Earning Your High School Diploma or GED

Read time: 5 minutes

If you left school before graduating with your high school diploma, you can still graduate — whether you are 16 or 60. Most people assume they can only ever get their GED, but a high school diploma is possible with the help of programs like Smart Schools.

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Smart Schools is an online private school serving grades 6-12, helping students of all ages earn their high school diploma online at their own pace.

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If you are still on the fence and trying to decide between pursuing your high school diploma or the GED, it’s helpful to understand the differences between the two. Then you can make an informed decision and choose what’s best for you.

What is the GED, Really?

The GED (General Educational Development) is a series of tests covering the four major subject areas of a high school curriculum: math, science, social studies, and English.

The GED can be a great solution for students who don’t have many high school credits. Students need to demonstrate their knowledge in one go instead of sitting in a class and doing so over four years. Most professions and universities accept the GED as a substitute for a high school diploma. Having one can open the door to hundreds of professions you wouldn’t have access to otherwise. The GED allows students to fast-track their education and can be a great tool for many students.

However, each test costs money, and that fee must be paid, whether a student passes or not. Students have to achieve a passing score on each test to receive their GED and are only given a set number of attempts. Students who can’t pass one portion of the GED will therefore spend money on each test and each attempt and still may not come out of it with their GED. Additionally, the GED tests are comprehensive; a student must have mastered a good portion of each subject in order to pass.

Once you have your GED, you might still find some doors closed to you. Unfortunately, the GED is still stigmatized in our society. While most employers don’t care about what kind of diploma you’ve received — only that you’ve graduated — the US military can be less forgiving. While they take GED holders, they are penalized in the jobs they can get and their earning potential.

Going Back to High School After Dropping Out

Going back to school to earn a high school diploma for students with less than 12 credits left to graduate can actually be less costly than the GED exams. While some online schools charge an arm and a leg, Smart Schools allows students to complete as much of their schooling as they want for a low monthly fee. Students with fewer credits can work through them quickly. Smart Schools also allows students to earn elective credit by working at their day jobs and submitting their hours to help them get further in their education.

While the GED requires you to know a lot about each subject all at once, Smart Schools typically has students focus on a single course at a time. At the end of each course, students complete an open-note test. In combination with their other coursework, this test will contribute toward a student’s score in the course. As a result, your diploma doesn’t come down to just one test. Another bonus of Smart Schools’ learning model is that teachers are available to help students both virtually and in-person. Our instructors provide tutoring but also allow students to remediate in subjects where they are struggling to pass. We won’t leave you behind just because you can’t pass one single test.

Students who have previously left school are often hesitant about returning, and understandably so. Every student has a reason for leaving school originally, and those reasons don’t just evaporate when a student decides to re-enroll. At Smart Schools, we work with students to eliminate the barriers that kept them from finding success in traditional school settings. Whether that means supportive resources centers around the state of Arizona for students, or online mental health support, we are constantly looking to solve the problems students face.

For students who have previously taken the GED and are unable to pass one or more of the tests, all is not lost! We also work with students who have previously taken the GED to give them credit for their passed tests. If you have passed all the GED tests, we can also work with you to help you take a few Smart Schools classes and graduate with your official high school diploma.

Making the Decision That is Best for You

Whether you decide to pursue your high school diploma or your GED is dependent on your individual situation. Think through what your goals are for the future and whether a high school diploma plays into that. Consider your own finances, academic abilities and seek out a support system that wants to see you succeed and grow!

Ready to Earn Your High School Diploma?