what's the techdegree plan?

Worry about finishing high school first kid.

Fact it is very possible to get into this field without a college degree

Fact it is very hard to get into it without a high school diploma.

Just finish school, ok?

*My advice for junior.

I'm still a newbie myself, but I have read and researched enough (as well as several years in the general workforce) to tell you that finishing High School is of utmost importance. It is a baseline of education. You need it.

From what I understand about the industry, there are three major things that help you get a development job:

1.) a strong portfolio. Work on projects that excite you. Keep learning until you can build that vision from scratch. Integrate it into you portfolio.

2.) Demonstrable Skill. Remember that a lot of the interviews in webdev are technical. You might be challeneged to write a piece of code, or show your problem solving skills though a whiteboard challenge or something similar. No, having a degree is not end-all-be-all in this industry, and frankly is one of the reasons why I chose to enter the field besides a lifelong interest in it.

3.) People skills. Learn to talk and ingratiate yourself with people. interviews can be nerve wracking. Interacting with people can help you build confidence over time.

You are in the absolute best time in your life to undertake learning this stuff. The web has matured quite a bit since the 90's, you're young and have fewer responsibilities (which you will learn can keep you from dedicating as much time as you want to learning and coding), and if you take this seriously, finish HS, you can easily have yourself a really great job with a fantastic starting pay for an 18-19 year old grad. You might even enjoy it so much that you wish to go to college and get a Computer Science Degree. That way, you can learn the deepest details regarding data structures, algorithms, and much more that is beyond indispensable if you wished to pursue development as a lifelong career. You'll also gain a liberal knowledge of other things that you will find will enrich you as you get older.

AND! You start now, you'll be able to have yourself a great job while you do college. If you so choose.

I wish I could go back and start in HS again. There's so much opportunity that I would have taken up on. Things I would ignore and things I would have paid more attention to. You have the golden ticket, kid. Finish these four years, have the time of your life, learn and the money will come. I envy you.

Best of luck buddy.