[lordalch]

How were you able to take the GED exam at 16? I looked into doing this while I was in high school, and found that I wouldn't be able to take the exam until I was 19, defeating the point.

Perhaps it varies by state? If so, I applaud Oregon for not forcing students into a daycare program for any longer than necessary. If I were a policymaker, I would even be comfortable with lowering the minimum age to 14 or lower.

[gedy]

California at least has the CHSPE[0] which is 16+

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_High_School_Profi...

[dreadlordbone]

I did it in 1999 when I was 15, immediately started working two different 4 hour jobs and stacked dosh.

[stevenicr]

Had similar problem some years ago in VA.. went to take the ged at 15 - signed up, then was told 16 was min age. Went back a year later, signed up, got told the state law was changed to 17 that year - and it went into effect on my bday. Went back year later, they changed it to 18 I was then told.

Guess it helps the schools get money by enrolling people that can't test out, I dunno. I wanted college bad at 15 and 16. By 18 I started seeing many things differently - still took it at 18 and passed just to do it. By then I'd seen many go to college and come out worse off than they went in, and was no longer enamoured with the whole college degree equates to success thing.

I believe people should be able to test out and test up - and for many people that would mean skipping more of what is sold as high school and become vocational training or what have you.

Kids of the future deserve more flexibility than what we've had / have.

[mind-blight]

I'm not sure what the minimum age here is, but it never came up for me. The one thing I know was somewhat unique to Oregon at the time was making all public universities accept the GED