haha .yesss.i could make millions :D

Here's what to do:
First off, this is completely anonymous (names are not necessary). However, I would like to know your age, gender, and ethnicity.
23, Female, White/Australian

1) What grade did you drop out of high school? End of the first semester of Year 11 (second last year of Australian High School, I was 15).
2) Why did you drop out? I changed schools midway through the first semester. My parents made me change as I was travelling too far for school and they 'couldn't keep an eye on me'. This meant I had no choice but to change most of my senior school subjects as my new school didn't offer (or couldn't fit me in) to the subjects I had taken for my OP (that's or end of high school cert that gives us a score to get in to university). I therefore had to start new subjects, which I had missed a term of and couldn't catch up... and was failing. So I gave up with the intention to return the next year and start again. Which, I didn't do. Out of rebellion because it pissed off my parents that I wouldn't go back to school
3) Are/did you plan(ing) on getting a GED? It isn't a GED in Australia, its called different things depending on the state, but basically its a high school certificate to say you've completed high school basically. I have always had intentions of getting it... I even started a bridging course to uni, that would give my high school cert.. but that fell through when other family stuff came up... I occassionally talk about doing it... but I don't think I will. I have enough workplace qualifications now that a high school cert would essentially be null and void anyway.
4) Do you regret dropping out at all? If so/not, why? I regret missing some of the experiences that come with high school. I was so jealous I missed my formal (prom), but then my boyfriend at the time took me to his anyway, so I at least got to experience one :) That was nice! And for a few years there I regretted missing out on the education... but I'm at a point in my life now that I can get in to uni on mature age entry, or that I can take courses based on workplace learning... so whilst I regretted it for a while, I'm past that now. I wouldn't ever recommend it though
5) How did dropping out of high school change your life? It made me grow up - real fast. I had to give up a lot of things because full time work is so much more time consuming than school is. But it did make me work harder for things... I had to prove to employers that I was worth it... I might not have finished high school but I could still be a valued employee. I have worked a few jobs now, some shit and some not so shit... but I've always aimed to excel in my employment and that has paid off... they no longer look at my resume and say "Oh you didn't finish school"... but look at my work experience and skills instead. And now I work in government. So I think I've done ok, considering!

Oh I always thought the Australian school years were the same as the UK, but they can't be since year 11 is our final year!

LOL, nope! We have grades 1 - 12 across all states.

This is on behalf of my boyfriend;

1) What grade did you drop out of high school?
He dropped out for good I believe at the end of his junior year (credit wise though he was not a junior, and I don't believe he ever actually went to school that year either)

2) Why did you drop out?
He was just a young and stupid kid who'd rather do a million other things than go to school, he didn't care about his classes or anything like that. I don't think he had many credits either so graduating wasn't actually in his near future. He says he always knew he'd drop out of school, and his parents didn't enforce going to school like they should have (they got pissed when he didn't go, but they couldn't actually make him go). Also his high school really sucked, they have a ton of drop outs and it seems like every year 1 or 2 kids who went to or go to that school die somehow.

3) Are/did you plan(ing) on getting a GED?
Yes he will go for his Good Enough Diploma ;) eventually, unless some awesome job comes up and he never needs it.

4) Do you regret dropping out at all? If so/not, why?
He does regret it because he realizes now how important an education is now, but he doesn't miss the time he didn't spend there.

5) How did dropping out of high school change your life?
Him and I always talk about how if he hadn't dropped out of school we never would have met (long story, but its true), and therefore both of our lives would be incredibly different right now. Since I'm in college I've had the chance to pass on most of the knowledge I've learned, so he practically got a college education for free without a high school diploma ;D. On the flip side, he hasn't had the opportunity to become skilled in anything, so he works crappy jobs that he hates for the time being. When it comes up, he always tries to encourage other people to stay in school for that reason.

It's interesting to read all of this. The credits to graduate were kind of shocking. For a minimum with my highschool you had to have 24 in order to graduate. I actually saw some people not graduate because they failed a class senior year that was needed.

That actually happened to my brother, he had to go back the next year and take one class just to graduate.

GOSH, YO - I AM FASCINATED BY HOW MANY PEOPLE REGRET DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE IT MEANT MISSING PROM! TO ME THAT WOULD BE A NUMBER ONE REASON IN FAVOUR OF DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL, YO! LUCKILY WE DIDN'T HAVE A PROM AT MY SCHOOL! I DO ALWAYS PITY THE POOR AMERICANS HAVING TO GO TO THOSE NASTY PROMS - THEY LOOK SO DREADFUL ON THE MOVIES! ;D