Republicans vow to protect high school dropouts from Barack Obama.

[mike_c]

11. I dropped out of high school-- twice....

Never did get a diploma, although I did take the GED exams while in my early twenties, and passed. Today I have a doctorate-- an earned one, I might add-- and a solid professional academic science job, with tenure, retirement, etc. I don't encourage kids to quit school, but I was perfectly fine when my daughter did (like me, she has no high school diploma but now she does have undergrad and advanced degrees). It's not a terrible fate at all. I will certainly admit that the path was a little rockier without that sheepskin, but really, lack of a high school diploma is one of life's more easily overcome problems, once you grow up enough to realize you want more out of life.