High school diploma programs are quite relevant today. Over the past few years, the number of people who have gone back to school and completed their previously unfinished high school diplomas using online courses has risen incredibly.
We cannot overstate the importance of a high school diploma. Although being a high school graduate isn’t as financially rewarding as it used to be, high school diplomas are still pretty valuable and necessary to proceed to higher education.
High school graduates enjoy numerous benefits. For one, a high school diploma is important for personal development. By making it through a high school diploma program, you become a better communicator, which will assist you both in life and at work.
Another benefit high school diploma graduates enjoy is that they get more job opportunities than people without high school diplomas. Why? Because people who make it through a high school diploma program are often seen as hard-working, knowledgeable, and skillful.
If you want more than a job where you make minimum wage, and you’ve dropped out of high school, you need to finish a high school diploma program. Without a diploma, you’re limited in the type of jobs and level of income that you can expect.
Best High School Diploma Programs
Over the last few years, the number of schools offering online high school diploma programs has risen dramatically. As much as these schools claim to offer excellent, accredited programs, this is not always true. There is nothing as annoying as completing your program only to find out it is worthless. You should complete your high school diploma program in an institution certified by the relevant authorities to avoid such a fate. That means that you have to do your due diligence when choosing a program.
If you’re searching for an institution that offers superb online high school diploma programs, here are some reputable ones to consider:
- Stanford University Online High School: The Stanford University Online High School is widely popular as it offers one of the most rigorous college-prep programs. By choosing to enroll in this school’s high school diploma program, you can rest assured that you’ll get value for your money.
- University of Missouri High School: The University of Missouri has, for a good number of years, offered marvelous university diploma programs. Similarly, the University of Missouri High School has for years offered superb online high school diploma programs.
- Mother of Divine Grace School: The Mother of Divine Grace School is among the most highly-respected schools in the United States of America. Since its founding, the school has continually offered a top-notch high school diploma program. Judging by the fact that most students who earn their high school degrees in this school usually go on to join exceptional universities, it’s safe to say that the school’s high school diploma program is elite.
No one should ever be forced to drop out of school due to a lack of funding. For years, many individuals were denied the chance to complete their high school diploma programs and university diploma programs as they lacked the required fees. Many institutions are working towards making this a thing of the past by offering high school diploma programs at relatively affordable rates.
If you are searching for a trustworthy institution that offers an excellent high school diploma at pocket-friendly rates, here are some of the most affordable institutions to look into.
- Excel High School: Excel High School offers a simply amazing high school degree program, and unlike many schools, it’s reasonably affordable. For only $89 a class, you can complete your high school diploma.
- American School: American School is one of the most positively reviewed schools in the country. Its numerous positive reviews are because the school offers a pretty high-quality high school degree program. Add to that the fact that the program is budget-friendly, and you need not worry about being kicked out of the program for financial reasons.
Completing your high school diploma does not necessarily mean that you’ll ultimately be successful, but it does come with many benefits. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of students who don’t traditionally complete their high school diplomas, a fact that is quite concerning. One of the reasons that high school diploma programs are so popular is because there are so many benefits to obtaining one, including:
- Higher Pay: The more education you have, the better your chances of earning more income. According to studies by renowned research institutes, individuals with high school diplomas tend to earn about $4 more per hour than people without diplomas.
- Advancement in Education: Although some universities accept HSE for admission, most generally prefer high school diplomas. As such, if you’d like to one day pursue a university diploma program, it’s in your best interest to complete your high school degree.
- Improves Your Chances of Getting Employed: It’s a known fact that people with high school diplomas get more employment opportunities than individuals without diplomas. Some polls indicate that by getting your high school diploma, your chances of getting employed rise significantly.
- Better Career Opportunities: Earning a high school diploma not only increases your chances of being able to pursue an associate’s of art, but it also betters your career options. Without a high school diploma, your career opportunities are limited. With one, you’re free to choose a career that suits you.
High school diploma programs are known to equip individuals with a good number of life skills. When you have these skills, you’ll find it easy to succeed both at home and in the workplace.
Online High School Diploma Programs
When choosing to study for your high school diploma online, you have to consider why that method is best for you. If you want to work full time while pursuing your diploma, an online program is the right choice for you. Some people are too lazy to attend normal classroom studies and prefer the online platform. There are so many reasons why online studies are the best. Here are some:
- Online Education Is Cheap: The cost of a diploma program may be why so many students don’t enroll for courses they are interested in.
- Students Learn More Compared to The Traditional Face-to-Face Courses: Students get so much material using multimedia content as the students have more control over their learning.
- Retention Rates Are High: So many traditional face-to-face courses struggle to retain their students compared to online learning. According to research done by the Research Institute of America, retention rates have increased from 25% to 60% thanks to online options.
- Less Time Investment: Many students don’t enroll in the face-to-face courses because of the time they will have to invest, time that could have been used to travel to and from school is now used to get other things done.
- Frequent Assessment Reduces Distractions: Multimedia contents and materials have tests at the end of every segment. Students take notes as they know that there are tests that they will have to take at the end of the lesson. The frequent testing ensures that students are very attentive in their classes.
When you are thinking of transitioning from the traditional model of study sitting face to face with a teacher in a classroom to the online high school options, there are many things you should be aware of. It does not matter if you are a teenager or a returning adult, take a close look at the pros and cons before coming up with the decision.
Benefits of Earning Your High School Diploma Online
- Work at your own pace
- Flexible schedule
- Distractions are avoided
- You are by yourself as no one is controlling you around
- You can avoid a negative environment
- You can specialize in a subject that interests you.
- You complete your degree faster
Disadvantages of Earning A High School Diploma Online
- You Can Become A Loner: When you choose to study online, you do seclude yourself from other students and teachers. You rely more on yourself for everything. In a normal in-person classroom, you can discuss the topics you do not understand with other students. In an online class, you have to ask for assistance from the internet.
- No Physical Interaction with A Teacher: There are subjects that you will not understand by yourself where you would benefit from the intervention of a teacher. A subject like mathematics is a good example. There is a possibility that you will fall behind while waiting for help from your online instructor.
- Little Motivation: The level of procrastination associated with online learning is very high, as there are no teachers to motivate and push you to finish. You will find that your workload will go up as you have so many incomplete tasks.
- Social Isolation: It’s easy to become an introvert if you have no other students to interact with. In a face-to-face classroom, other activities help build social interactions like games.
- Scams: If your online school is not accredited, your transcripts will not be accepted by any university or business you might want to work for.
- Cost: Unless you enroll in a free program, you are forced to pay hundreds of dollars for tuition.
The thought that you will spend more time in high school than your graduating classmates is something no one wants to think about. Students come up short on their credits for so many reasons. It could be because they have failed in one or two classes or because they had to relocate to a new place because their parents got work transfers.
Online credit recovery programs are quite common and have become popular ways to earn high school credits because attending the classes does not require you to leave your home. You also do not have to wait for a new semester to enroll in the selected class as most internet classes are readily available at any time of year.
How Can You Get Free High School Credits Online?
Here are some ways you can get free high school credits online:
Testing Out of Class
Some students are bored because they simply don’t like sitting in class every day and struggle to pay attention and engage in the classwork. If students refuse to submit the work, they will not earn the credits they need to graduate on time. Students have an option to repeat the same class online without supervision at their own time and get their credits ready for graduation.
Communicate Early
When you realize that you are lagging in class, talk to your teacher. You might realize that you cannot study for your exam and pass within the remaining time. You might have to talk to your teacher so they can give you an incomplete instead of failing the class. An incomplete allows you to continue with where you left in the semester that follows without getting a failing grade. The good thing is that you can work at your own pace. Note that many schools don’t allow teachers to give the incomplete grade as they are trying to discourage laziness from students.
Look for Community College Options
Ask your teacher if any community colleges near you help earn high school credits. Many community colleges allow students to make up for missing credits by enrolling in classes, and when they finish, they get the credits needed to graduate high school.
Opting for Summer Classes
Do your research online about which school near you offers the online course and enroll in one during the summer holiday. Online summer courses ensure that you do not fall behind by the rest of your graduating class.
When you want to enroll for an online teaching degree, you need to consider some factors before doing so. Some of the programs offer different options in terms of the level of study attained, for example, a master’s degree, bachelor’s degree, associate degree, or a doctorate. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum level of education you can enroll in to teach in elementary and high school.
How to Earn Your Accredited High School Diploma Online
Accredited online high school gives adults the chance to finish their high school diploma. Online high schools offer a similar curriculum to that of the traditional face-to-face model of learning.
Online high school diploma programs follow the curriculum requirements of the state that they operate in. Students wishing to enroll in a program should research the school offering the program. The school should have proper state approval and accreditation. Students use video and voice calls during their study to reach out to their instructors if need be. The teachers also use these channels to communicate with their students and to return their graded work.
GED Tests
Teens and adults who have dropped out of high school take the general educational development (GED) exam covering social studies, math, literature, and science. While you can take prep lessons online, you cannot complete the test online. Keep this in mind when you come across programs that offer the test online because the government does not accredit them.
Accredited programs are found under Distance Education and Accrediting Commission (DEAC). DEAC offers information to students and the public if the school they want to enroll in is accredited. You can verify a school’s accreditation online.
If you have a school in mind, be on the lookout for open enrollment information on their websites. Make sure that they have accredited teachers to help you throughout the program.
After everything that you have learned so far about high school diploma programs, you might be still wondering if it’s worth all this trouble just to complete high school. As mentioned, by finishing high school, you demonstrate that you can join the campus or the college of your dreams. By graduating from high school with impressive grades, you get a chance to explore higher education which is the best way to ensure you can follow your dreams in life. If you hope to find a good-paying job and move on to higher degrees, a high school diploma is the first step.
Adult Learner High School Diploma Programs
High school equivalency is the accepted option to a high school diploma. For high school equivalency to be completed, students have to take the following three exams:
- The high school equivalency (HISET)
- The General Educational Development (GED)
- The test assessing secondary completion (TASC)
If you need to know if your state offers high school equivalency exams, take a look here.
Why High School Students Drop Out
Students drop out of school for so many reasons, and most of the time, it’s something that the student has little or no control of. Some of them include:
- Family Financial Problems: Many students leave school because they have to work to help their parents and feed the families looking up to them. Familial financial worries can cause a lot of problems for high school students.
- Health Issues: A student may not attend a traditional school because of health issues. Some of these can be quite serious, setting the student back due to illness and hospitalizations. At a certain point, dropping out becomes the easier option.
- Lack of Support: So many students end up leaving school because they don’t get the right academic support. There are problems that students can’t solve by themselves, and when they require help from their teacher or parent and can’t get it, they are at a loss. If no one is available to help, the student loses hope and eventually drops out as it feels like the easier option.
- Drug Abuse: If a student has a drug or alcohol problem, they will eventually prioritize drugs over their education.
- Peer Pressure: Peer pressure has played a big role in students leaving school. Students may decide to drop out of school because they saw someone else without an education succeed and assume that education is not necessary.
If you don’t have the money to attend private schools, you can enroll in public high schools and get a state-approved education. Ensure that you put in extra effort to have face-to-face meetings with your teachers if you don’t understand everything you’re learning. Public schools have many students and it can be difficult for teachers to give individual attention to students. If you need help, talk to your teachers or consult students who may be performing better than you.
The difference between HSE and a diploma is that you earn a diploma through accredited schools to help you get the full number of credits needed to graduate, while HSE is a diploma earned when you are an adult.
Myths and Misconceptions About GED Debunked
There are so many myths and misconceptions when it comes to GED. You should take a look at them before making up your mind.
- GED Score Isn’t Important: GED scores are significant, especially if you have dreams of going to college. The score determines if you will get a job or if you are eligible for scholarships. The higher your score, the higher your chances are of getting better opportunities.
- If You Didn’t Attend High School, You Won’t Pass the GED Test: Not everyone is comfortable with traditional face-to-face studies, but this does not stop you from going for the GED test.
- Older People Can’t Take the GED Test: There is no age limit for taking a GED test, so don’t worry if you’re older. It’s never too late.
- Getting the GED Score Is Easy: Nothing in life as easy as you think. Passing the GED test requires commitment, lots and lots of studying, and patience, amongst other things. Adult education is no joke as one may not have the energy compared to a teenager.
What Take Do Colleges Have About GED?
Many colleges and universities accept students with a GED certificate. Most understand that there are reasons that people don’t take the traditional route and are willing to help those students who show promise.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to get into college with a GED.
First, if your GED score is low, most colleges expect you to sit for a special exam to determine your eligibility for admission. If your score is high, you don’t need to take the test.
Once you pass the test, you can enroll in classes like the students who graduated from high school. If you have failed your GED exam, you have the option of retaking the exam to get a better score. As mentioned, better GED scores mean you are likely to get into college easily. Some colleges expect you to write an essay and submit letters of recommendation. If you’re ready to submit your application to the college of your dreams, keep the application dates in mind. The earlier you apply, the earlier you get an answer about whether you have been accepted.
Early decision or ED is an admission decision that comes out in December or late November. The decision is binding, meaning if you have been accepted as a student in a specific school, you are required to attend. This option is ideal if you are positive about the school you wish to attend, just make sure that you do not change your mind after the school has accepted you.
In Summary
In recent years, the popularity of online high school diploma programs has increased. Before the introduction of online diploma programs, many individuals complained about the rigidity of in-class high school classes. One reason for this is that online programs have rather flexible schedules. As such, students can easily balance their daily commitments and obligations with their school life.
Another major reason why online programs have gained so much traction is that they are affordable, allowing many individuals to complete the program and graduate without sinking into debt.
It’s worth noting that online diploma programs also have their shortcomings. One drawback is that they are not always legitimate. There’s nothing as disappointing as finishing your diploma only to find out that it’s not recognized or accepted by employers and colleges. To avoid this fate, you must ensure that the school you’re attending for your high school diploma is accredited. Another challenge students in online diploma programs face is that they have to be their source of motivation. High school diplomas are normally stressful. Without a source of motivation, you’re likely to fail the program.
Before joining an online high school diploma program, there are some factors that you should consider. Apart from a program’s legitimacy, you should also consider the program’s quality, flexibility, and affordability. The online program you choose should be of high-quality, and it should be flexible and affordable. Lastly, before committing to an adult learning school, ensure that it has experienced tutors and the necessary study resources.
High school diplomas are extremely vital to your future success. If you want to prosper in life and take advantage of every opportunity, you should ensure that you finish a high school diploma program.
