Yes, I think my son will need to make a good score on the SAT or ACT if he wants to go out of state to college like his sister wants him to but I think it might be difficult for him to get through a really long test now because of the pain and fatigue issues, especially in his brace.
Can he take it off for three hours the day of the test or is he wearing it 24/7? If he's wearing it twenty four hours a day wouldn't he be used to it by the time he takes the test?
As far as graduating without student loan debt it would depend on his financial need and his academic profile. There are certainly students with high financial need who attend "no loan" colleges. And, there are students with high academic merit who get full college scholarships. Since he's so unhappy in your town, it seems like it would make sense to allow him the greatest range options to relocate. If you don't like the students in high school, I doubt you'll find community college more appealing.
