Re: GEDs (long)
Brenda Rose
Sandra wrote:
the
Christian ones, if I understand correctly). A GED is WAY, way cheaper and
IS
"accredited" (recognized by the government as an equivalent of public
school). In
New Mexico, if one gets a GED before adulthood, it's a high school diploma
straight up, issued by the state board of education. Says so: High School
Diploma right on the diploma they send.
Possibly other states have similar options.<<<<
I'm not sure if the GEDs in VA say high school diploma and my three children
who have one aren't home now.
But our experience with the GED was very positive. When my two oldest
children, David and Sarah, got their GEDs (in 1995 and 1997) the law was
that to receive federal financial aid for college or higher ed a student
must have graduated from an accredited high school (public or some private
schools) OR must have a GED. Since we didn't consider either public or
private school much of an option but wanted (needed) the financial aid they
both got their GEDs. It was easy, cheap, and quick to do. Both of them
were 16 yo when they "graduated." David went to community college and did
well enough to get scholarships when he transferred to a 4-year school. He
has a BA in history and philosophy/religion and has been studying for the
M.Div. at a TN seminary. Sarah chose cosmetology school and because she
qualified for financial aid, it was totally free. She has been a licensed
cosmetologist since 1998, graduating from that school at age 17.
My third child, Martha, did not "have" to get her GED to receive college
financial aid, as the law was changed, but she chose to get it in 2000. She
did not "graduate" early, but was only 17 because of her August birthday.
She also began by attending the local community college and also received
scholarships when she transferred to a 4-year school. She will graduate
this May with a BS in psychology, minors in theater and Bible. She hopes to
go to Duke Divinity School next year (we'll know if she's accepted next
week).
When my children or others asked if a GED would stigmatize them, or be
somehow less impressive than a "real" diploma, I told them that:
1. They "proved" they could read, write, and do math, which was more than
many graduates were doing at the time.
2. The GED is normed on high school graduates, and passing rates are set so
that a student must do better than 50 or 60 % (I forget the exact figure) of
the high school graduates. That's certainly not a bad thing and nothing to
be ashamed of.
3. All three of them received a high school diploma from us and our "home
school," and they can choose to use that for jobs or schooling, display it,
or keep it private - that's all up to them. But it is recognized as a
non-accredited high school diploma.
4. If they chose to go on, then no one would ever really look at their high
school years - If you have a college or trade school degree an employer
isn't usually too concerned about high school.
5. If they didn't go on to any other schooling, a GED would allow them to
fill in job aps with School - "Homeschool" and Graduated? "Yes" with no
questions.
They can use the name of the local high school if they want to, because that
is on their GED. (None of them ever has, though!)
They've never had any problems doing, studying, or learning what they wanted
and the GED never hindered them. It only helped.
Important Note: A GED also can help students be legally out from under the
public school's domain (oversight - reporting, testing, etc.) sooner,
because they are (in VA anyway) able to graduate at age 16 instead of 18.
Then they're free to pursue their own lives without school hassles (for them
or Mom). Also, for VA community college, a GED means automatic admission,
as opposed to some places where 16-17 yo homeschool students want to take
classes and may be refused.
Brenda
>>>>If you want "a standard diploma" via homeschool, your options are morelimited. Some homeschooling curriculae are not fully accredited (some of
the
Christian ones, if I understand correctly). A GED is WAY, way cheaper and
IS
"accredited" (recognized by the government as an equivalent of public
school). In
New Mexico, if one gets a GED before adulthood, it's a high school diploma
straight up, issued by the state board of education. Says so: High School
Diploma right on the diploma they send.
Possibly other states have similar options.<<<<
I'm not sure if the GEDs in VA say high school diploma and my three children
who have one aren't home now.
But our experience with the GED was very positive. When my two oldest
children, David and Sarah, got their GEDs (in 1995 and 1997) the law was
that to receive federal financial aid for college or higher ed a student
must have graduated from an accredited high school (public or some private
schools) OR must have a GED. Since we didn't consider either public or
private school much of an option but wanted (needed) the financial aid they
both got their GEDs. It was easy, cheap, and quick to do. Both of them
were 16 yo when they "graduated." David went to community college and did
well enough to get scholarships when he transferred to a 4-year school. He
has a BA in history and philosophy/religion and has been studying for the
M.Div. at a TN seminary. Sarah chose cosmetology school and because she
qualified for financial aid, it was totally free. She has been a licensed
cosmetologist since 1998, graduating from that school at age 17.
My third child, Martha, did not "have" to get her GED to receive college
financial aid, as the law was changed, but she chose to get it in 2000. She
did not "graduate" early, but was only 17 because of her August birthday.
She also began by attending the local community college and also received
scholarships when she transferred to a 4-year school. She will graduate
this May with a BS in psychology, minors in theater and Bible. She hopes to
go to Duke Divinity School next year (we'll know if she's accepted next
week).
When my children or others asked if a GED would stigmatize them, or be
somehow less impressive than a "real" diploma, I told them that:
1. They "proved" they could read, write, and do math, which was more than
many graduates were doing at the time.
2. The GED is normed on high school graduates, and passing rates are set so
that a student must do better than 50 or 60 % (I forget the exact figure) of
the high school graduates. That's certainly not a bad thing and nothing to
be ashamed of.
3. All three of them received a high school diploma from us and our "home
school," and they can choose to use that for jobs or schooling, display it,
or keep it private - that's all up to them. But it is recognized as a
non-accredited high school diploma.
4. If they chose to go on, then no one would ever really look at their high
school years - If you have a college or trade school degree an employer
isn't usually too concerned about high school.
5. If they didn't go on to any other schooling, a GED would allow them to
fill in job aps with School - "Homeschool" and Graduated? "Yes" with no
questions.
They can use the name of the local high school if they want to, because that
is on their GED. (None of them ever has, though!)
They've never had any problems doing, studying, or learning what they wanted
and the GED never hindered them. It only helped.
Important Note: A GED also can help students be legally out from under the
public school's domain (oversight - reporting, testing, etc.) sooner,
because they are (in VA anyway) able to graduate at age 16 instead of 18.
Then they're free to pursue their own lives without school hassles (for them
or Mom). Also, for VA community college, a GED means automatic admission,
as opposed to some places where 16-17 yo homeschool students want to take
classes and may be refused.
Brenda