Consider Your Options: Ways to Earn Your High School Diploma
There are a number of options available to individuals who want to earn a high school diploma. These alternatives include traditional class work and distance learning, as well as concurrent high school and college enrollment and high school equivalency programs.
Earning a High School Diploma
Earning your high school diploma can open the door to higher education, better job opportunities and the personal satisfaction of having completed secondary schooling. Students have a number of program options for study and earning credit.
A high school diploma signifies that an individual has attained a certain level of mastery over the academic subjects typically taught in grades 9-12 in American high schools. Mandatory subjects and the number of credits needed to graduate will vary from state to state. Students who want an in-state high school diploma need to check with their state's education department to review requirements.
High School Diploma Options
Every state across the country offers either adult education or adult high school completion programs. Locations, hours, course offerings and cost will vary from one state (or even city) to another.
Distance Learning Options
Online programs can be a viable option for those whose home state does not offer an adult high school diploma program. Distance programs typically come in an online or a correspondence format.
Online programs usually have courses or materials for student use on their website. Some may even require classes be completed online. Correspondence courses send their study materials by postal or courier service. The student completes their lessons and returns the material to the school for grading.
Distance learning programs may accept credits previously earned or grant credit for life experiences. Proper accreditation, which is offered through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), can be a very important part of deciding on a distance learning school.
High School Completion Programs
Many states have colleges that allow adult students to complete their high school diploma with or without the option of going on to earn college credits. Colleges with high school completion programs generally have their requirements set in accordance with state or municipalities' education requirements. Typical names for these programs include Concurrent Enrollment, High School Completion Plus or Dual Enrollment.
The National External Diploma Overview
The National External Diploma program allows adult students to earn their high school diploma by demonstrating high school level skills through life experiences. The program has two phases that students must go through. The first is a review of the student's knowledge of reading, writing and math, which also includes the student's life experiences.
The second phase involves the student demonstrating what they know through a series of exercises or real-life situations. These exercises are meant to assess 65 individual competencies and the student must pass all with 100% accuracy.
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Areas of study you may find at Northern Arizona University include:
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Areas of study you may find at University of Washington include:
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