I want to know more about the GED. More specifically, the difficulty of taking it. I know pretty much everyone who took the GED path said it was god easy, not only on this site but pretty much every link google gave me. Still it kind of seems like their's luck involved. Some people say that their is no written part (wat?) while a normal GED test contain all major high school subjects (Math, Science, English, etc). Your tests contained all of that right? Also how far a long where you in high school before you left? Even though I only have enough credits to be considered a sophmore I only take one or two sophmore classes while my other 7 (I'm taking 9 classes this year since I'm lacking a lot of credits) are Junior/Senior classes.

Even though you guys say it's insanely easy I'm still wondering if I'M prepared for it. I guess what's bugging me is not knowing what would or wouldn't be in a GED test. Would they tell you before hand? I mean taking the GED and failing would be so bad, I can take it around 3 times a year and their are GED prep courses I can join. Also I hear the minimum percent required is 60% to pass to get the GED.

Would colleges look at pass or fail or the percent I passed the GED? Also what grade would they look at? Since If I had a GED I really wouldn't have a full four years of high school grades to give them. Do they skip that for GED holders and look for SAT scores instead?

Mine was a 5 part test.

Reading,Writing,Math,Science,Geography.

They normally split them up 1 a day, 2 a days depending on how you want to do it. ( I actually got my at my towns community college( Front Range ). It cost 70 dollars.
I also decided to do it all in one day ( It took me about 2 1/2 hours ) I finished well over the normal time. ( It was like 6 hours )

lol the funny thing is I have really bad hand writing. So they actually failed my writing test. I had to go back and rewrite my essay lol. ( that just took me an extra 30 minutes the next day )

They break it up into two days around my place. English, Math, and Writing the first day, and Social Studies/Geography, then Science the final day.

Each portion is multiple choice. That should clarify.

Also, I never stayed around to take the SAT. They'll give you a mockup exam that takes roughly 2 hours to judge how you would have scored. Ours was called the Compass Exam, dunno' if thats regional, or country-wide. But basically, this exam will see how your particular skills are, and let you know which core classes you'll need to start with: They'll give you high school classes if you're too low, or college equivilant courses if you're set.

Even the english portion? If so, Jesus. I can see why everyone says it's easy.

You have to attend highschool to take the SAT? Anyways, who gives you that test? the College? If I remember correctly I had a friend who went to college to learn networking and he told me he took a test and failed and had to take remedial classes for a semester before his real networking classes begin. I guess the college gave him that test?

edit: shit fuck rat dicks

I might switch the Design art and animation with programming as I remember that field is really unreliable and even if you go to gamasutra they don't ask for degrees. They ask for experience.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Oct 8 2010, 2:30 pm by f(._. )z.

Yeah what ever test are required, they will give you. I think you have to go pay to do the ACT/SAT, and it has to be a certain time of the year.

I had writing on my tests, i even had an essay I had to write .

Get your high school diploma. Since you're in the US, you can get accepted to a ton of colleges if you have your highschool diploma, whereas a GED isn't as preferable.

If you work for a couple years and build your credit, you can take out your own private loans and attend the most expensive college that will accept you. If you're lucky (as in your family is willing), your parents can just take out the Parent Plus Loan and you're set for college. If you're a highly motivated individual (if you aren't, get the fuck into being motivated right now (I can try to help via MSN getting you motivated)) you can become accepted to a top school like DigiPen, even despite a lack of motivation during highschool (there are ways to make up for poor grades your sophomore year of HS when applying to DP), where your future career is practically guaranteed upon graduation.

Basically, your future is vastly a response of what you do to make it so. So do it. You live in the god damn United States; you have more opportunity than pretty much everyone, USE IT.

Go to fucking class.

Quit being lazy and go to fucking class. Get as good of grades as you can.

Go to fucking class, so you can go to the meaningful classes called college, so you can enjoy your life and have enough money to not worry about money.

They really don't care where you had your degree from as an artist, because they can see exactly how good you are in a portfolio¹. This is true. If you're amazing at art, then does it matter how you got be amazing? Similarly, it truly doesn't matter as much as you might think about where you attend school for art. This is because with art in particular, you get out of whatever program you attend, whatever you put into it². Although, I highly recommend attending the best college you can to maximize your opportunity to get the jobs you want (DigiPen).

However, you know what type of people you are going to be competing with for a position in the gaming industry (or any art industry)? College graduates and professionals already in the industry. You think you can make it into the industry without a college education? That is a very hard thing to do, that only highly motivated individuals can accomplish. Based on your current situation, you have no chance seeing as you currently (but I have faith that you'll change) don't have the minuscule motivation required to finish high school. I know I could make it, and have proven it with the art ability I've already gained through independent study³, my only problem is that I just don't enjoy art as much as programming.

You think you can get into a programming position without a degree? Let me tell you, as a coder⁴ and as someone planning to attend DigiPen for Computer Science, that isn't going to happen. Remember how I just said that it would be difficult to become a professional artist? Well, becoming a professional programmer is even more so difficult, especially especially in a high level position like a Game Programmer. You really need a computer science degree to get into any of the interesting programming positions⁵, and you really should be studying programming like, every day if you're serious about it.

The same goes for level design, or any other highly desirable position. If you want it, you need to go college to have the most success. On top of that, you really need to go to a top college, preferably one with great contacts in the industry as well as a rigorous and challenging academic program.

*Cough* DigiPen *Cough*

Sorry, but you do need to stay in school in order to be accepted to certain colleges. There are workarounds to attending college, but only very talented and motivated individuals can make it that way -plus, it isn't the optimal path. Imagine if the people talented and motivated enough to make it without college, had the opportunity to attend college? They would be that much more catapulted into success, and college is a really freakin strong catapult.

Sources:
¹ https://www.digipen.edu/news/issue-37-career-blast-programming-in-the-game-industry/
² http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=102315
³ http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=192074
⁴ http://cecilsunkure.blogspot.com/
⁵ https://www.digipen.edu/news/issue-37-career-blast-programming-in-the-game-industry/

Plenty more information about the game industry: https://www.digipen.edu/index.php?id=2506&type=100

Post has been edited 11 time(s), last time on Oct 8 2010, 4:42 pm by CecilSunkure. Reason: I'm sorry I edited so much.

With the SAT, you pay some $100 to take it. Around here you can take it in the 6 winter months (Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar), and one or two more if the demand is high enough. Not sure if it is the same everywhere. Also keep in mind that you can only take this three times before your grade record will be affected.

I can't really give you any advice on dropping out, but I can tell you what I did. Since I learned absolutely nothing throughout my high school career, I decided to skip my last year. Basically, I tested out of a few classes and took my Senior English online through a school a ways away. I still got to take AP tests for college credit, still got to have an actual high school degree, didn't have to spend a whole hell of a lot of time in HS, and even got a nice response for "Describe a time in your life when you made a difficult, life-changing decision" essay questions they give you in College and Scholarship/Financial Aid Applications, which netted me six grand a year for just applying. That and an 800 on my math SAT.

You may also look into a dual degree program, I know around here they would let you in your junior year live on campus at a few colleges around here, where you could simultaneously finish the last two years of your high school degree and the first two years of your collegiate degree. I don't know if any program like that exists around you, but it's something to look into.

Wanting to go into the education profession, I'm a huge proponent of staying school. However, there's been plenty of people who didn't even go to high school and ended up more successful than any of us could ever dream of. If you know your stuff, there's something out there for you.

I appreciate what your saying Cecil and I'm not trying to disagree with you or anything but the point was to go to college regardless.


I'm not sure if you exactly understood what I meant by that since I kind of used bad grammer but I pretty much meant to say what you responded with. Also besides dropping out of high school I have the dilemma of career to get into. I want to get into a tech career but I'm not sure which to get into. The one that would bring the most "happiness" to me would be 3d modeling and animation but I think I'd lack the skills. Actually I was told that if I want to even consider doing it I should take at least 5 years of natural art classes or something like that because 3d modeling isn't really a technical field. It's more so an art like sculpting. Pretty much telling me that I would never get 'industry' good in the years that I would be taking the design modeling arts classes and would be a waste of time for me. But was that a recommendation assuming that I wouldn't be motivated?

I mean I know it's not saying much but I picked up photoshopping (and I say "not much" because I know I'm not pro) when I was like 12 and tried to learn it. I got as good I am now after about a year or two of forum hopping and reading tutorials, just for fun. I stopped 4 years ago and didn't get any better at it because in the end it was just a hobby and the only reason I picked it up was because I saw 'sigs' and wondered how they were made and once I "made a sig" that I was happy with I figured I reach the point that I wanted to get to. All because I found it interesting. I find 3D modeling interesting too. So much that after I stopped using photoshop I switch over to it when I was 15. Even on 5kb Dialup I waited to get 3DS MAX and started to pick up tuts. I was making smalls models of things like guns (and the basic pottery stuff). Sadly I BSoD'd and lost everything. I was going to help a friend of my make some misc. models for his amateur zombie game he wanted to create. Shit was the best, especially when your 15. I tried to pick it up again a couple of months back.

I just find it really interesting and I think It's something I could really get into but people keep telling me that it's sort of like singing. The best singers are born with it and everyone else learns it but they are never as good as natural talent. Pretty much saying that even If I read tut's and now and keep trying and trying that I won't ever be as good as the people who have a real artistic background. At least not now or something. If I want to seriously want to get good at 3D modeling and animation I need to also pick up art classes that are more pen and paper than computer related.

ANYWAYS. Point is it's really just a matter of being interested in something that drives my motivation. If it wasn't for the fact that I have no real artistic talent I would not of had these doubts about going forward with 3D modeling. Though I could see myself being happy just trying but I don't have all the time in world to waste. I'd be okay being a starving artist, but I can't really be okay with it because If I'm spending all the time learning to be the best to compete in that industry. Who is going to support me while I do? My mom? She is the reason I want to get out of school asap to get into any field quickly so I can get money in while at least having some sort of college degree. It's my fault that I'm not going to graduate on time, so I shouldn't complain if I cut my potential short or get a job that I'm not happy with.

Like I said cecil, and this whole post is directed at you, I agree with a lot of what your saying but I'm having a bit of trouble understanding the part where you tell me that:

But then you tell me to get into a really good college, like digipen.

My thinking was that instead of spending these next two years in high school, I could spend them learning my trade. For example: using 3d modeling.

I would get my GED. Get into a a college to learn 3d modeling and such and spend my time building that portfolio. Would it not be the same? I know you would not go into talking about all that stuff for nothing so I must be missing a key point here. Something that I didn't get and I'm really not trying to sound sarcastic when I say that.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Oct 8 2010, 8:05 pm by f(._. )z.

I dropped out and got my GED two years ago. It was the best decision I ever made and it has never restricted me from anything.

... Not to lol, but, Ex, you're a pretty messed up individual, and not someone MZ should emulate. Just sayin'. Didn't you say you don't plan to live to forty in my Obesity thread?

Were I MZ, I wouldn't be in his position, and would just follow the traditional finish high school -> college path (as I did with epic success ). If that option's closed, I suppose trying to get experience right now and build a portfolio to get into some design college for this would be best - I think that someone with with no high school/college education in the field can't compete with someone with both, no matter how awesome you think you are at 3ds max. However, neither I nor Cecil are the best people to ask. Don't you have some counselor at school or something you can consult?

Getting a GED doesn't mean you don't have a high school education ... It just means "I didn't pass high school for whatever reason, so instead I have this to get an equivalent degree so I can still proceed to higher education."
I'm pretty certain that even though I didn't pass high school and got my GED I still have the same (if not better) education as any of my peers. According to the little statistic box on the results sheet I am equivalent to the top 2% of traditional high school graduates. _{(my friend did better than me and got the top 1% )} As far as I'm concerned that is all the GED is for: just to prove that you did in fact learn something (the point of school and education). Honestly, I only failed high school because I refused to do the bullshit busy work that does nothing but waste time (no additional knowledge or information comes from it). I passed all of my tests in every class, I participated in class ... I was never absent or late to my classes. Unfortunately, 60% or higher is required to pass a class... 60% of the class's final grade is the horrible busy work ... Oh wait. Oops, I fail'd. I wasn't going to spend hundreds of dollars (cumulatively ... ~$40 each) to take a test for each credit I was missing, so instead I spent <$80 and got a GED.
Once you get into college and get a higher degree it makes the GED irrelevant anyway.

Post has been edited 3 time(s), last time on Oct 10 2010, 3:51 am by FaRTy1billion.

I wouldn't bother going to college to learn 3D modeling unless you really are so undisciplined that you can't teach yourself. As cecil said, employers for art-related jobs don't care what uni you graduated from, they care about your skills. You'll save a heck of a lot more money if you get a basic job flippin burgaz and develop your art skills after your job in your spare time. Also, it's really hard to get a 3D art-related job, if you want to plan your future to be more secure, learn korean, become an accountant, and go to korea. Or japan. If you don't feel like leaving the States, but want a good job etc., you're probably better off going for a profession like accounting, lawyer, etc. Or plumbing, electrician, something like that.

tl;dr art is risky, accounting isn't as risky but is more boringer.

The real bottom line here is this: if you drop out of high school/get your GED, will you put more real effort into your next endeavor (be it college or a career)? If you just need to pass out of high school to get on with your life, then the GED is a solid solution to cut the slow two years out of American secondary education. But if the reason you are 18 and a sophomore and near being kicked out of high school has anything to do with your circumstances or your work ethic, then you will pretty much end up flipping burgers if you're lucky.

To add to the stories, I have a friend who is quite smart. He got bored of high school, so he dropped out after his sophomore year, got his GED, and spent 3 years between community college and various jobs, making good money and getting an associates degree. He then transferred to a University of California and now with a bachelor's degree from a UC the high school part is completely irrelevant.

Like I said, you're fine to drop out, but you better be willing to try harder with college/whatever than you did in high school.

I said that first and I could hold a job during college especially if I take online classes. Derp.

In general yea but Cecil convinced me that I should go ahead with it if I actually care about it and I really am motivated. He said that from his school 95% people pretty much get hired straight out of graduation though his school is like one of the ivy league schools of the fields it teaches. Like what pretty much we are all saying, it's the portfolio that matters right? Chances are people who go to Cecil school get to learn more things at a faster pace or something, or just the people there are more motivated to learn on their own while taking college courses. I mean they did try harder to get into a better school amirite.

With the 2 years I would be saving (this is my thinking btw) from getting the GED instead of the diploma, I could use that extra time after college to get some experience and continue learning on my own if my skills are not up to par to Cecils colleagues because ultimately it's the portfolio that matters in the end. Also I do not want to be a basement guy who learns things on their own. I don't like the thought of that and it seems too risky, it feels like I would already be taking enough risks by picking this field to begin with.

I kinda really want to take a big risk. Makes life more interesting. :3

edit: DTBK, we are going to need to high five.... right about now.

Two years in highschool developing your skills in your spare time is going to be more beneficial in the long-run than getting a GED. A college provides you with a wealth of knowledge you can absorb, provides you direct contact with people that were in your desired industry, and if the school is good, will both constantly challenge you as well as providing excellent contacts within the industry, contacts that can help you get internships or even jobs. People at DigiPen acquire paid internships throughout the summer all the time, and are even able to gain class credits from internships -that's like being paid to take a class.

Going to college is going to be much more preferred and much more optimal juxtaposed to learning on your own. Your best bet is to give yourself the best chance to get accepted into whatever college you want to get into most.

You are wrong.. You just are listening to what your parents have said... Believe it or not but GED/HIGHSCHOOL now = the same period. ( If you can provide the test scores ) It does not matter what you choose to do.

High school > does not prepare you at all for college, this is why so many people find it useless. Even if it did prepare you... The first 2 years should be plenty.... high school sure as hell doesn't change from 10th - 12th.

Quote from Ashamed

You are wrong.. You just are listening to what your parents have said... Believe it or not but GED/HIGHSCHOOL now = the same period. ( If you can provide the test scores ) It does not matter what you choose to do.

High school > does not prepare you at all for college, this is why so many people find it useless. Even if it did prepare you... The first 2 years should be plenty.... high school sure as hell doesn't change from 10th - 12th.

Ashamed, I'm sorry to have to break this to you, but you're not presenting the best argument. Ever since you've come back your grammar is horrible, ( you don't need to space between parenthesis ), and in this thread you're basically rehashing stuff everyone else has said. Your second paragraph's first clause is properly read "High school is greater than does not prepare you at all for college". Even if this was grammatically correct, what the fuck? I don't know about you, but I've learned a lot in high school, especially in Chemistry (did not even have before Junior year) and math (Pre-Calculus instead of Geometry). Granted, English wasn't too much more (basically history of English writing in Junior year, and interpreting writing Senior year), but there is always more to learn. Just because being an Assistant Manager honestly no more hard skills than higher-level Algebra, and not much more than the average people skills doesn't mean that others should follow suit.

Even if I would've previously advised MZ to get a GED, I'd rethink it if this is what happens. Employers do care at least a tiny bit about your punctuation and grammar, if they are even willing to read something with sixteen periods and eight (albeit generously inflated) sentences. Then again, who cares how well you communicate if your art is godlike.

Personally, I'd never be able to be happy with a GED, but if that's what you want then go for it. However, I implore you to get as much out of English class as you can, otherwise people will pass your resume up for simple grammatical errors. Art can easily be learned elsewhere or self-taught, so it's honestly not too important for formal learning. Also, I'd advise you to worry more about your career, and getting to it, than making money. The way our government is, you can go into debt and as long as you're not ignorant of the debt you can get out. As long as you're happy with your career, then nothing else matters too much. Then again, I'm a chemistry major, and supposedly the job market for chemists is practically always open, so I guess you could argue that I'm not gonna worry too much anyways. That's also why I couldn't be happy with a GED and need formal learning, but I'm aware you aren't out for the same job area as I am.

TL;DR: Ashamed has no right to say definitively that someone is wrong. It depends on your situation, and luck.

As I remember from my GED classes, the GED is accepted at 98% of colleges nationwide. If you get through enough of a lower college, you can go to wherever you want, granted your scores meet their limitations.

Actually, like most things in life, you get out of it what you put into it. Nothing will prepare you for college except yourself. Anyone that thinks highschool will prepare them for anything is a moron; you need to put into highschool whatever you want out of it. This might mean, GASP -asking the teachers after class questions about the subject, or asking on how to improve further! I was able to attain college credits before leaving HS, saving thousands of dollars. I was also able to study enough mathematics in my spare time (with help of my math teacher teaching me after class), to where I would already know all the math I would be learning my Freshman year of college. If you drop out of highschool early, you're not going to be able to take advanced classes that help you become accepted into your school. I know that if I hadn't taken the high level math and science classes that I did, DigiPen more than likely wouldn't have accepted me.

You drop out, kiss your scholarships good bye.

I also know for a fact from experience that a two year IB program for your junior/senior year of highschool will definitely emulate a college experience to a valuable degree.

Sure, you can make up for it in a lot of schools with good SAT scores, but honestly, that doesn't work with all schools, and by this I mean it probably won't work with DigiPen. This is because intelligence isn't the only thing you need in this world to succeed. You also need self-control, initiative, responsibility and persistence.

Just to clarify here: my experience is with the Canadian education system and therefore might not apply. Woops.