How Does a 16-Year-Old Drop Out of High School?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 28, 2020

If a student lives in a state where the legal dropout age is 16, the student can simply withdraw. State laws vary and there are only certain states that legally allow a student to drop out of high school at the age of 16, while other states require students to be 17- or 18-years-old.

Students who meet the dropout age cannot be forced to attend school by a truancy officer or parents. Students are now able to apply for jobs or enter work-study programs, although options may be limited without a high school diploma. Students may also prepare and take the GED exam to get a high school equivalency diploma.