By the way, Buttercup, I only wanted to respond to Amy's post while it was in front of me as I made my way through this.

Everyone's situation is different and I wish there was more technical training at the high school level for those people who have found their "gift" and want to push forward in that area. Where would we be in society if there weren't people who were well trained in auto repair, for example? Vocational schools are wonderful for that purpose, and the students still have that diploma when they are finished. I will tell you that I was expected to graduate from high school and college, and I did, and I have the same expectation for my daughter, who is a Junior in high school, but it is what she wants, too. She has enough credit hours to actually graduate from high school this year, if she wants to, but she doesn't, and I'm glad. I don't have an advanced degree, but life has been pretty good to me, through hard work, good connections and a good work ethic. I don't have an advanced degree and at this point in my life, 45 years old, I don't expect that I will ever get one, but I love what I do and am so grateful for the opportunities I have had. My husband has a four year degree from college and has completed his master's degree and his absolutely miserable in his current job situation. You never know where you will land and how things will pan out. I just know that having that high school degree and also my college degree, regardless of what I majored in, opened a lot of doors for me throughout my life. That's my only reason for saying to work hard now and make it happen and it will bring you rewards later, if you need them.

Everyone doesn't have to have a college degree. But I believe that obtaining a high school diploma is important. The drop out rate of high school students, here in SC just floors me at times. It was never in my frame of reference when I was a high school student. But, I went to a private school and that school now boasts a 100% graduation rate (as it did when I was a student there) and 100% of their students receive some sort of scholarship to college! Amazing statistics, huh?

I wish you the best of all things and a very happy life. That's what we all strive for and what we wish for the ones we care about.

Best intentions.

Logan