What did your average to below average child end up doing career-wise that they are happy and successful in?

[Anonymous]

Letter carrier for USPS; eventually moved up to middle management.

[Anonymous]

No one has mentioned it but teaching! I have a lot of family members who were mediocre students but very caring and became excellent elementary teachers.

[Anonymous]

Teacher.

She barely would do her math homework but it’s she’s an elementary school teacher!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one has mentioned it but teaching! I have a lot of family members who were mediocre students but very caring and became excellent elementary teachers.

Can here to say the same thing!

My adult child loves to be in charge and teach. She also coaches middle school basketball. Despite being a smart but bad testing student (adhd) and mediocre but technical basketball player!

[Anonymous]

Private chef (high school dropout but super creative and amazing cook)
Real estate (college dropout, super successful building/flipping houses)
Finance (he got his act together with a year of CC)
RN
Event planner
Household management for super wealthy/celebrities
Published author of a bestseller

These are family/close friends.

[Anonymous]

Finance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had very low grades HS, C, D’s and even Fs. The counselor tried to force me to drop out of HS and go to some trade school at 16.

My counselor to “hedge” forced me to take auto repair class, blue print reading, woodworking, welding, metal working, small engine repair even a cooking class.

Exactly how is a C student with ADHD and poor math and Art skills who does not study and barely pays attention supposed to be a Chef, master mechanic, carpenter I also got poor grades in that.

Finally he called my Mom in and my counselor and principal told my mom all my problems and how she needs to do that, she needs to this and she needs to work with me to get me to be a better student or I need to go to trade school.

My mom after long pause goes to counselor and principal will you come to my house, vacuum my carpets, do my laundry, cook my dinner, go shopping for me? They go no why would we do your job? My mom said exactly. I am not doing your job, you are paid to teach my son not me. He is my problem when he is not in school, but 9-3 Monday to Friday he is your problem, so do your job and she got up and left.

I graduated 76 average, graduated college 2.6 GPA and graduated my masters 3.0 GPA and by 45 was making $360k with a corner office.

Don’t let teachers or GPAs pigeon home you. Joe Biden was a crappy student and became president. He didn’t listen to the haters.

What exactly did you do? You don’t usually get hired as Executive out of college with terrible grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Federal government. There are lots of jobs that are routine that don’t need a huge skill set.

Not so much anymore. And any that are left are usually contracted out.

It depends on what their deficits and talents are OP. Young people can make a lot of money in the trades, and you've seen what it costs to have your hair done these days.

It also depends on your family connections and wealth, a lot of the below average kids in my private school ended up going to college and working for their family company, or going into sales, marketing, or communications if they were a good personality fit. There are plenty of private colleges out there who need full pay students, and many less selective state institutions.

[Anonymous]

And, to add to others, I also had a couple friends who were slower learners teach K-5.

[Anonymous]

It's interesting, and reflective of DCUM, that anything less than Ivy League or UVA is considered "below average". OP, there are SO many career paths for people to take, so many that many of us don't even know what exists. Look around you, is everyone a scientist or a doctor? There's also literally thousands of colleges and universities in the US, there's a school for everyone. IF that's the path your child wants to take -- there's also technical training schools, and jobs that don't require college degrees.

I encouraged my kids to apply and enter college undecided. Take a variety of classes and see what interests them. My now-college senior didn't decide on his major until he was half through his sophomore year, and in a major I never would have guessed for him.

You don't have to push for a particular path. You can support and help guide him through the college application process, or talk about exploring other options if he doesn't want to attend college.

[Anonymous]

I think the first question is whether they want to go to a traditional college (and can realistically succeed in college). If not, then looking at what other post high school training or certifications are available should be a priority. On that track, one of my high school friends spent a few years working retail, realized it wasn't going to be a sustainable option long term and went and got trained to be a phlebotomist. Still not great pay, but there was some career trajectory, benefits, etc. She loves it and has a great group of coworker friends. My friend's son hated school and stumbled into vo-tech and discovered he had a real talent as a mechanic. He now does a ton of specialty work and makes good money. My nephew has ADHD and no interest in college and is looking at carpentry apprenticeships when he graduates in May (he's been working with my BIL on their house for years).

[Anonymous]

If they like being around people and in a healthcare environment, a radiologist technician or ultrasound technician are options.

One of my friend's kids who is not interested in academics is heading to the military.

Check your local community college or consider the military for ideas. There are many possibilities!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a child who is not learning disabled, but is behind in a few subjects. Everyone on this board talks about wanting their kids to get into the best colleges, etc., but I want to know, what should we be pushing our child to do, realistically. Our kid isn't going to get into an Ivy League school or UVA/Virginia Tech. They're not going to be a scientist or a doctor. What should they consider? What did your average to below average children end up doing successfully?

My very average DH was always bottom half of school. He went and played D1 football and now he’s a C Level Exec of a tech company. Makes over $500k in 30’s. He went into tech sales but now he’ managed multiple teams. The majority of the people he works with at his company are ivy league except for the sales team.

Being an athlete opens up so many doors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An average student with a good personality and decent organizational skills can make big bucks in some of these areas with very average credentials: Sales, marketing, social media marketing, business development, recruiting, program/restaurant management, real estate (commercial or residential), executive assistant

Google CEOs that didn’t go to college or that did not do well in school. The Google unmotivated college grads still at home with parents. Yes, CEO world is long shot for no college, but point is college doesn’t = everything. If kid has personality, ideas, work ethic, they can rise thru ranks in so many industries.