Help Friend is a super computer Geek/ No High School

To All,
Here is a situation, I have a friend who is a brilliant and has worked for fortune 500 companies at the highest level but was never asked for any education credential.
He has over 20 years of experience, However with the turnaround in the market he took a job at an instituation where they require him to have at least a high school diploma.
I was wondering what will be the quickest shortcut to complete the high school diploma.
He is outstanding in Math Ok in physics and avaerage or below average in english/social sciences...
Will taking Cleps in math / physics and may be english and then transferring those tO a school like Ashworth College / PCDI help him get a high school diploma.
Or how does the GED works and what are he is changes of passing it if he takes the exam cold.
Basically he needs to put food on the table and the piece of paper is holding him back.
Any help will be greatly appreciated...

 

I have never taken the GED, but I have heard that it is not a "pushover" exam. You need to know your subjects to successfully pass it. Theoretically, if someone passes the GED they are ready for college courses. There are plenty of GED study guides available. You can even find them in the public library. If he's really as sharp as you say, he may be able to pass after brushing up with the study guide. The GED will be the fastest way for him to earn the equivalent of a high school credential.

 

>>

Can I ask what state he is in?

 

thinking New York???

 

At age 15, our twin daughters got one of the major "how to pass the GED" books -- either Barron's or McGraw-Hill -- spent a couple of days with it, and passed on the first try.

Here's a good summary of what's involved. Note especially that each state has its own minimum passing score.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/G.E.D._Curriculum

 

The state department of education let them take the GED exam at 15?

I was under the impression that one had to be at a minimum 18 and have quit HS, guess I was wrong?

That is unless you were referring to the exam at the end of the book, then I am mistaken...

However, in the Army (I was a recruiter a one point during the last 17 years in) I had quite a few "kids" that wanted to get in after quitting HS, and in some rare cases after a lot of wrangling the state would let them take the GED at 17.5 but that was the limit.

 

It depends on the state, but generally students must be at least 16 years old. Many states require a minimum age of 18.

 

That would be a good question for Tom Nixon's books _Bears' Guide to Earning High School Diplomas Non-Traditionally_ and _Complete Guide to Online High Schools_.

 

I had a friend in a similar situation about 15 years ago. He's a brilliant guy, bored in school, and didn't graduate because he was missing a half an English credit and a PE credit.

He'd been told by several people that the GED test wasn't a pushover, that it was harder in California than many other states.

He went to a GED prep class offered by the city. After he was there for one class, the teacher basically came up to him and said "You don't need to waste your time here, you'll do fine."

He passed the test with something like an 85 or 90.

If your friend's knowledge is reasonably well rounded, I would suspect that he, as well, will have no trouble passing the test cold. Or, as John said, if he's really unsure, have him get the GED prep and browse through it.

 

I took the GED when I was 14 in California during the mid 1980s. At the time I had to get a school counsellor to sign my application. It worked out great as I got to start college early.

I've taught GED night classes for the past several years. Depending upon the state the local high school or community college will offer GED prep classes. The first thing any instructor will do is give your friend an assessment. Unless your friend is a recent immigrant I suspect that he will be fine. Many of the older students that come through my classes have done well on the assessment and gone on to pass the test.

 

Some dude from Nicaragua told me he passed the GED test no problem. Of course, I think he was an electrical engineer in his country.

Abner

 

I teach GED prep at an alternative school.

For most teen students it is rather hard. Most students do not have the background to be able to complete it.

Now an adult who is motivated, intelligent, and willing to learn is another story. I am convinced that most adults can pass this test mostly hands down.

I do not think that I could have passed it at high school. I could easily pass it today, even before I became a teacher.

Clearly the most difficult part of the test is Algebra.

 

He is in Florida

 

>>

Ok, I asked because there are 10 states in which he could have back-issued himself a homeschool - high school- diploma today. Florida isn't one of them. So, GED is the next step.

His local community college probably offers free GED preparation classes. Since he is an adult, his community college should be his first point of contact. Most adults are very fearful about this process, and have had this secret buried for some time, I'd be sensitive to this possibility. Also, I wouldn't tell him how "easy" the test is. If he isn't prepared and does fail the exam, this will be devastating.

Additionally, if he is interested in earning a degree at some point, he can possibly begin taking a course this summer. Something he has mastery in (computers) would be a nice way to get back into an academic setting with minimal anxiety once he has made that contact with the CC.

As bright as some adults are, for those without college degrees, there is a mental barrier that he has to overcome in order to proceed. What he imagines college to be is probably a much bigger dragon than what he lets on.

 

Thank you very much for the info, I still have some questions regarding the test in FL.
Does he need to take some prep classes, or is there a placement test or can he just walk in and ask to be tested?
How many times can he take the Test is there a waiting period for retest?
Time is of the essense that is why I am asking...
Thank you
How many times can one

 

It might be a HS Diploma mill but....

Look into North Atlantic Regional Schools

http://www.narhs.org/

As far as I can tell, this is a way to use local Maine regulations to circumvent the need to fully finish high school. You can judge for yourself it's legitimacy.

 

If you are using NARS - I would believe that the completion of the freshman year of college at one of the Big 3 would be faster than assembling all of the info for a high school portfolio.

http://www.narhs.org/node/view/10

For instance - if he were to enroll at Charter Oak (the cheapest of the Big 3), he could easily earn 30 hours:

ALEKS Principles of Stats 3
ALEKS Business Stats 3
CLEP College Mathematics 6
CLEP Calculus 3
DSST Business Math 3
DSST Intro to Computers 3
CLEP Info Systems 3
FEMA Independent Study 3

You get the idea...

Shawn

 

Then he should go to this website...Florida Official GED Site. The answers to most of his questions will be found there.

 

Since he is in Florida, maybe this would work for him.

http://www.johnadams-edu.us/index.php

http://www.johnadams-edu.us/faq.php#q1

 

Thanks much for the plug, Ted!

As for the difficulty of the GED, every spring the American Council on Education gives the GED to some graduating seniors. These are students who have finished all of the requirements to graduate and are just waiting for the ceremony.

30% of these students fail the exam. While this points to several issues, one of them is that a student should go into the exam prepared to pass.

Now to this specific situation, if you want to send him to my website below, I answer questions like this on a regular basis. It's almost impossible to answer based on your information because I do not know how many high school credits he has, how long ago he left school and where he went, and so on.

I would be happy to email with him (at [email protected]) if he would like to ask me directly.


Tom Nixon