Today in America the GED and Diploma are literally of equal value, you can apply to any job that doesn’t require a college degree with just a GED including Government Jobs.
The optimal strategy therefor is simply to drop out after the 10th grade, complete the training in person or online and then take the test and take advantage of living with your parents.
They can’t charge you rent, can’t force you to buy your own food, they legally can not punish you financially in any way so find a job save up every penny in an interest earning checking account.
You’ll earn between $31,200 AND $91,520 depending on the minimum wage. Not including tips above the minimum.
Once turning 18 you can either
a. Go to the local community college finish your general education
b. Stay with the same business and get an apartment
or
c. Apply to better paying job with your 2 years of experience.
11th and 12th grade are pointless because you 100% have already leaned all you need to and they give you no advantage for finishing.
Just because you can apply doesn’t mean you’ll actually get a half-decent job, especially if you need to stay local to take advantage of your parents’ free room and board.
Are you saying that a 16yo will be able to defend their legal rights against their parents? They might do it voluntarily if they agree with your view and are nice (“they are nice” might be the more important part here), but if they don’t, you either have to go along with them or you’ll significantly damage your relationship with your parents, which is kind of a bad idea even just from an economic perspective.
If you can show that you took a deliberate action to get your GED because you felt that 2 years of work experience, getting yourself a financial safety net and understood that they are the same, you prove to be more valuable than the person who decided to stay in school has little to no work experience and is worse off.
Companies like candidates who show they’re smart, also if it became the norm then no problem either way.
I get that the parents can make it hard and it can strain the relationship but any good parent would support the move.
Doesn’t help if there aren’t enough jobs available for everyone, which will be especially problematic if every 16yo is doing it. Does the market really demand that much untrained labor?
Lots of kids don’t have good parents, but you’re claiming that it works for everyone. And frankly, making their kid finish highschool the normal way is not something that I’d revoke someone’s “good parent” card over.
Don’t know where you think parents can’t kick kids out. Happens all the time for multiple reasons.