Why a Homeschool High School Diploma Outweighs a GED

In spite of the fact that the national graduation rate is at an all-time high, over a million students drop out of high school each year in the United States. Although Georgia’s graduation rate has also risen substantially in recent years (up to 84.1%), the state is still home to many, many individuals whose economic and professional opportunities are limited by not having a high school diploma. 

For those individuals, options to finish their education have historically been limited to two options: re-enroll in a full-time high school program, or get a GED. GEDs are a common alternative to a high school diploma for people who have had to leave high school for some reason. Here, we’ll discuss what you need to know about choosing between a GED and a high school diploma—and why the latter might be easier to get than you think. 

What Is a GED?

GEDs are often considered to be a more flexible option for people whose circumstances prevent them from being able to attend school full-time in order to finish their diploma. Rather than having to complete the full coursework requirements for a diploma, the GED is a credential you can earn by taking the General Education Development Test. The test covers four subjects (language arts, math, social studies, and science), and usually lasts around seven hours. It can be taken by anyone over the age of 16. 

GED vs. High School Diploma

In some ways, a GED is the equivalent of a high school diploma. Many colleges accept a GED in place of a high school diploma, and depending on your industry, it’s very possible to get a job with a GED instead of a diploma as well. 

However, while having a GED is certainly better than nothing, a high school diploma offers several advantages that a GED doesn’t. For example:

• You’ll Have Better Higher Education and Career Opportunities. A high school diploma is universally accepted at US colleges and universities, while GEDs are accepted by about 98%. However, getting into college with a GED is often harder, and it’s widely believed that when choosing between a GED holder and a diploma holder, admissions officials are more likely to go with the diploma holder. On top of that, having a high school diploma may make you eligible for financial aid that isn’t available to people with a GED.
  
  In the professional world, workers with diplomas also tend to earn significantly more money than those with GEDs. According to the US Census Bureau, on average, diploma holders earn around $1,600 more each month than GED holders. The unemployment rate is also higher among GED holders than it is among diploma holders.

  Another career barrier that GED holders encounter is military enlistment. All branches of the military will accept a homeschool high school diploma. Homeschooled students do not need a GED to enlist in the service.  In fact, obtaining a GED as a homeschool student actually lowers the enlistment tier from a Tier 1 candidate to a Tier 2 candidate.
  

  The military enlistment tiers are listed below:

  Tier 1 – Regular high school graduates, homeschool high school graduates, adult diploma holders, and alternative credential holders with at least 15 hours of college credit.

  Tier 2 – Alternative credential holders, including those with a General Education Development (GED) certificate of high school equivalency.

  Tier 3 – Those with no education credentials.

• A Diploma Is More Reputable. The GED is widely perceived as being less rigorous and requiring less commitment and effort than high school coursework. As a result, many employers perceive earning a school diploma as requiring more dedication and perseverance than getting a GED. 
  
  Whether this perception is accurate or justified is beside the point. For better or worse, it exists, and will likely continue to have an impact on the choices of hiring managers and admissions officials for the foreseeable future.

• A Diploma Doesn’t Always Take Longer. Although the GED has a reputation for being less time-consuming than a diploma, it often still requires months of preparation and studying. For individuals who have already completed part or most of their high school requirements, it might be feasible to get their degree without much additional effort. 

The Tiers Free Academy Offers the Benefits of a Diploma and the Flexibility of a GED

Historically, the process of completing a high school diploma after dropping out hasn’t always been easy or accessible to non-traditional students. Work, financial concerns, family obligations, and more can all get in the way of finishing your education.  

Tiers Free Academy is changing that. Tiers Free Academy is a digital homeschool program designed with non-traditional students in mind. Students in this program can complete their high school coursework at their own pace, without starting over from scratch. This flexibility allows students to get their diploma (and all the benefits that come with it) without having to sacrifice other essential aspects of their lives. 

The Dr. Annise Mabry Foundation is dedicated to improving our community by enhancing education opportunities, promoting synchrony between law enforcement and constituents, and encouraging community engagement. Our programs and initiatives include the Southwest GA Community Policing Resource Center and the Tiers Free Academy, a homeschool cooperative for students in grades 9-12 that provides an alternative diploma program for homeless LGBTQ youth, sex trafficking survivors, and high school dropouts. To learn more about our offerings or support our work, consider subscribing to our newsletter or donating today!