Son wants to go another way after high school need advice

[Alyce]

My son and I had a long talk about his plans after high school. We had always talked about him going to college and then joining the military. He told me the other day he doesn't want to go to college that he would like the social life but he's tired of the book learning. I was planning on doing pre-calculus. Now I don't know what to do. I know he will need a consumer math. He'll still take 6 courses at cc next year so he can go in at a higher rank but what else do I do? Do I still teach him pre-calculus and what about the CC courses. He wants to go into the Air Force as a combat controller but I don't know what kind of courses he'll need that will jump start that option. Any ideas?

[AnnetteB]

Would an Air Force Recruiter be able to give him advice on what classwork would be beneficial?

[Anne]

Have him do some research on his salary and career options with a college degree vs. without one.

 

I have no idea whether or not it makes any difference, but it seems to me that he ought to know that for sure before he makes his decision.

 

Also, maybe talk about the benefits of a semester or even a year off (like the British "Gap Year") between high school and college. He could earn $$, do some service work, pick up some new skills, whatever.

 

Just some thoughts to throw in the mix!

 

Anne

[bettyandbob]

I'd continue with the college-bound track you planned. He can still join the Air Force before college. However, taking the advanced courses now means less to make up later and more comfortable with the material when he does start. He should consult the recruiter regarding what courses at cc would be most applicable to the field he wants.

[Harriet Vane]

What career does he have in mind?

 

Structure his path based on proactive goals, like "I'd like to be an electrician" rather than negative ones like, "I don't want any more book learning." If he is not yet sure what he wants to do, then continue with what you are doing academically and take whatever steps are necessary to help him develop a career goal.

 

Once he knows what type of job he would like to attain, then determine what he will need to succeed in that job.

[Starr]

I'd give him the best education possible. He might change his mind again about college.

[Amanda's Mommy]

My son and I had a long talk about his plans after high school. We had always talked about him going to college and then joining the military. He told me the other day he doesn't want to go to college that he would like the social life but he's tired of the book learning. I was planning on doing pre-calculus. Now I don't know what to do. I know he will need a consumer math. He'll still take 6 courses at cc next year so he can go in at a higher rank but what else do I do? Do I still teach him pre-calculus and what about the CC courses. He wants to go into the Air Force as a combat controller but I don't know what kind of courses he'll need that will jump start that option. Any ideas?

 

He needs to talk to a recruiter. He will be going to Tech School after basic training. Tech school is book learning. This is where he will learn to do the job he chose. It probably won't be longer than 4 months though.

[JoyfulMama]

Based on what the AF posts here, I would say he would still need a strong educational base. I would think he would need a strong math base, and that calc would not be superfluous.

Even if he changes his mind (since I think it is very hard for many to choose a final direction at this age), a strong base on which to continue to build is never a wrong choice - even if the building takes place at a much later time.

[PeterPan]

I know it's none of my business, and I don't have a dc old enough to have a lot of experience, but is it possible he's burnt out and needs to pull back a while? Is he taking cc classes now? Perhaps that has upped the ante more than he was really ready for. If you're talking consumer math and haven't done precalc, he's not heavily advanced. Maybe he's just an average, normal kid and needs a couple more years before he's ready for the pace of college classes? I took several college classes my junior and senior years of high school, and it surprises me that so many people think kids ought to be ready to do that, just as a matter of course. High school was a BLOW-OFF compared to those classes. Perhaps if you eased off and did his stuff at home, in a more typical, high school level way, it might be relaxing to him and allow him to get back his joy of learning? It's possible to get things too hard too soon and just squash that.

 

But ignore me if I'm way off-track.

[dtsmamtj]

I would suggest that you talk to another home schooling mom who has already gone down this road. We have several friends who have sons going into the military after graduation and have found other moms to be a wealth of information having already walked that road in preparing their son.

 

T

[MamaT]

I have a son who joined the Marine Corp in September after graduating in May. We were against this and asked him to take the summer to think and pray about it - if he still wanted to join then, we would support his decision. He joined.

 

His education at home was rigorous and college prep. It has served him well. The higher-ups take notice of recruits who know how to learn. He moved up three ranks in one year (he is up for Sgt. now at 21), and was selected to be on the general's staff. He is also taking college courses while stationed in Japan and is writing a book in collaboration with his English professor.