Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 7/1/2008

Question
I am 17 and dropped out of school i was wondering do i have to have a High school Deploma or a g.e.d to get in the navy or marines.school just is not for me!

Answer
Dear Chris --

You do not have to have a high diploma or a GED to enlist.  However, those certificates indicate to the services how trainable you are.  Without one, you will usually be a "low quality" recruit, and offered only a limited number of job types.  You may not even be offered a position, if a lot of high quality recruits are enlisting when you want to enlist.  

However, education is only one part of the formula.  You also have to take a test called the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).  This test is a standardized test, but it asks different questions from a test you take in high school.  There are large sections in the ASVAB that test whether you know tools and how they are used, as well as whether you know how to repair items, and solve unusual problems.  If you want to enlist without a high school diploma or GED, you need to do very well on the ASVAB.  There are self study books to practice the ASVAB before you actually take it.

You will also need to be healthy and fit to enlist.

Remember that you will attend a lot of school and training in the Marines or the Navy.  Much more of it will be hands on and not classroom training, but still there will be a lot of classroom work.  If you do not want to be in a classroom, I recommend that you find an apprenticeship with a plumber, electrician, auto repair shop or another tradesmen shop where they will train you, hands-on, to do a job.  

Lack of a degree doesn't indicate intelligence or stupidity, it just indicates lack of education.  There are other ways to overcome lack of education.  I hope you find one that suits you, and you get training in a good profession.  Please write back, if you have other questions.  Good luck to you