rather than (possibly) implying Dean couldn't function well enough in a structured school environment to stay and graduate. Because that rings untrue, at least to me.

It doesn't to me for a few reasons. Dean is all about bucking everyone's authority but John's. And that would make it very easy for him to say, "Screw this, lemme just take the test," when they're moving to yet another school, with more new teachers to deal with, etc.

I don't get the sense he ever had illusions of college for himself, by the time he was high school age, and I think much more important milestones for him (rather than a cap and gown ceremony) would have been when he killed his first creature on his own, or when John gave him the Impala, stuff like that.

Yeah, I'm sure that's the prevailing thought, and you're probably right. I'm probably projecting when I think of him being a little wistful about it, and then signing up to take the test.

And I do think some people accept it as "too dumb to graduate."

I'm totally down with the GED too. It works with a lot of the bucking happening there at the end. Dean might have been working within his father's discipline properly, but I can see school being a huge problem even without the mandated absences. Getting a GED cuts through all of that and satisfies the nosy Parkers. He has nothing else for it to get in the way of.

His bad spelling is so "Ha ha, that Dean!" where I'd rather they use clever dialogue instead--because he does say dumb shit, but it's not always dumb shit that brands him stupid.

I totally buy the GED and I totally buy Dean fighting to see Sam graduate. I also think Dean is wicked smart.

S3 R5

Be my brother again. What Amy said.

The things that Dean had to learn and memorize--spelling is probably going to be fairly easy for him with that memory.

I can see him with a GED, but I think it is because he was so intelligent. Someone with less mental ability would have said forget it. Dean went through with taking the actual test, proving he had the ability, despite the fact that he probably had to do most of the studying for it in the impala. I would like a fic story where a teacher or school admin decided to withhold a grade to teach him responsibility (when he was saving people and the hunted thing ate his homework) and that being the deciding factor to "drop out" and get the GED. I like thinking that some of the "loser" kids exceeded the low expectations set for them.

And you know there were some teachers that thought Dean was a loser.

Some of them go too far, but I do loves me some smart!Dean fic.

I was reading a fic the other day that had great characterisation between the brothers, except where it came to the research and Sam being smug about that being *his* thing. It was with an air of Dean can't do this. Hmmph. Dean doesn't like doing it. Sam does it better. But that wasn't the tone. Grrr.

Yeah, so much Teenchester fic was written before the GED reveal--I would like more involving it.

S3, R5

• be my brother again

I love the funny, but this spans across seasons, not even just season 3. Oh, Sam.

When did they reveal the GED, I don't remember?

The GED reveal was in the first ep of S5, when he's giving his hoorah speech in Bobby's hospital room.

I would love some good wee!Chester or teen!Chester fic that doesn't overly sentimentalize them, and definitely more that addresses Dean *outside* of his role as Sam's brother.

There's one fic where it's strictly Dean's ... answers to an essay question? Or possibly something his teacher makes him write as a consequence, and it's so excellent. Every possible aspect of teen!Dean is there, including his cleverness. I'll have to look for the link.

I'll have to look for the link.

Yes, please ::grabby hands::

I can't find it! Maybe Plei or Perkins or Bev knows.