Stay in school. There is nothing else to do.

In October 2009, 70.1 percent of June 2009 high school graduates were enrolled in college. Recent high school graduates not enrolled in college were in the labor force (well, 70% of them).

Recent High School Dropouts

Between October 2008 and October 2009, 383,000 young people dropped out of high school. The jobless rate for recent high school dropouts is 55.1 percent, compared with 30 percent for high school graduates not enrolled in a college or trade school.

From the Bush crash of October 2008 to October 2009, the real unemployment rate rose from 11.9 to 15.6 percent. The convoluted numbers you hear on radio & TV [LOL] have happy spin on them and so those numbers are artificially low.

The unemployment rate for high school students, at 25.8 percent in October 2009, was about twice the rate for college students (12.2 percent). In other words, 87% of the college students that want to work can find employment.

"Graduating from college proves nothing!" (said one who would not know).

"Graduating from college proves you finished something that you started."

"Graduating from college proves a point about diligence, maturity, and the ability to complete what you start."

That follow through has value to a potential employer.