses while in your high school years.

CLEP Forum - CLEP Study - CLEP Testing - Study Guide and Strategies is a good forum to check out, if you're looking at non-traditional education paths. (Please note that non-traditional paths are still looked down upon in some circles.)

Hope this helps!

ptilsen

W Stewart wrote: »

I've never seen anybody discriminate against a GED in IT.

Evidence that it doesn't always happen is hardly evidence that it doesn't happen. I can assure you, it happens, just as "discrimination" against people without college degrees happens.

W Stewart wrote: »

I can tell you from experience that It's not going to hurt your chances for an entry level position any more than only having a high school diploma vs a college degree would and I don't feel like I would be in any better of a position right now if I had my high school diploma vs a GED. College is what really matters in if education becomes a factor but then you'd run into the same problems your having with high school.

Your experience is that you've been able to get employed with just your GED. What your experience can't really tell you is how many interviews you haven't gotten because of not having your diploma. However, I'll certainly say that college is more important (GED/diploma have no place on a resume with a college degree on it IMO), and having a GED will definitely unlock doors over having nothing.