Getting a GED..

[iwantmypup]

Does anyone here have a GED? I'm currently a junior and I'm so, so far behind on credits just from being absent and the school never worked with me, so I don't even think I'm graduating. I already have to go to community college, so I'm seriously considering getting a GED and heading to CC already this summer/this fall to get started. Any thoughts?

 

[Renee750il]

I think it's an excellent solution for you, Ali!

Have you got a decent guidance counselor at school? Or if not, check with the JuCo you're going to and see what they can get going for you.

 

[drmom777]

Sometimes you can get into a GED program that smoothly transitions into a regular college program. There are several perfectly respectable schools around here that do that. Any idea what, if anything, you would like to study?

 

[iwantmypup]

I've been doing more research, and I don't know if I'd take the GED or the CHSPE, which is the California high school proficiency exam, but both of them are tests and are the same kind of idea.
I still have no clue what I want to study. But I do know that it's one of two routes...art school for ideally, photography. OR a regular four year majoring in Journalism. And even then...there are so many majors and jobs out there. I don't even know if I have what it takes to be a photographer or a journalist...

My biggest thing is that I always just thought GED's were looked down upon, and I was worried that I wouldn't even be able to go to a JC.
I'm reading about it more and I'm seeing that more people have it than I thought, and you can still end up at a great school.

I'm bummed I'm going to miss out on being a senior...prom and all that stuff, but it's just high school, right? /:

 

[CharlieDog]

I have a GED and I also passed the GAHSGT which sounds like the same thing. Georgia high-school graduation test. So if you can, take both. A lot of people put more weight on the exit exam vs the GED because it is tougher. But I was homeschooled and didn't have enough credits to graduate when I went back to high school my senior year and they wanted me to rake twenty eight tests in two weeks, right before graduation. So I took the exit exam, passed with flying colors, scored perfects on two areas and they still wouldn't give me a diploma so I said screw it and got a GED. For what I wanted to do, it doesn't matter.

 

[Bunny82]

See this is why I need new contacts. I came into this thread looking to see GSD puppy pictures!

Sorry thread jack over.

Good luck in your search in finding out more about if a GED is a good fit for you.

 

[drmom777]

My daughter got a regular four year art degree- BFA, followed by a MFA-Master in fine Arts. She majored in sculpture and landscape architecture. Seems like a really impractical degree, right?

Well she went and got a great job teaching in Riyadh that involves tons of cool travel. And she has no expenses and is banking her whole salary. She has gotten to do crazy stuff like jump out of a helicopter and ski down the Italian side of the Matterhorn in Switzerland. She has a tumblr blog rachelinriyadh. An art degree and some determination can be a fine thing.

 

[Cardi4851]

I have a California Proficiency Exam certificate and I am now in a dual PhD program at Indiana University. So it can be a helpful step if the traditional route isn't working so well. My caution with the exam is that it does not have legal standing outside of California. Now, I have never had a problem because I got my BA in California, but if you are not planing on finishing a higher degree, it could be a risk. My experience is that people do look down upon GEDs (Not saying they should, or that everyone does, but I have definitely heard it). It is not an easy route, it is very, very difficult to get people to take you seriously in the beginning. However, my experience is that once you have a college degree, nobody cares about high school anymore.

Obviously this is just my experience and you should definitely ask a counselor and be really honest with yourself about what you want/ are capable of doing, but If you'd like to talk about it more feel free to give me a PM. Either way, good luck!

 

[Dakotah]

I took the GED exam. I went to high school but was home schooled my junior and senior year and the HS program F'ed up my stuff my senior year.
I went to a Technical college and took the GED exam and passed with flying colors. I didn't have to take GED classes or anything like that. Just scheduled my GED exam, paid the fee, and took it.

I agree with Renee, this would be GREAT for you Ali. The test takes ALL day long, I hated that part. But if you look over the stuff the give you to study for the exam, you will do just fine.

 

[Kat09Tails]

If you can graduate normally and can find a way to swing it... get the diploma. Even with a lousy gpa a diploma means a few other opportunities that may be closed to you otherwise.

If it's just not possible - get the GED as soon as you can and commit to getting at least an AA before seeking *real* employment. Take advantage of free education while you can - get as much math out of the way early because believe me you will forget it.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Red.Apricot]

The Cal. high school exit exam is ridiculously easy. Like, crazily so. I don't know of anyone that takes it seriously.

Once you have an AA or whatever, people won't care so much about your high school stuff.

 

[iwantmypup]

Red.Apricot, it really was easy, haha. But this one is different, although it's also still english and math, but I'm hoping it will be similar.

I really wanted to have as much of a normal life that's possible, so I always wanted to get my graduate high school with the cap and gowns and all of that. But I just am starting to think that if my ultimate goal is to go to a four-year, that maybe I should just bite the bullet, and get started at a JC and take lots of prerequisites and ideally obtain a good GPA.
Haha, I am thinking about this SO much, I just really want to make the right decision.
I want to thank everyone on your input. I really hate making decisions, especially ones that do affect my future. I don't want to look back on this and regret anything.

 

[OwnedByBCs]

I got a GED because I was Unschooled and I could not get a diploma.