Here’s the truth: Not everyone finishes high school.
Some by choice. Others by circumstance. You might not think it’s a big deal, but not finishing your high school education can have a serious impact on your future. And in the long run, it doesn’t matter why you dropped out.
A lack of a diploma or GED can have the same effects on anyway. Here are five statistically proven facts about high school dropouts. Warning: They’re not happy facts.
1. Dropouts Earn Less.
If you don’t have a high school education, there aren’t many well paying jobs out there for you. Studies who that dropouts will earn $200,000 less than high school graduates will during their lifetime. They’re estimated to earn almost $1,000,000 less than college graduates.
That’s a lot of money you will never see or even have the potential to earn.
2. More Likely to be Unemployed.
The first fact is only true if you manage to get a job at all. The truth is, dropouts are three times as likely to be unemployed as someone who went to college. They’re also twice as likely to live in poverty as someone who graduated from high school. This brings us to our next fact….
3. Dropouts Represent Nearly Half of Welfare
Considering facts 1 and 2, this isn’t especially surprising. We aren’t looking down on people who are on Welfare. For some, there comes a time where they need extra assistance just to get by. But if you asked most people on Welfare if they would rather earn their money through a job, most would say yes.
And for most everyone, a good job would earn more than Welfare could ever give you.
4. More Likely to Do Time
Nearly 70% of inmates in state prisons are dropouts. While that’s doesn’t exactly mean a person who drops out will end up in prison, it does increase the chances. Crimes often come out of moments of desperation. The lower your standard of living is, the more likely you are to find yourself in that situation.
5. Live Shorter, Less Fulfilling Lives
Statistics show that dropouts will an average of nine years shorter than people who graduate. That’s a decade less. Some of this is simply due to the strain of the hard lives they face. Working low paying jobs takes its toll.
The real question is, after reading this list, why wouldn’t you want to finish high school? You see, here’s another fact:
6. This List Only Applies to People Who Never Go Back
You only need to worry if you stay a drop out. Thankfully, it’s never been easier to go back to high school and finish. Don’t become a statistic. Contact Excel today and let us help you live a longer, healthier, more fulfilling life!
