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Arguments against getting a GED
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chibichibibear Offline
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Post: #1
Arguments against getting a GED

Hey, everyone. I don't post around here much lately, but I still read all the time. ^.^ Now I've just gotta vent/get some ideas.

Since the beginning of my junior year, my plan for school was to get my GED. My parents were very against it at first. Like, would not even consider.

After a lot of talks with my counselor--who has so far been the only one to say 'If that's what you want, I'll support and help you'-- they were slightly swayed, because I failed almost every class my junior year. School has been really hard for me. I'd get more into it, but that's not the point!

Anyway, lately I've been more vocal with my friends about my plans for school. I'm not as dead set upon getting my GED as I was before, but I still prefer that to finishing up my last year in the PSS. Or two, probably, due to how many classes I've failed.

Everyone I've talked to has said 'No, you can't do that!'
One person was just, 'Well, if you didn't graduate on time, I'd get my GED, but you should try it out the normal way first.' And that 'But it's not the same'. (even though yes it is!)

Another person was someone who did get their GED and was telling me that it's too hard when you've only got your GED. It's harder to get a job with just your GED and such. I've told him I plan on going to CC for two years, and then transferring(if I find out what I want to study any time soon) but then again he said 'You should just get you HS diploma.'

And another friend just acted as if I couldn't do it... Or wouldn't.

A last friend said I just had to high school, so we could 'Graduate Together! Biggrin'

So, can I ever get through to these people? What can I say?

Men are born ignorant, not stupid; they are made stupid by education.
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) English philosopher, mathematician and writer.

My posts are usually lengthy, and I can't help it much... Sorry.
07-13-2009 11:03 AM
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Aya Offline
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Post: #2
Re: Argum,ents against GED

You don't need to tell them anything. It's your life, they're not the one's who'll be living it. And besides, it doesn't sound like you'll be graduating on time any way, getting your GED may be a good idea. You're plans involve community college, so all you need is a general equivelency.

The fact is that the GED is the academic equivelent of a highschool diploma. Whether or not people respect it as an equivelent is a different story, but in general most employers don't care so long as you have the right skills, experience and persona for the job. Even college graudates struggle to find good paying jobs when all they have to offer is a very expensive education.
07-14-2009 12:08 AM
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NowhereWoman Offline
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Post: #3
Re: Argum,ents against GED

My dad got all defensive when I said 'GED' when I talked to them about home study.
He's like, 'No, Alex, you don't understand, that's for dropouts. It's not the same as a diploma."
I said 'No, Dad, most places have to accept it, and if that's not an option, there's still the California High SChool Equivalency exam, and that HAS to be respected as a high school diploma.'
But he still treated them both as just for dropouts,(as if that makes them instantly bad) and as a less respectable option(Like I care about if people like the way I get educated.) And implied that nobody would take me seriously with either.
Well, I dont give a damn. If they think I'm some crack-smoking, teen mother, 'stupid kid' who dropped out and HAD to get a GED, I don't care. I'll do a good job and prove them wrong, but I'm not relying on the school system for my self-respect.
I don't need to get a diploma their way to feel like I can do a good job.

An it Harm None, Do What Ye Will
An it Harm, Do Only What Ye Must


Lighten up! This life was made for experimenting, making mistakes, falling on our faces, and standing up to do it all over again.
Live for Learning.


Carla Franklin may be a whore. She may be a wonderful, kind, moral woman. Seeing as I don't know her personally, I cannot know for sure. However, I find her actions (suing Google, requesting the personal info of her critics, getting angry over random internet idiocy that she should ignore and be bigger than, trying to get this site in trouble because of a few users' commentary on the situation, etc.) pretty ridiculous and unwarranted. If she didn't want people to to be talking about/judging her, well 1. that's impossible, she's a human, and 2. she shouldn't have been a model or agreed to be on film. AND 3. she DEFINITELY shouldn't have sued Google and made all this fuss over a few random idiots whom she probably won't ever know expressing their opinion. Mmkay? MMKAY.
07-15-2009 02:41 AM
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xcriteria Offline
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Post: #4
Re: Argum,ents against GED

My story, in short: I dropped out during junior year and got a GED soon after; started college a year earlier than I normally would have been able to; did well the first year, eventually dropped out of college.

If you complete at least some college, and have some kind of skills, that quickly becomes more relevant to many prospective employers than a regular diploma (or GED) alone. A high school diploma alone will only get you so far these days, and a GED + some college is probably better for a lot of jobs.

A lot comes down to the question of what you plan to do for a living. What are your skills and interests? How much do you value making a really good living vs. getting by? How willing are you to promote whatever skills you have and work hard to impress people, and develop a portfolio of your work and/or references?

I've made really good money based just on computer skills, and one of my friends has done the same. I've also scraped by, partly due simply to not promoting myself or developing any particular skill to a huge extent.

There are always ways to get by. Some facts to keep in mind are: "degree inflation" means a regular high school diploma doesn't mean all that much now, you can get a college degree without a regular diploma, and there are many ways to find work, regardless of credentials, if you can find some way to provide value to employers or clients. Not every company or person you might get work from is going to be a stickler for an old-school high school degree.

Even without a GED, high school diploma, or college, there are people who get by somehow, whether scrounging through trash or making really good money providing a useful talent to people or organizations who care more about value than formal credentials. And there are also alternative credentials in many fields, obtainable via exam.

What are your life goals, and what are your talents and interests?
07-16-2009 03:38 PM
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