What country offers the best primary and secondary education?

Clark Lachowski: I am strongly under the belief that if anyone works hard enough they can do anything. And that applies to you as well. The question is not if you're smart enough - I'm sure you are - the question is, are you willing to work hard enough to get into NYU and graduate. I believe you will so yes, it is realistic for you to graduate. Getting in is a different story. You should definitely apply though. Good luck with whatever you do. It's an exciting time of your life...Show more

Lucrecia Laurito: stupid for putting myself in this situation. Do you know of any GED programs in illinois or chicago? or can I persuade him to go back to school. He's been looking for jobs and no one will hire him because he doesn't have a high school diploma. What should I do?

Billie Bratchett: I assume by your question that you're planning/hoping to a) have the baby and b) stay with your boyfriend for a while if you really *are* pregnant. So it seems you're looking for a! real answer, here.While I don't have any experience with your area's GED programs, I'd consider checking in some administrative office at your local school district, perhaps, because they might at least have some leads to offer. I've also heard of online/correspondence programs that wouldn't matter where you are, although I have no idea how reputable any particular ones may or may not be.Good luck!...Show more

Clark Lachowski: I have autism and I have been in special education classes since 2nd grade. I used to think my autism was the reason for my less than exemplary grades. I've heard of people with autism get into Columbia with a B+ in multivariable calculus in their senior year of high school! Know why? Because they were not lazy and they did their homework! They earned the privilege to be challenged with even more prestige than AP Calculus BC, they deserved to be challenged like a college sophomore in mathematics before even graduating from high school!...Show ! more

Bibi Tyron: Yes, you'rejust as responsible as he is! for the situation. You cannot make him get a high school diploma or GED; he has to want to do it himself. You can't make him be a man and take the initiative to do whatever it takes to support his child. If he's truly clueless, then do what you can to show him the way. In the meantime, take care of yourself and do whatever it takes to make sure that you're going to be okay in this situation in the event that he bails. Yes, you got into this together, but there's no guarantee you're going to stay in it together. Both of you have to do your part, and the only part that you have complete control of is yours. Stop feeling stupid (the deed is done -- worry only saps energy from today) and start taking action. First, find out if you're really pregnant. If not, start taking precautions to make sure it doesn't happen until you're truly ready. www.plannedparenthood.orgSecondly, if you are, make sure you're going to have access to proper medical care. Do research into what to expect! in the coming months. There are plenty of websites if you just type in some common search terms. Try to set up a support system among your family and friends. If you're in school, stay there. A baby is no excuse for dropping out; you got in this situation, and you can come out of it successful -- it will just be a little bit more of a challenge. Check out this story from a Mills College Alumni Newsletter: THIS DOCTOR MAKES HOUSE CALLS: JULIE VAILS, ’95by Pat Soberanis“You can take on a lot,” says Dr. Julie Vails, ’95,“but you have to break it down into baby piecesthat are easily accomplished.”That’s just one of the answers she gives whenpeople ask, “How did you do it?” In a classicagainst-the-odds story, Julie went from teen pregnancyto MD in just 15 years while raising twodaughters on her own. Other answers convey the fierce determination you sense the moment you meet her. “I wasbrought up with a strong sense of pride,” shesays. “You either do it r! ight or don’t do it at all.“Also,” she admits, “I get bored eas! ily.”A child of poverty, Julie attended SanFrancisco’s exclusive private schools on scholarshipuntil she became pregnant at 14. She married at16, had her second child a year later, and by 19found herself a single mother with a high schooldiploma, living on public assistance and taking infoster children to make ends meet. When shedecided to turn her life around, she began in a bigway, by completing a four-year legal-specialist programin two years at a community college.Then she came to Mills. Julie credits Mills withinadvertently guiding her toward medicine. “Idecided to become a doctor when the Mills applicationmade me put something in the major category,”she says. In her four years at Mills, she servedas copresident of the Association of Pre-HealthScience Students and graduated with honors.“Being in classes with 14 people was beautiful forme,” she says, as was the “incredible” math instructorwho taught the intensive precalculus course sheneeded to prepare f! or her biology major.Her advice to the premed students she nowmentors is highly practical. “Don’t go to collegetill you’re ready to get straight A’s. Work the systemto get what you want. If you’re still decidingwhat you want, do it at a community college.”She chose the University of California, SanFrancisco, over Harvard Medical School becauseUCSF offered family housing. But when she finallyreached her long-sought goal as a well-paidphysician at a large medical group in Sacramento,California, she discovered she was profoundlyunhappy.“There’s an art to medicine,” Julie says, “andyou can’t hear the patient and do it in ten minutes.”That’s all the time she was given per patient. “I’veworked at five or six urgent care clinics, in emergencyrooms, and at a large medical group. All ofthem were the same.”So in November 2002 she took her fiercedetermination and strong sense of pride andopened her own office, Vails Family Practice, in ElkGrove, just ou! tside of Sacramento. Her 19-year-old,Genevieve Vails-Dobson, is the off! ice manager, andher four-year-old, Isabella, flits in and out of theexamination rooms. Her middle daughter, 17-yearoldGabrielle, recently graduated from high school.“Here, I can treat patients according to theirown philosophy and their own approach to theirhealth.”As anyone who has felt shunted through thebrave new world of managed health care will recognizeinstantly, Julie’s approach is her patients’ blessing.She spends a full hour with new patients and 30minutes in follow-up sessions, offers cotton gowns,and takes a whole-person, whole-family approach tohealth care. She even makes occasional house calls.“My patients are extremely loyal,” Julie saysof the thousand or so on her roster. “We have avery high staff-patient ratio, great customer service,food and drink, music, back massage, fountains,tons of plants. It’s comfortable, not sterile.“We also have a new-patient orientation,” sheadds. “Patients are expected to do their part.We’re not going to ma! ke them take their pill.We’re not here to get yelled at. If they call andsay their prescription is going to run out tomorrow,I say, ‘Why did you wait till the last minute?’”It’s a tradeoff they’re happy to make. “Myoffice is filled with thank-you letters,” Julie says.As for the tradeoff all women faceâ€"familyversus careerâ€"Julie is typically frank. “Dr. Laurasays you can’t do both, and in reality, you can’t.“My motto is ‘Love the struggle,’ because thetruth is, it’s not going to go away.”...Show more

Hyo Hardell: My younger brother has autism, and is also an extremely bright student. It is not at all fair for her to really not treat you the same as everyone else, and i would talk to your parents and ask them to talk to her or the principal. By the way you write, you seem extremely intelligent and i don't see why should thinks you wouldn't make it at NYU. Please don't let her crush your dreams! If you have an IEP, i would discuss all o! f this there too. By the way, your GPA is way better than mine, and i'm! a pretty good student. I feel like you would have a pretty good chance at getting into NYU just seeing how intelligent you are. I'm also applying to NYU by the way :)Good luck! The only thing i can really recommend here is get your parents to talk to the principal about this. She really can't shoot down your dreams of going to any college just because your autistic. That's not at all fair (and pretty sure she could be fired for discrimination, and to be honest, i think she should be!)...Show more

Majorie Chester: In my Practical Biology class, we were never assigned more than 10 minutes of homework on any particular night, and we only got homework two or three times a week. In fact, there were a couple weeks when we weren't assigned any homework at all! We were also given all the time we needed for all the projects in class. In Academic Biology, you don't rely on class time to get the projects done and homework three nights a week is the absolute minimum. In Honors B! iology, not only is the textbook more rigorous (Prentice Hall Biology in Practical and Academic v. Campbell: Biology Concepts & Connections in Honors), but you also read The Hot Zone by Richard Preston, a 422-page science-nonfiction bestseller!...Show more

Mitzie Clough: first do not get an abortion u don't know what this baby could do 4 u and maybe 4 the humanty some day ,ask ur parents 4 help and before any one ask god for help i'm sure he'll help u ,this is life, nothing is easy and that why should any one get married before having sex ...good luck

Inez Relihan: My Aunt Paula highlights that it's not fair that my guidance counselor won't let me be challenged like a student who has advanced proficiency in my strong subjects even though I am more than capable of them. She also highlights a realistic goal should be to get straight As in all my junior year and nothing less will do. That is not possible without an unyielding commitment to taking the class very ser! iously. The juniors at my school who are in all honors classes and taki! ng calculus have a full hour of homework every night, and that's separate from studying for tests and quizzes! In my special education classes, I rarely get any! Contrary to popular belief, it's embarrassing to not get homework regularly, particularly in high school!...Show more

Vickie Clampett: I have autism and I have been in special education classes since 2nd grade. I used to think my autism was the reason for my less than exemplary grades. I've heard of people with autism get into Columbia with a B+ in multivariable calculus in their senior year of high school! Know why? Because they were not lazy and they did their homework! They earned the privilege to be challenged with even more prestige than AP Calculus BC, they deserved to be challenged like a college sophomore in mathematics before even graduating from high school!...Show more

Chadwick Schmelz: In my Practical Biology class, we were never assigned more than 10 minutes of homework on any particular ni! ght, and we only got homework two or three times a week. In fact, there were a couple weeks when we weren't assigned any homework at all! We were also given all the time we needed for all the projects in class. In Academic Biology, you don't rely on class time to get the projects done and homework three nights a week is the absolute minimum. In Honors Biology, not only is the textbook more rigorous (Prentice Hall Biology in Practical and Academic v. Campbell: Biology Concepts & Connections in Honors), but you also read The Hot Zone by Richard Preston, a 422-page science-nonfiction bestseller!...Show more

Phil Kuarez: My Aunt Paula also highlights that the only way to prove my guidance counselor wrong about special ed being right for me is to get an A in those classes and nothing less will do. The juniors at my school who are in all honors classes and taking calculus have a full hour of homework every night, and that's separate from studying for tests and quizzes! In m! y special education classes, I rarely get any! There's a reason why it'! s embarrassing to not get homework regularly!

Ruby Martis: You can't make him smarter. If you intend to stick it out you need help. If you can't get counseling from either of your parents try community organizations. Someone who can put all the obstacles you face and organize them in some logical way. Someone without a high school diploma who does not realize they need to work hard and get one to get a decent job is never going to dig themselves out of the hole they are in. You need to decide what best for you and your child first and your boyfriend second....Show more

Forest Duttinger: Listen, I am 18 and also pregnant (However I did use contraception!)...My boyfriend works and well I do ...until this following Friday as I've just been told told that people are being lay off due to business finance problems, which doesn't help whatsoever! I was in the exact same situation as you 5 weeks ago, I was 4 weeks pregnant and booked in for a check up and to arrang! e abortion 2 weeks later (at which I was 6 weeks, 7 by the time I would've had the abortion). I've never believed in abortion and felt pressured into it as I didn't want to disappoint my family...but you'll soon realise the support you will get!! I'm nearly 10weeks now and my family have accepted it, and fair enough I'll more than likely have to work part time until the baby is born as not many people take on pregnant women full time, but I will manage! There are benefits in which I am eligable for, but obviously I don't plan on staying on them forever! I want to make something of myself and I will because thats what I want to do...I am completely against council house mums for life! In your situation you should be eligable for Jobseekers allowance until you are heavily pregnant and then it should change to income support (which is exactly the same really). You may be entitled to child tax credit once baby's born, and a Sure Start Maternity Grant of £500 at 28 weeks I thin! k. Also you will obviously get child benefits as every mother does...an! d possibly healthy start vouchers from 10weeks pregnancy which enable you to buy milk, fresh veg, fresh fruit, powder milk etcccc. But you NEED to talk to your parents about this, and go into your local Job Centre to request about benefits! Ofc It wont be easy, but what would life be like if it was?? If you have the determination to do well then you will do, stop thinking about the negatives and more about the positives...stress wont do anything good for your baby!! Good Luck! =)...Show more

Damion Oleksa: NYU is my college of choice for many reasons. One reason beyond the obvious is that the Empire State Building glows purple and white on graduation day. If you only want a prominent reason, the academics rival the ivies!My guidance counselor absolutely refuses to challenge me like a bright student. All because I don't meet the prerequisites for any AP or Honors course at my high school, it is within her strong belief that I will fail the class if I were in it. I have! often been called a bright person by my entire family, but apparently, she believes otherwise. Here are my grades so far. I know any elite university will throw my application in the dumpster if they don't improve:Special Education English: B (Thomas has been a pleasure to have in class. He participates when he is called upon. Thomas is not always focused in class but is easily redirected. Thomas seems to enjoy his final project, writing a children's book.)Geometry: C+Practical Biology: B+ (Thomas was a pleasure to have in class. Thomas did an excellent job on his final project.)Concert Band: AJazz Lab: A-Social Skills: A- (Thomas is a thorough student. He completes his research projects with great detail. Thomas continues to struggle with following teacher directions the first time, without trying to dispute the direction or make comments about it.)My high school is one of the best in Pennsylvania. Every student in my homeroom but me is taking at least Precalculus/Trig II! I in junior year, and half of them are taking AP Calculus AB! I used to! be phenomenal in mathematics back in elementary school. It was very rare I'd get anything less than a B on a quiz or test in grades 1-5 back when we learned basic arithmetics. In 2nd grade, a well-heeled man pulled me out of class and sent me to the library for a math assessment. He called me a math wiz after I finished, and that compliment resonated across my family! But try telling that to any high school guidance counselor. In 6th grade, it was out with adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing and in with the concepts of algebra and geometry. There was a dramatic increase in the number of intricacies 6th grade math held in store for me compared to how much the material got more challenging in previous years, and my grades plummeted. As a result, I was placed in the class that taught pretty much the same material as 6th grade math in 7th grade. I am now on the math pathway that the average high schooler is on. It would mean a lot to me if I get nothing less than an ! A in Calculus before I graduate from high school, but I'm not even sure if that's a realistic goal. I'd love to take Calculus II in my freshman year of college instead of Calculus I.You might have noticed that I write well. But because I've always preferred nonfiction over fiction novels, the teachers placed me in the resource room for English. The students in honors classes learn much more useful and interesting words in my perspective, and probably many others. Same is true for the novels. A sample vocab list for Honors English 10 would be: sumptuous, incessant, malevolence, laudable, deferred, indiscreet, abyss, tumultuous, portentous, malice, indiscernible, solidarity, complacent, excursion, elations, bungalow, epigram, wistfully, fractiousness, pungent, bantering, cynical, supercilious, prig and libertine. In Honors, they read The Great Gatsby. In special ed, I read the abridged version of Beowulf which is appropriate for middle school. I'm up for the challenge!I am wo! rried that even though it is within my strong belief that I am capable ! of being in a class that teaches you more than just the minimum required for the core curriculum, in the world of college admissions, the transcript always wins.I have had enough of the school perceiving me as a lowlife who doesn't appreciate the education my parents pay taxes for! I did kid with my education before I got to high school, and I finally realize there's a reason why my family constantly advised me to take school more seriously when I was younger! My Uncle Drew got a $3M custom house in Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ, and he is in the top 1% of earners in the USA! It has a private dock, elevator, library, two balconies, three fireplaces, an in-house sound system, 100" home theatre, bar, fitness room, even an 80s arcade machine and Pepsi machine with a value of around $5,000! He claims I am just as capable as he is to get a house of comparable elegance. I'm literally praying to God telling him I hope that's true!My future goals include being a rich and successful business ! executive with a multimillion dollar house in an affluent, walkable NYC suburb. Graduating from an elite university will give me the right to command a higher salary. I refuse to settle for anything less prosperous!...Show more

Dionna Doyel: russialondonusa

Johnnie Pummill: I didn't know what an honors or AP class is until this year. I learned this year that once the guidance office determines what degree of course rigor is appropriate for you, nothing you can explain or show enthusiasm for will do anything to convince your counselor that's something you can handle. Only long term progress will help. Additionally, I didn't know that the nationally revered universities expect you to not only take AP classes, they also expect you to EXCEL in them. You also need to have an SAT score worth talking about (2150+), outstanding GPA (3.7+), extracurriculars, teacher recommendations, essay and volunteer and leadership experience....Show more

Joie Libutti: NYU is my ! college of choice for many reasons. One reason beyond the obvious is th! at the Empire State Building glows purple and white on graduation day. If you only want a prominent reason, the academics rival the ivies!My guidance counselor absolutely refuses to challenge me like a bright student. All because I don't meet the prerequisites for any AP or Honors course at my high school, it is within her strong belief that I will fail the class if I were in it. I have often been called a bright person by my entire family, but apparently, she believes otherwise. Here are my grades so far. I know any elite university will throw my application in the dumpster if they don't improve:Special Education English: B (Thomas has been a pleasure to have in class. He participates when he is called upon. Thomas is not always focused in class but is easily redirected. Thomas seems to enjoy his final project, writing a children's book.)Geometry: C+Practical Biology: B+ (Thomas was a pleasure to have in class. Thomas did an excellent job on his final project.)Concert Band! : AJazz Lab: A-Social Skills: A- (Thomas is a thorough student. He completes his research projects with great detail. Thomas continues to struggle with following teacher directions the first time, without trying to dispute the direction or make comments about it.)My high school is one of the best in Pennsylvania. Every student in my homeroom but me is taking at least Precalculus/Trig III in junior year, and half of them are taking AP Calculus AB! I used to be phenomenal in mathematics back in elementary school. It was very rare I'd get anything less than a B on a quiz or test in grades 1-5 back when we learned basic arithmetics. In 2nd grade, a well-heeled man pulled me out of class and sent me to the library for a math assessment. He called me a math wiz after I finished, and that compliment resonated across my family! But try telling that to any high school guidance counselor. In 6th grade, it was out with adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing and in with the conc! epts of algebra and geometry. There was a dramatic increase in the numb! er of intricacies 6th grade math held in store for me compared to how much the material got more ​challenging in previous years, and my grades plummeted. As a result, I was placed in the class that taught pretty much the same material as 6th grade math in 7th grade. I am now on the math pathway that the average high schooler is on. It would mean a lot to me if I get nothing less than an A in Calculus before I graduate from high school, but I'm not even sure if that's a realistic goal. I'd love to take Calculus II in my freshman year of college instead of Calculus I.You might have noticed that I write well. But because I've always preferred nonfiction over fiction novels, the teachers placed me in the resource room for English. The students in honors classes learn much more useful and interesting words in my perspective, and probably many others. Same is true for the novels. A sample vocab list for Honors English 10 would be: sumptuous, incessant, malevolence, laudable, de! ferred, indiscreet, abyss, tumultuous, portentous, malice, indiscernible, solidarity, complacent, excursion, elations, bungalow, epigram, wistfully, fractiousness, pungent, bantering, cynical, supercilious, prig and libertine. In Honors, they read The Great Gatsby. In special ed, I read the abridged version of Beowulf which is appropriate for middle school. I'm up for the challenge!I am worried that even though it is within my strong belief that I am capable of being in a class ​that teaches you more than just the minimum required for the core curriculum, in the world of college admissions, the transcript always wins.​I have had enough of the school perceiving me as a lowlife who doesn't appreciate the education my parents pay taxes for! I did kid with my education before I got to high school, and I finally realize there's a ​reason why my family constantly advised me to take school more seriously when I was younger! My Uncle Drew got a $3M custom house in Avon-by-the! -Sea, NJ, and he is in the top 1% of earners in the USA! It has a priva! te dock, elevator, library, two balconies, three fireplaces, an in-house sound system, 100" home theatre, bar, fitness room, even an 80s arcade machine and Pepsi machine with a value of around $5,000! He claims I am just as capable as he is to get a house of comparable elegance. I'm literally praying to God telling him I hope that's true!My future goals include being a rich and successful business executive with a multimillion dollar house in an affluent, walkable NYC suburb. Graduating from an elite university will give me the right to command a higher salary. I refuse to settle for anything less prosperous!...Show more

Randolph Lozoya: I didn't know what an honors or AP class is until this year. I also learned this year that once the guidance office determines what degree of course rigor is appropriate for you, nothing you can explain or show enthusiasm for will do anything to convince your counselor that's something you can handle. Only long term progress will help! . I also didn't know that the nationally revered universities expect you to not only take AP classes, they also expect you to EXCEL in them. You also need to have an SAT score worth talking about (2150+), outstanding GPA (3.7+), extracurriculars, teacher recommendations, essay and volunteer and leadership experience....Show more

Victor Macallister: is it too late for you to get an abortion? if your not working and on your own it's not fair to put all this on him, both of you are to blame. use this experience to get your life back and think the next time you get with a guy and use birth control. PEACE.