It's Never Too Late To Get a GED

Are you tempted to lie on job applications and say that you have a high school diploma - when you really don't?

I can remember being a teenager and watching my mother struggle to find jobs because she had dropped out of high school. Even though she probably could have taken the GED test and passed it, in her mind, taking the test meant admitting that she didn't have a diploma. Instead, she was forced to work low paying jobs and she always lied on job applications and worried that she might get caught.

It's a scary way to live and it's totally unnecessary. It's never too late to get a diploma. These days, most local school systems have adult education programs and they can provide all sorts of resources to make it easy to prepare for the GED test.

So, what is the GED?

GED stands for General Equivalency Diploma. It's a national testing program for those who don't have a high school diploma or for people who have diplomas from institutions that aren't nationally accredited. For example, my daughter was homeschooled. She completed a high school program with a school that is only accredited in the state of Florida. This meant that she needed to take the GED test in order to be certain that her diploma would be accepted at any college or vocational school. The GED is accepted almost everywhere as a substitute for a high school diploma.It isn't a lesser diploma and doesn't mean that you aren't smart enough to attend high school. In fact, the test is so hard that 40% of high school seniors wouldn't be able to pass it.

Even still, there is still a stigma about the GED in some places. This continuing myth that people who have GEDs aren't any better off than those who just drop out only serves to keep people from taking the test. In an effort to combat this, some states have even begun allowing students to study for the test and actually earn a state high school diploma.

There are many resources online that make preparing for the GED easy. In fact, by 2014, students will be able to prepare for and take the GED exam online.

The criteria for taking the GED varies from state to state. Depending on where you live, you may be able to qualify for a diploma program or there may be free adult education classes available. If you don't have your high school diploma, check with your local school system to find out how it works in your state.

This year, when the kids go back to school, why don't you?

Have you or someone you love taken the GED? What was your experience?

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