GED's **Why I'm asking post 36**

[C.Ann]

They're an anemic replacement for the real deal.

Let's see.. I know quite a few people with "regular" high school diplomas who are - sorry for the wording - "dumb as a box of rocks".. They can't spell; can't write a complete sentence; can't add, subtract, multiply, or divide without a calculator; can't find Africa on a world map; and can barely read.. However, they did graduate from "real" high schools - with "real" high school diplomas.. A generation of "push alongs" - pass them on to the next grade whether they're failing or not..

I have seen people with GED's go on to become extremely successful, graduate from college with all sorts of degrees, and have never run into any issues with obtaining employment..

It's not "how" you get your high school diploma - or "where" it's from (many GED's now list the name of the closest high school - as opposed to the diploma reading "GED") - but rather what you do with that education once you have it..

To state otherwise is painting everyone with the same broad brush - basically just an opinion on your part.. (Which of course you are entitled to have..)

Thank goodness for GED's! Without them, the work force would be missing out on many, many extremely intelligent and talented employees..

 

[The Mayor]

I didn't say "generic"; I said "anemic."

You may find me short sited (or even short-sighted), but that's what I think about GEDs.

Talking about your friend who happened to have a GED really has nothing to do with the GED itself. Your friend's MBA doesn't make a GED the same as a high school diploma. If your friend went to Africa, that wouldn't make a GED the same as a diploma, either, you see.

Either way your statement is incorrect.

 

[ginna74]

I got a ged went into the NAVY and OMG was in the top 3 who had the highest ASVAB scores !!!!! (for the girls part of the two mixed companies) Am pretty proud alright!!! (although I did get the flag carrying away privlidge taken away for talking on the sidewalk , but am proud of my score either way even if my street behavior was not up to par)

 

[doxdogy]

Not always true. My dad dropped out of high school to join the Navy. Received his GED while in the Navy. Retired, went back school and obtained his Bachelor's (all while working full time). Became a teacher, went back to school to get his Masters and retired from teaching. I on the other hand, graduated from high school and had no earthly desire to go to College.

They're an anemic replacement for the real deal.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Once again, what all your friends and family members went on to do with their lives has nothing at all to do with the quality of a GED. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

This is basic logic. This isn't linear math or anything.

Nothing that any of you has said has anything at all to do with GEDs. It's all stories about friends and relatives.

If you tell me Aunt Sadie was an excellent seamstress, that won't have anything to do with the quality of a GED, either.

My mom died a few weeks ago and she had a diploma. Does that mean that diplomas lead to death? No. Just like your genius GED-receiving relatives don't have anything to do with the quality of GEDs.

If you happened to have taken a Logic course, sit down and start writing and you'll quickly see that none of you has said anything that proves the point you all are trying to make.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Either way your statement is incorrect.

Either of which ways? I honestly do not know what that means.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Either of which ways? I honestly do not know what that means.

Whether you said "generic" or "anemic", he still things that you're wrong.

The OP asked how prospective employers view them, and posters are giving examples of how people have gone on to have successful careers.

 

[Darsa]

I am one of the lazy people who dropped out at 16YO; my father had been in a catastrophic accident at work when the staging he was standing on collapsed. I left school to work at the local department store (Bradlee's, heh) and to babysit my 4 year old brother so that my mom could increase her hours at her position. We struggled for lots and lots of years. I did obtain my GED when I was 18. Holy moly, 21 years ago!!

To this day I am saddened that I missed so much of what makes high school memorable. On the other hand I was incessantly teased because I was a very sensitive teenager, which made me a natural target. I was almost grateful to leave, given that back then (late 80's) the guidance counselor and principal at our school didn't give a poop that I was being bullied daily.

Anyway, I wouldn't call myself a success story; I work as an assistant at a Bar Association. Not a glamorous or highly paid (OH no) position, but I am proud of what I've done and grateful that not everyone attaches a stigma to a GED.

 

[RUDisney]

Once again, what all your friends and family members went on to do with their lives has nothing at all to do with the quality of a GED. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

This is basic logic. This isn't linear math or anything.

Nothing that any of you has said has anything at all to do with GEDs. It's all stories about friends and relatives.

If you tell me Aunt Sadie was an excellent seamstress, that won't have anything to do with the quality of a GED, either.

My mom died a few weeks ago and she had a diploma. Does that mean that diplomas lead to death? No. Just like your genius GED-receiving relatives don't have anything to do with the quality of GEDs.

If you happened to have taken a Logic course, sit down and start writing and you'll quickly see that none of you has said anything that proves the point you all are trying to make.

Just because you have a diploma doesn't mean that you'll be successful. As an employer, I look at someone who has a GED as someone who had some issues when they were a teen but then decided that they were going to try to make their life better. If they have the tenacity to perform the requirements to receive a GED, then I believe that the analogy is that they will also be a tenacious worker.

I once hired a guy who was a big partier in HS. He graduated with my DH. DH warned me against hiring him, but DH's best friend told me that we all did stupid things in HS. He's married now and has probably grown up. Guess what? He was my right hand for about 15 years. I valued his opinions and often sought his advice on tough decisions.

The sins of a teenager can only be weighed in what they did when they got older.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

The difference between an HSD and a GED is trivial compared with the difference between either an a college degree. The earnings gap between high school grads and people with bachelors degrees is huge and has grown through most of my lifetime.

 

[Colleen27]

That's what I did as well, HS was boring for me and I didn't see the point in wasting my time there. Once you have your college degree, no one cares whether you have a GED or diploma.

I think there is still some stigma if a GED is all you have, but once you've got even an associates' degree or trade certification, no one goes looking for your high school records.

 

[Justanopinion]

I was not very good in high school. And then I got pregnant my senior year. I got my GED the October after I should have graduated. That was 23 years ago. I have never been asked to see my GED or a high school diploma.
Most applications just ask if you have one or the other but not which one.

 

[mill4023]

No, a GED is not the same as a high school diploma.
No, a GED is NOT harder to get than a high school diploma. A high school diploma requires completing tons of classes, all of which require hundreds or thousands of hours worth of work. A GED requires you to take a test that shows you know the basics.

But none of that is really relevant. The truth is that the kind of jobs that only require a HS diploma or GED probably won't care which one you have because they are jobs that really don't require any particular skills. And if you go on to get more education, nobody will care whether you had a diploma or a GED.

There are a lot of reasons that people end up getting a GED. I won't go into the whole story, but DW got hers after her psychotic mother caused her to miss several months of her junior year.

 

[mtdevine615]

Well since I am a Senior Vice President for a Fortune 500 company and yes I have a GED, I'd say it makes no difference if you have a GED or a HS diploma. A quick call down to the HR VP and she said makes no difference to her. Oh, by the way I also have two AAS a BS in business and and MBA from Harvard, not bad from a HS drop-out.
High School is not for everyone.
Cool-Beans, I'm telling you that there is no difference, but like other things in life IJMO.

 

[bumbershoot]

Good, bad or doesn't make a difference anymore.

In my mind (or should I say in my day) its always carried a stigma with it. But more and more people seem to get them these days. Are they now on the same plane as a high school diploma.

How do prospective employers view them these days. How do you view them?

friend of mine dropped out of HS senior year b/c she was bored out of her mind (she later joined Mensa...smart lady). She got a GED.

Now she's a teacher.

No stigma.

 

[phorsenuf]

Thanks for all the replies. Of course there is a reason for asking.
This may be long and confusing so bear with me.

My son T is 17. He started last year as a junior in HS. His schedule had a couple open periods in it so we had it changed to add some classes in. When he met with his guidance counselor it was determined by adding 1 1/2 classes he would have enough credits to graduate a year early. We initially said no but then my husband got a job offer in Florida. This company had been pursuing him for 2 years and we always said no because we didn't want to have to move the kids out of their HS.
So, since T could graduate a year early hubby took the job and T and I stayed behind for him to finish school and to sell the house.

Well, T failed 2 of his classes. They couldn't be made up over summer school so he reverted back to junior status and is now starting school in the fall as a senior, which is where he should be.

School in FL starts the end of August and it's not looking good to being there in time. My husband is already living there but is now working up in MD for a couple months so T can't go to FL wit nobody there. We don't want to leave the house up north empty so I can't go to FL right now.

He can't really start school in NH and then transfer to FL because the requirements are so different we wouldn't be able to carry the proper things over.

My mom had suggested going for his GED but I don't (didn't) want to do that to him. It would make me feel I failed him as a parent and we are putting our own needs/wants before him and his education.

Now T is not a great student and really could care less about school "stuff". He just wants to graduate and be done with it. He's asked before about just ditching school and getting his GED. Of course I've always nixed that one.

But now with all this school mess coming to a head and only about 5-6 weeks to figure it all out I'm starting to think about it. But like I said I feel like I am short-changing him by giving him that option (which I know he would take). At this time he has no plans to go to college right away. He does want to go, juts not now.

So, with all that info, how would you as a parent handle that? Would you feel as if you are short-changing their future?

 

[RadioNate]

Now T is not a great student and really could care less about school "stuff". He just wants to graduate and be done with it. He's asked before about just ditching school and getting his GED. Of course I've always nixed that one.

But now with all this school mess coming to a head and only about 5-6 weeks to figure it all out I'm starting to think about it. But like I said I feel like I am short-changing him by giving him that option (which I know he would take). At this time he has no plans to go to college right away. He does want to go, juts not now.

So, with all that info, how would you as a parent handle that? Would you feel as if you are short-changing their future?

I think I feel the same why as you regarding a stigma but in your situation I think I'd allow the GED but I would also make him start college right away in FL. Enrolling in Jan at the latest. It can be community college but what is going to do while waiting to go to college? Job?

I think skipping college will short-change his future more than having a GED. I know people will disagree but in this day and age I don't think you can get a good job (career) with out some kind of formal post-highschool education. It can be a trade school or something (apprenticeship) else but that is what I'd focus on.

And before people jump on me, I get where your DS is coming from. I really didn't want to do college right after HS either. My parents really urged me to go away to school. Now due to a family circumstance, I ended up not going away and started college living at home at a community school. I know my reason's for not going were valid but I also didn't really want to go at the time. To this day (more than 15 years later) I totally regret it. I should have went away with my peers. I have no close college friends like my DH (or others) have and I really feel like I missed out. I did end up going away but by the time I did groups had been formed and I didn't really fit in.

 

[Disney Doll]

It sounds like he's asked you to get a GED in the past, and you've said no, so I doubt it would bother him.

Truthfully, if he doesn't have a problem with moving to FL, getting a GED & getting a job, I wouldn't either. About th eonly other thing I think I'd do is have him take some college courses too...even the basics at a Community College...so when he figures out what college he wants to go to and transfers, he'll be ahead of the game.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

I live in a small town. Growing up, there was definitely a stigma attatched to getting a GED (mainly put upon me by my well meaning parents.) Also, most drop outs here didn't go on to get there GED. They were just done. My best friend in highschool got pregnant her junior year and ended up getting her GED. It was the best route for her to take. She went on to college and is now the owner with her DH of an up and coming websight design company.

My DH has a GED. He hated school, was a trouble maker, and the principal actually told his mother and him that he was not wanted there. Job wise, it never hurt him, but he works retail. Retail jobs are more concerned with past employment history than what grades you made in highschool, and considering he'd been steadily employed since he was 16 years old it was easy for him to move up the ranks to management.

That said, you have to do what's right for your son. I would say as long as he starts college soon after his GED to let him go that way.

For my own children, it is important for me that they experience highschool from start to finish and get their diploma. But, you never know what their road has paved out in their future.

 

[luvsJack]

I don't believe there is any sort of stigma attached to getting a GED and going ahead and getting one will not stop your son from doing anything he wants to in life.

I don't know that I agree with trying to make him go to college if he doesn't feel he is ready. I do agree that he needs to go but he needs to be the one to see that. We have parents dragging their kids in to register all the time, doing all the paperwork and footwork for them to make them go. The kids register and maybe last a semester, if they don't drop out in the middle. Maybe he needs to work for awhile and see for himself how hard the "working world" really is. And it will give him a chance to figure out what he really wants to do, too.