What should I do for my future?

Question

I born 1993 so I'll be 18 this July. I immigranted to the U.S on November 13, 2009 however I AM a U.S citizen now. But, because I came here in the mid-school year, therefore I only attended half sophomore year and pass all the classes with 90% A, now I'm in my junior year. I suppose to graduate in May, 2012. However my counselor and I make a check on my graduate requirements and firgured out that even though I pass this junior year and the next senior year, I still have 15 credits short. She shows me some solutions:
1. Attend after school program to earn creadit, which me and my family dislike, and I'm serious dont have time after school, so forget this.
2. Attend summer school which mean I'll go to Skyline College and take whatever classes, just make sure I pass and got 5 college credits which will solve my shortage problem. But the issue is my family said that college is very very hard and I'm not good enough to pass the class, and if I failed it will permantely go to my record and I will not be able to transfer to University later, so they told me that I have to go ask my counselor for one more year high school extend, which I personally don't believe. Because like I said, now I'm junior and I'll be 18 this year, so next senior year I already 18 which means I already late for a year, and I don't think that high school they will let me stay until I got all credits and graduate(especially in this kind of cutting budgets situation) , I believe that I will have to get out of high school at the end of my senior, not able to get my high school degree and go for the GED which I don't want either. 
But my family keep telling me like I have the right to stay in high school for about 1 or 2 more years until I got all high school credits to get high school degree. Of course I'll ask my counselor, but now what do you guys think?
I also want to join the Armed Forces, and start to do some research, if any of you guys have experiences about this please tell me, which branch of the Armed Forces (A.F, Army, Navy) that I can join in case something happen and I cannot graduate now, or I can join as fast as possible? I prefer options in the Airforce but any ideas would help! Thank you so much for your help

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

First off, you said that your family said "my family said that college is very very hard and I'm not good enough to pass the class." I don't know you, BUT, I am going to give you some good advice: don't listen to them. Don't let that kind of thinking effect you. Think posotive. You CAN pass these classes.

Community college is not that hard. It is just like any other class: if you attend class, pay attention, do the assignments, and work hard you will pass. 

I think it would be better to sacrifice the time now so you could graduate on time. Maybe consider a mix of after school classes and summer school.

I am an USAF veteran. I am also an immigrant and naturalized U.S. citizen. To join any branch of the military you have to have at least a GED, and from my knowledge the AF takes few people without a high school diploma. 

I would go AF, not because I am bias but becasue educationally it is the best option. You get $4,500 a year in tuition assistance for school, and if you serve honorably and get out with a honorable discharge, you get what is called the Post 9/11 GI Bill. This bill gives you the following: pays your tuition in full at public universities (private school is mostly covered, but this is another story), gives you $1000 a year for books, and gives you a monthly living stipend. It's a sweet deal. You would be able to get this in any branch. AF is by far the easiest branch overall, but it really depends on your job. So make sure you really investigate what kind of job you want. 

Scrutinize everything the recruiter tells you, and do your own research. They will try to get you to sign up for 6 years instead fo 4 by telling you that you will get promoted sooner and get more money. DON'T do it: the promotion they are telling you about is one that you would get a few months later anyways and the raise is not even that much. DO NOT go "open general" in your job selection, becasue if you do you may get stuck with a job you don't like. like being security forces (aka a cop) or working in the kitchen. Study for your ASVAB, the higher you get the more jobs will be open to you.

E-mail me if you have questions on specifics.

Anonymous · Answer

i've never heard of this website. i looked at this question a little bit ago and decided to try it. i just finished sending myself an email. i don't know why i didn't answer this question when i saw it the first time. haha, oh well. I wrote random stuff and some questions. i couldn't even tell you half of it now, i can't remember. i put it to send August 26th, 2010 to see what has changed in the next few months. i might remember the things that are going on right now better in the future. i plan to write to myself again when i receive it answering the questions i asked this time and sending new questions and tell myself things that are happening at that time. i kinda like this idea, haha. thank you for showing this website!

Betsy · Answer

This is a link to a page about some alternatives.  

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/studentoptions.asp

What should I do for my future?

Related Questions

Trending Questions