Recently, I received a letter from my old high school requesting that I fill out a five-year followup survey for 2005 graduates. Of course, I never graduated in 2005 because I left school in 2003. I guess they didn't bother keeping track of that. Apparently they're trying to "gather information about high school experiences and post secondary educational or vocational involvement", so I figured I should answer them anyway...
Since graduating from my high school, I am...
- Living at home, working full time
- Living away from home, working full time
- A member of the Armed Forces
- Attending a trade, technical, or vocational school
- Attending a community college
- Attending a four-year college or university
- Self-employed (If that's what you call this.)
What level of education do you plan to complete?
- Associate Degree (2 year)
- Completed Certificate/Specialty Program
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree
- Doctorate
- Law Degree
- Medical Degree
- I'm done with school and yet I wish I didn't feel that way, but you managed to instill such a primal dread in me that the thought of going back and trying again is unbearable.
If you are not attending a community college, trade school, college or university, what is your current occupation?
Executive transvestite
Is what you are doing now related to the plans you made in high school?
- Not applicable
- Not related to what I had planned
- Somewhat related
- Closely Related
- I am doing what I planned to do
- The idea of having planned for this in high school is preposterous
The classes at my high school were challenging and required me to do my best.
- Never
- Sometimes
- Half of the Time
- Most of the Time
- All of the Time
- Having to be there was challenging in general and required me to do my best to preserve my sanity
My high school had high expectations for students and required quality work.
- Never
- Sometimes
- Half of the Time
- Most of the Time
- All of the Time
- If 96% of those people graduated with the "quality work" I witnessed, I think you need to clarify what you mean by "high expectations"
The advice/assistance I received from my counselor in my high school course selection was...
- Poor
- Fair
- Average
- Good
- Excellent
- Pointless
The advice/assistance I received from my counselor in career planning was...
- Poor
- Fair
- Average
- Good
- Excellent
- I was 12 years old when I started high school. Career?
Did you explore your current career or career pathway during your high school years in District 230?
- Yes
- No
- My "career pathway" did not exist at the time
Were you involved in specific instructional and/or guidance experiences that enabled you to narrow your career interests during high school?
- Yes
- ("Yes" was actually the only available option for this one.) To "narrow" our career interests, we were given ELIZA-like surveys that would ask us if we were interested in science and then suggest pursuing a career in science. Very helpful.
The advice/assistance I received from my counselor in college or vocational school selection was...
- Poor
- Fair
- Average
- Good
- Excellent
- I was gone before we could get around to that
Enforcement of the rules and regulations at my school was:
- Too Strict
- About Right
- Not Strict Enough
- All of the above
If I had a concern or a question about something happening in my high school, there was always at least one adult I knew with whom I could talk.
- Yes
- No
After graduation from my high school I felt I had acquired the overall skills to be successful in college.
- Not Applicable
- Strongly Disagree
- Disagree
- Not Sure
- Agree
- Strongly Agree given that the definition of "college" encompasses MIT as well as DeVry.
After graduation from my high school I felt I had acquired the overall skills to be successful in the workplace.
- Not Applicable
- Strongly Disagree
- Disagree
- Not Sure
- Agree
- Strongly Agree
- There are a lot of workplaces.
What has been your greatest academic need since high school?
An interest in academics. I fear you may have permanently killed it.
Was there a staff member in your high school who made a difference for you? What did he/she do that was helpful to you?
Our choir director, who taught one of the few enjoyable classes and actually cared about our progress as students.
I would rate my overall experience at my high school as:
- Negative
- Unsatisfactory
- Satisfactory
- Positive
- Extremely Positive
- Intentionally forgotten, to the best of my ability
If there were one thing you could change about your high school experience, what would you change?
The school. That's one thing, right?
Well, that about wraps it up. I hope this helps you improve things, high school that I didn't graduate from! Thanks for the life-changing experiences!
So beautifully put. I've been thoroughly overeducated and can't see what it has done for me. The only upside to university is that it isn't school.
Part of me hopes for an invite to a high school reunion. That could be a hoot given that it was an all boys school.
lol...ZJ....you must have hated school! Was it because you were gay? And
ppl were mean to you? Same here...but I still value a good education. You can't go anywhere without one. So...did you get a degree from an online institution? Devry is
online based, right?
Was your careers advisor Eddie Izzard?
If so have you thought of a career change to Action Transvestite?
Love your work by the way.
I'm with you on the whole "done with school" thing. I'm done. I love to learn, but the thought of going back to school after all these years gives me hives. I could go back as a teacher, but that's the only way you'll ever get me in a hall of learning.
Yeah, high school was torturous in every way imaginable. And community college seemed exactly like high school, except the kids didn't get in trouble for smoking cigarettes.
But university was different. Very different. I went to a school with NO football team! (Our most popular sport was Ultimate Frisbee. No, really.) The emphasis was much more about critical thinking, challenging mainstream ideas and and history, and constantly challenging ourselves about what we believed and who we were.
For me, it was a wonderful experience. And it might be for you, too. That doesn't mean that you "need" it in order to be successful/happy/fulfilled/etc. But it can be amazing. Sometimes. In some places. For some people.
If she did nothing more than maintain her current quality of work, Zinnia Jones would be an academic superstar at any number of highly-respected schools.
I like how you zinged'em with their own questions. Typical hilarious JZ humor! :D
I am absolutely shocked that you did not graduate high school.
Your videos are so articulate, intelligent, and thought provoking that I assumed you were enrolled in colledge somewhere, perhaps having graduated high school early.
Oh, well, you don't need it. I had a similarly horrible experience in HS, and barely made it through. Keep blazing your own trail, and keep making us think!
regards, Canis
You were TWELVE when you started high school?
I knew you were intelligent, but I didn't know you were THAT intelligent. (And yes, I am well aware the the US's public education system is pretty shitty- but still. High school at twelve? That's kind of insane.)
Well, all you have to do is skip a couple grades. A lot of education is redundant, or unnecessary if you already know the material - you don't have to be very intelligent.
This makes me sad, Zinnia. College can be a great environment. I had a terrible high school experience, and I did not find it within myself to start college until I was 21. It still was not a good experience, but I got my comp sci degree. After the Great Layoffs of 2009, I returned to college and began working towards MD. Pre-med has been wonderful. I really shine here, and people appreciate me. It's done wonders for my sense of self-efficacy. I have made friends and made great relationships with professors.
You are clearly so gifted and intelligent. It is obvious you learn well on your own but never say never when it comes to going back to school. It could expand your opportunities and enrich your life in ways you never thought possible.