Hello,
A co-worker got a forwarded e-mail, reproduced below. I realize that High School graduation requirements are set by the individual states. I know that some of this e-mail’s claims, such as that of armed services enlistment, or obtaining a government loan, are false. But is there any accuracy in the list of things that cannot be done by a certificate or GED holder?
Well, the first half is correct. A Certificate of Completion (available in any state, the the email is referencing California’s rules) means you attended a certain number of days of school without meeting the requirements for a diploma (either in credits or passing a test, depending on the state). It means you can particpate in the graduation ceremony, walk across the stage and be handed a piece of paper. That piece of paper is not a diploma, however. I personally think it’s ridiculous, and born out of our desire to protect our poor snookumses “self-esteem” at all cost by not letting other people know when our kids are failing, but that’s a rant for another day.
The second part of the email, however, is not correct. In all states, you can still go back to high school (some have age limits, the most common being 21) and get a diploma, or enroll in a GED program. This certificate does not stop that.
Colleges and trade schools can set any requirements they want, and they can waive those requiremens whenever they want, at least in my state. (For informative purposes, I helped to build a small vocational college and was the person responsible for getting state board of ed approval, so I know the hoops you have to jump through.) If a college is willing to accept a student with a certificate, they will. There’s no barrier from any outside source.
There is no high school diploma or GED requirement for a Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loan or an SBA loan for college, although other forms of financial aid may be affected, I don’t know.
So 2-7 are obviously false. I don’t personally know about number 1.
I DESPISE No Child Left Behind, but there’s enough legitimately wrong with it. We don’t need to make shit up.
Of course, #1 is true. So many people are lining up to join the armed forces that the government is using any excuse to keep them out.
Most trade schools and all California community colleges accept students as long as you are 18 years old or older. No HS diploma or GED needed.
With respect to military enlistment, this is half-true. They generally will not let you enlist if you do not have a high school diploma, but having a GED is not necessarily better than having the “certificate of attendance” for enlistment purposes. Without an actual diploma, enlistment is difficult either way.
Ninety percent of enlistees in the US Armed Services have a high school diploma. That’s what the Department of Defense calls “Tier 1”
“Tier 2” means the applicant has a GED, certificate of attendance, home schooling certificate, or correspondence school certificate. In order to be accepted in this category, you must reach a sufficiently high score on the admissions exam (AFQT). There is a quota on how many enlistees will be accepted from Tier 2, roughly ten percent for the Army, Navy, & Air Force, five percent for the Marines, and two percent for the Coast Guard.
“Tier 3” means you don’t have any kind of academic credentials, and the services almost never accept candidates in this category
(Cite)