Anonymous
12/28/2013 21:38
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Postal office is a good option. It pays decent.
Anonymous
12/28/2013 14:10
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
He goes to Ohio University. He has a C+ average. He typically signs up for more classes than he can handle. We are ok with him dropping a class each semester. It seems he can handle 12 credits only. We have seen intellectual and academic growth. He is happy. We are happy we sent him. We know it will take an extra year. I don't know what his job prospects will be.
Anonymous
12/28/2013 13:47
Subject: Re:Underachiever in High School, what options
Why is she struggling? Lack of ability/or lack of effort? What is she interested in and what are her strengths? If. She doesn't already, she should get a part time job or volunteer, both to help her find something she is interested in and to let her see the good and bad of the work world. If she's motivated to try, there are open enrollment CCs where she could try some classes.
I think the only thing not to do is to let her live in your house rent free and do nothing.
Signed, c+ high school student to uchicago ph.d
I think the only thing not to do is to let her live in your house rent free and do nothing.
Signed, c+ high school student to uchicago ph.d
Anonymous
12/28/2013 13:43
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Anonymous wrote:What career options are there for underachievers? Anything they can go and study, vocational careers?
Even the local community college wants a gpa of 3.0, and that is not going to happen. We do not have money to throw at tutors right now, so it looks like it is not going to improve.
There has to be some opportunities
Retail jobs. Front office work. And if the person is interested in community college but can't get admitted for a full-time, degree-seeking path, ask about what can be done as probationary work. One or two courses at a time for a semester or two with good grades can often be sufficient to be allowed to begin a degree seeking program.
The "underachiever" in question needs to decide what they want to work towards. Often vocational careers (e.g. electrician, beautician) have a hands-on as well as an educational component which can help people who really aren't academically focused.
Anonymous
12/28/2013 13:43
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Anonymous wrote:You asked about careers. I'll include some info re college just in case. I'm not saying college needs to be important to you. Our son attending/graduating from college was important to us and he was not a good student - ending HS with only Algebra 2 and 2 yrs of foreign language pass/fail, no honors or AP class though offered. A good option is finding a university with has College of Communications since degrees require very little math - ditto for a College of Agriculture, College of Fine Arts, sometimes a Criminal Justice type major. The important thing is reading the online undergraduate catalog very, very carefully. And for admission to college (for the low performing student) is watching the high school gpa very carefully (which will probably be unweighted). Regular college prep classes are fine. A gpa of 2.5+ is fine too. Finding an appropriate university will take alot of research and there must be a willingness to look at lesser-known schools in less familiar locations.
Good advice. Can I ask some additional questions.... Where did he end up going? Has he graduated yet? What do his job prospects look like?
Anonymous
12/28/2013 13:37
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
You asked about careers. I'll include some info re college just in case. I'm not saying college needs to be important to you. Our son attending/graduating from college was important to us and he was not a good student - ending HS with only Algebra 2 and 2 yrs of foreign language pass/fail, no honors or AP class though offered. A good option is finding a university with has College of Communications since degrees require very little math - ditto for a College of Agriculture, College of Fine Arts, sometimes a Criminal Justice type major. The important thing is reading the online undergraduate catalog very, very carefully. And for admission to college (for the low performing student) is watching the high school gpa very carefully (which will probably be unweighted). Regular college prep classes are fine. A gpa of 2.5+ is fine too. Finding an appropriate university will take alot of research and there must be a willingness to look at lesser-known schools in less familiar locations.
Anonymous
12/27/2013 13:45
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What career options are there for underachievers? Anything they can go and study, vocational careers?
Even the local community college wants a gpa of 3.0, and that is not going to happen. We do not have money to throw at tutors right now, so it looks like it is not going to improve.
There has to be some opportunities
Has your child showed interest in any trade? Plumbing, hair dressing, electrician, computer repair, truck driver?
Our DD is in a similar situation. She just does not have the tenacity for school work. But believe it or not, she's fairly detail oriented and can organize others people stuff pretty well. Over the summer, she got a job as a temp admin. She liked the work and I suspect that's going to be her path to success in life. Her path most likely will not be through college. Not everyone goes to college, contrary to the posts you read on DCUM. And like it or not, there are people that work for the city and county picking up trash, plowing snow, leaf pick up, etc---there are jobs to be had with decent pay and good benefits but are not glamorous, not professional, and don't require a degree. Now..it won't be a middle class DCUM income of $250K, but it should be enough to raise a family on.
Gap year will not help because it will not open a door to attending college.
The trades you mentioned are just not options. Hair dressers and cosmetologist cannot be allergic to the products they deal with daily
[b]Plumbing and electrician requires an associates degree. Truck driver is very much a rough masculine job and I do not think she could even consider it.
Picking up trash and shoveling snow are not career paths
Not true. You do not need a degree for those trades. Signed wife of an electrician
Anonymous
12/27/2013 11:08
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What career options are there for underachievers? Anything they can go and study, vocational careers?
Even the local community college wants a gpa of 3.0, and that is not going to happen. We do not have money to throw at tutors right now, so it looks like it is not going to improve.
There has to be some opportunities
Has your child showed interest in any trade? Plumbing, hair dressing, electrician, computer repair, truck driver?
Our DD is in a similar situation. She just does not have the tenacity for school work. But believe it or not, she's fairly detail oriented and can organize others people stuff pretty well. Over the summer, she got a job as a temp admin. She liked the work and I suspect that's going to be her path to success in life. Her path most likely will not be through college. Not everyone goes to college, contrary to the posts you read on DCUM. And like it or not, there are people that work for the city and county picking up trash, plowing snow, leaf pick up, etc---there are jobs to be had with decent pay and good benefits but are not glamorous, not professional, and don't require a degree. Now..it won't be a middle class DCUM income of $250K, but it should be enough to raise a family on.
Gap year will not help because it will not open a door to attending college.
The trades you mentioned are just not options. Hair dressers and cosmetologist cannot be allergic to the products they deal with daily
Plumbing and electrician requires an associates degree. Truck driver is very much a rough masculine job and I do not think she could even consider it.
Picking up trash and shoveling snow are not career paths[/quote]
Why not? Someone in the community has to perform these jobs.
Options for girls without a degree are waitressing, office managers, admin assistant.
What are you looking for? A job/career path for her or a way for her to go to college?
Anonymous
12/27/2013 10:59
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What career options are there for underachievers? Anything they can go and study, vocational careers?
Even the local community college wants a gpa of 3.0, and that is not going to happen. We do not have money to throw at tutors right now, so it looks like it is not going to improve.
There has to be some opportunities
Has your child showed interest in any trade? Plumbing, hair dressing, electrician, computer repair, truck driver?
Our DD is in a similar situation. She just does not have the tenacity for school work. But believe it or not, she's fairly detail oriented and can organize others people stuff pretty well. Over the summer, she got a job as a temp admin. She liked the work and I suspect that's going to be her path to success in life. Her path most likely will not be through college. Not everyone goes to college, contrary to the posts you read on DCUM. And like it or not, there are people that work for the city and county picking up trash, plowing snow, leaf pick up, etc---there are jobs to be had with decent pay and good benefits but are not glamorous, not professional, and don't require a degree. Now..it won't be a middle class DCUM income of $250K, but it should be enough to raise a family on.
Gap year will not help because it will not open a door to attending college.
The trades you mentioned are just not options. Hair dressers and cosmetologist cannot be allergic to the products they deal with daily
Plumbing and electrician requires an associates degree. Truck driver is very much a rough masculine job and I do not think she could even consider it.
Picking up trash and shoveling snow are not career paths
Anonymous
12/27/2013 09:57
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Anonymous wrote:What career options are there for underachievers? Anything they can go and study, vocational careers?
Even the local community college wants a gpa of 3.0, and that is not going to happen. We do not have money to throw at tutors right now, so it looks like it is not going to improve.
There has to be some opportunities
Has your child showed interest in any trade? Plumbing, hair dressing, electrician, computer repair, truck driver?
Our DD is in a similar situation. She just does not have the tenacity for school work. But believe it or not, she's fairly detail oriented and can organize others people stuff pretty well. Over the summer, she got a job as a temp admin. She liked the work and I suspect that's going to be her path to success in life. Her path most likely will not be through college. Not everyone goes to college, contrary to the posts you read on DCUM. And like it or not, there are people that work for the city and county picking up trash, plowing snow, leaf pick up, etc---there are jobs to be had with decent pay and good benefits but are not glamorous, not professional, and don't require a degree. Now..it won't be a middle class DCUM income of $250K, but it should be enough to raise a family on.
Anonymous
12/27/2013 09:36
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Thanks for locating the old thread.
This is an updated link to the Harvard article about a gap year:
https://college.harvard.edu/admissions/preparing-college/should-i-take-time
Anonymous
12/27/2013 09:27
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
Anonymous
12/27/2013 09:25
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
We are in the same boat, OP. Will be looking for options other than college, I think. I think there was a thread in the last few months about Gap year options.
Is yours a boy? Mine needs to grow up some more.
Is yours a boy? Mine needs to grow up some more.
Anonymous
12/27/2013 09:04
Subject: Re:Underachiever in High School, what options
the military?
Anonymous
12/27/2013 08:45
Subject: Underachiever in High School, what options
What career options are there for underachievers? Anything they can go and study, vocational careers?
Even the local community college wants a gpa of 3.0, and that is not going to happen. We do not have money to throw at tutors right now, so it looks like it is not going to improve.
There has to be some opportunities
Even the local community college wants a gpa of 3.0, and that is not going to happen. We do not have money to throw at tutors right now, so it looks like it is not going to improve.
There has to be some opportunities