A High School Diploma marks the culmination of the basic education of a school student. The diploma is necessary for further admission to college, joining the military service and even other venues of employment. Many homeschool parents worry about their homeschool students not getting a High School Diploma and being at a disadvantage later in life.
Types of Diplomas
There are essentially two types of diplomas- accredited and not accredited. Most public schools and institutes have to meet a certain number of hours of teaching and specific courses in different subjects to be completed before the students are eligible for the diploma. These schools have been verified to meet this criterion and the diplomas that they issue are accredited.
On the other hand, there are individual homeschoolers, and even some private schools which do not meet the state prescribed criterion and the diplomas that they issue are not accredited. Homeschool students may enroll in a distance education or an online school for the purpose of obtaining an accredited High School Diploma.
Parent issues diplomas may not hold the same weight as an accredited diploma, however in some states there exist strict stipulations for graduation requirements. The state monitors the homeschool parent and observes the homeschool student’s performance at regular intervals. These states offer umbrella schools from which the homeschool student can obtain an accredited diploma.
Working Towards the Future
Plan ahead about getting an accredited diploma if your homeschool student wants to gain admission in a specific college or wants to get employed in a specific industry. Get a hold of the requirements and speak with the concerned person to understand how the process works and what all documentation will have to be submitted.
Many colleges tend to welcome homeschool students with open arms these days, as they find them to be self starters who are motivated to do their best. They are okay with parent issued High School Diplomas as long as they mention all the courses that the child has completed to earn the diploma. Student transcripts can play an important part during the admission process, so make sure that yours are updated regularly.