From: formicadinette	Date: July 16th, 2005 05:17 pm (UTC)		(Link)

You can leave school at 16, but I don't think you need parental permission--it's probably one of those things that varies by state. Graduating, grades, entrance application, essay, high school activities, ethnicity, economic status, etc. may count toward your university application, depending on the school. If you don't have a high school diploma you can take a test to obtain a General Education Diploma (GED). If you pass it means you have shown that you know the same amount and kind of information that a high school graduate would. You can take the GED at any time in your life. You also don't necessarily need to have graduated from high school or have taken the GED to gain entrance to university. They're all different. State law may govern entrance requirements for state schools, but otherwise there are no laws on it. TMI or would you like more? ;)