GED = H.S. Diploma? NOT!

Interesting article in today's National Review Online

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-greene042402.asp

 

I have found it interesting that a GED from USA is not considered an acceptable entrance qualification for undergraduate study at South African universities. (This rule was established by the SA Joint Matriculation Board, which sets the minimum entrance standards for all SA universities.) A person with a GED can gain admission (with "conditional matriculation exemption") through a "mature age" clause.

 

Hi Gert

A GED is not considered acceptable as meeting entrance requirements for state universities in Oregon either. Is it acceptable in some states?

 

The California State University doesn't accept GEDs from normal freshman applicants, mainly because there are all kinds of high school subject requirements that must be met.

BUT...

Students with GEDs can enter a community college, and then transfer into a CSU campus as a transfer applicant, or if they are 25 years old or over they can apply as an adult applicant and not as a freshman applicant.

Dave Thomas, the late founder of Wendy's, was a high school dropout. In his 60's, he finally took his GED. The local high school in his town found out and invited him to be an honorary member of their graduating class. He attended graduation and they voted him most likely to succeed.

 

If this was an article that you or one of the other fine people in this fine forum wrote, I would tend to give it some attention and respect. As it stands, it comes from the "National Review" which counts among its participants the always open-minded William F. Buckley and Ken "I was a real Prosecutor at one time" Starr, which makes it's pronouncements of very little value to me.

Darren.

 

GED

I got into a community college without a GED at all. I was of course required to have one before I could enroll for a second semester. My first foray into college was not a stellar one though. I fell into the classic trap of parties and such. My second attempt many years later was great though. Unfortunately, I got sick before the end of the program and had to withdraw. I have 45+ credits and am hoping to start again soon this time via an online program.

 

Re: Re: GED = H.S. Diploma? NOT!

That's certainly open-minded, isn't it? Should we dismiss something possibly useful because of guilt by assocation?
I think not.

Craig

 

Re: Re: GED = H.S. Diploma? NOT!

With that statement, aren't you proclaiming yourself to be exactly the close-minded type that you supposedly abhor?

Being "open-minded" is a two-way street.


Bruce

 

A GED is NOT a high school diploma. There are many situations where either is acceptable, but there are also plenty of situations where the diploma is required and the GED will not suffice. For example, there was a time when only high school graduates could enlist in the Air Force. (After my enlistment but before my commissioning.) A GED was not acceptable. Whereas, when I worked for Corrections Corporation of America, a GED was almost always acceptable, unless the contracting governmental agency didn't allow it.

California has a third alternative, the California High School Proficiency Examination. When I took it in 1976, it resulted in a legal high school diploma--not GED--issued by the state. Such a credential was acceptable for entry into the state university systems. (I took the exam as a high school junior on a Saturday afternoon in May. I never returned to classes, and got my diploma in the mail about 6 weeks later. When the school called to ask where I was, I informed them I expected my passing score in the mail and that I would not be back. As I had no parental involvement--I was raised by wolves--that was that. Romulus, Remus, and Rich. )

When I enrolled in USNY's Regents program (now Excelsior), no high school diploma was required. They didn't ask for it. As an evaluative body assessing college-level learning done elsewhere, they were only concerned about whether or not you had creditable knowledge. They didn't have a need to predict the likelihood you would succeed, which colleges normally must do, so they didn't need any evidence of prior preparation.

 

A GED is a high school diploma though it may not always have been percieved that way. People are awarded a State of Florida High School Diploma in Florida according to the website at http://www.aceofflorida.org/ged/gedanswer.html#diploma , and I am willing to bet that there are very few colleges that would not take a GED and SAT or ACT scores for freshman admission. Indeed, I doubt there are many instances lately that would favor a traditional H.S. diploma over a GED.

Perhaps in the few cases that there would be a bias it would boil down to perception. We all know that an accredited DL degree is still a degree, but there are those who are less than impressed by it.

Not having a traditional H.S. diploma has never hindered me, and I doubt it ever will.

 

Using your reference:

1. The ACE administers the GED.
2. The ACE is not a high school.
3. The ACE does not award a high school diploma.
4. The state of Florida uses the GED to award a high school diploma....
5. Therefore, the GED is NOT a high school diploma. It is what it is called, a "General Equivalency Diploma."

There is even language at the site you provide that cautions about situations where the GED might not be accepted.

According to the ACE at their site: "More than 95 percent of U.S. employers consider GED graduates the same as traditional high school graduates in regard to hiring, salary, and opportunity for advancement. " http://www.acenet.edu/calec/ged/

Good news, but it is not a high school diploma.

 

FWIW: I got into USNY/Regents without a GED or a high school diploma; I was 16 and homeschooled, and Mississippi state law doesn't allow students to take the GED until they hit the magic age of 17 (and one of the test proctors seemed certain that it was "19 for homeschoolers"). I took the ACT instead, got a 29 or 30 average, and got in without a problem--no mature age clause required.


Cheers,

 

Very interesting article. Thanks for posting it. I wish they had included a little more about the study in the article.

North

 

For my research on Get Your IT Degree..., I skimmed at least 199 different college undergraduate admissions policies; I remember quite a few that explicitly said a GED would be considered a "high school diploma" for admissions purposes, and I don't remember any policy that explicitly said it wouldn't. My advice: Check with your prospective school, but don't automatically go back to high school on the assumption that a GED won't do the job. Chances are, it will.


Cheers,

 

Re: Re: Re: GED = H.S. Diploma? NOT!

You can think whatever you want to Craig. You have your right to express your opinion every much as I have to express mine.
Are you being open minded about my rights? I THINK NOT!

Darren.

 

Re: Re: GED = H.S. Diploma? NOT!

What matters is the soundness of the logic or argument. Not whether it came from a liberal or conservative.

 

You are correct!

I would be interesting to know what backward organizations did not accept a GED and why.

 

Regardless of the source of the original article, the resulting discussion has yielded much more information. This will be helpful overall to those who need it.

I thought the article was interesting, because I know parents who have encouraged their children to drop out of school, and they could "get their GED later," with the implication that they are equivalent.

While a GED recognizes some level of learning, it does not reflect the same rigor as a high school diploma. With the advent of distance home schooling (such as IU High School), there would seem to be little advantage for getting a GED.

However, those who for one reason or another, were unable to complete high school, I am glad to see that a GED may be able to be one building block to entering college level education.

Thanks for the good discussion.

Craig

 

I have no earthly idea what you are talking about . I have not infringed on your "rights" whatsoever. I was merely commenting on the logical fallacy which was exhibited. You do not have a right to comment without being criticized or challenged.

If the writing is useful or valid, it makes little difference on the source (if I found an article in the Nation that was beneficial to DL discussion, I would likely post it; this despite the ravings of Alexander Cockburn ).


Craig