I would like to get a High School Diploma, but I'm not sure what program/school is trustworthy and would be widely accepted. I am 26 years old and was home-schooled, graduating with no official diploma. I have looked into Penn Foster (only Nationally accredited), Stratford Career Institute and Excel HS. Any suggestions? Thank you.

Hi Kimberly,

What state do you live in?
The first step is to look for public online high schools in your state -- many of these are FREE. And to also consider if you state has any free online GED courses and programs -- many do.

Tell us what state you reside in and we'll research to see if there are any free or low cost options for you.

In general, you will want an online or virtual high school that is a) regionally accredited as opposed to nationally accredited if possible since this type of accreditation is more widely accepted.

Three 3 online high schools you mentioned are only nationally accredited or not accredited by any recognized agency at all; and they also very expensive private, for profit virtual options. One of the schools, Stratford was recently required to cease operations in the state of Vermont where they had used a St. Albans VT mailing address to solicit students.

Let's start by looking at public and free or low cost non profit programs in your state. Which state?

Also, are you willing to consider a GED program as many states have these free also!

Vicky Phillips
GetEducated.com

Thank you so much for your helpfulness. I live in Iowa. And yes, I am willing to consider a GED. I was looking into the HS Diploma because it seems that some college options and job openings won't settle for a GED. I have a HS Diploma and so does my husband, but we were both home-schooled so it's not an official diploma with transcripts to back it. I am hoping to become a legal or medical transcriptionist and some of the courses I've looked into for that say they require a HS Diploma-however, I haven't checked many places and that may not be true across the board.

RE: Iowa Public High School - GED Online

Hi K,

You'll want to connect with the trustworthy public state agencies in Iowa (listed below) and ask them to help you with your virtual high school diploma and/or GED quest.

The agencies below can also steer you to the best low cost online courses and degree programs from Iowa community colleges and state universities.

If there is a better distance learning diploma program for you in a neighboring state counselors at the agencies below can help you find these programs well as answer your concerns about high school diploma vs. GED online.

While it is true that some college level ed programs require a diploma rather than a GED it is also true that most regionally accredited college programs accept a GED. The issue you may encounter more often with a GED is the better college programs will require you to score "higher" on the GED than just "passing." You will want to discuss this issue with a counselor at one of the Iowa state projects detailed below:

1) Iowa Learning Online
State of Iowa public courses and connections for high school level courses and distance learning for high school students. The ILO Web site provides a list of online and Iowa Communications Network (ICN) video courses that are available to eligible Iowa high school students in grades 9-12. ILO serves as the official clearinghouse of high school course offerings, making it easier for educators and students to find the best courses to meet educational needs. The Web site is a centralized location for Iowa distance learning providers such as local school districts, post-secondary institutions (community colleges, regent universities, independent colleges/universities) and area education agencies to post information on distance learning courses to a variety of Iowa students.

2) Kirkwood Community College - Online High School
Public Iowa community college with distance learning courses.

3) Adult Literacy - (free video GED courses for Iowa residents)
GED Connection Online

Since you do have a home schooled high school diploma I imagine you'd find the GED very passable with some prep and orientation as to test content.

Fortunately, the state of Iowa offers FREE online GED prep to Iowa residents and also has several scholarship programs earmarked just for GED holdres that can be used at Iowa Community Colleges.


Hawkeye Community College Online sponsors a FREE GED prep online for Iowa residents AND top GED score students, "valedictorian and salutatorians" are eligible for scholarships to Hawkeye Community College.

Below are some details:

General Education Development (GED)
Students are required to attend an orientation session prior to enrolling in the GED program. They then study at an individualized pace with qualified instructors. An online GED study class is available for students with qualifying pre-test scores. Classes and pre-tests are tuition free. Students study to pass the five subtests of the GED Test: Literature, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies. GED official testing is offered at the Metro Center on Tuesday afternoons, Wednesday evenings, and Thursday mornings at a cost of $70, which includes all five tests and the GED diploma. The past four years GED graduates have each received a "Next Step" Scholarship to continue their education at Hawkeye Community College. Each graduate was given a scholarship entitling them to receive three college credits free of charge when they registered for six or more credits. Other scholarships available to GED students are the "We Believe in You", "Naomi Sadler" and "Rater GED". Full scholarships to HCC are awarded to the GED valedictorian and salutatorian.

4) For future college level degrees and courses from public colleges in Iowa, check out the University of Iowa Online Learning and Degree Programs as well as their partner community colleges for 2 year and certificate options through distance learning.


Good Luck Out There!
Vicky Phillips

Thank you so much for your help. I will look into that info and let you know how I do when I take my GED test. :-)

@Kimby4typing

The GED or a High School Equivalency Certificate is a great option for adults to complete a high school credential. Unless you are considering attending a four year university, such as Dartmouth, Stanford, etc. you would be well served to obtain a GED or a High School Equivalency Certificate, and attend a local community college. Community Colleges warmly welcome the GED or a High School Equivalency Certificate for admissions. Even after attending a 2-year community college, with a good GPA, you will easily be able to transfer into a 4-year university; such as Iowa State.

Likewise, most employers that require a high school diploma will also accept a GED or a High School Equivalency Certificate as proof of high school completion. Again, enrolling into a post secondary school will also help you secure better employment in the future. Don't let the fact that you were home schooled hold you back. It is widely recognized that homeschooled children are among the some of the brightest students in the nation. When choosing a school to complete a High School Equivalency Certificate, just be sure they are accredited, so your diploma will have value. There are some good online options available.