Online Education: GED Program vs. Fake High School Diploma

By Leonard Williams

For today’s student, distance learning can provide a valuable and affordable way to work toward a GED, the best way for an adult to demonstrate the skills learned by the average high school graduate. But there are a growing number of companies and schools who aren’t really in the business of education. Instead, they’re in the education business - their biggest business is selling quick and easy programs or simple online tests that come with worthless transcripts and fake diplomas.

In most cases, the GED — the term for General Education Development credential -- is the only official ‘diploma’ that has value and is meaningful for adults who never completed their high school education. There are exceptions. But as a rule most transcripts and diplomas ordered or obtained from online high schools are worthless. Unfortunately, students and adult learners are often misled -- and easily misled -- by these diploma factories or diploma mills. Here’s a recent letter from a new GED student, who learned about one education business the hard way:

"I paid $250 and got this paper in the mail, but it didn’t help me get a better job. It was a ripoff. It wasn’t till my boss told me that I found out it wasn’t a real high school. It wasn’t even a real high school diploma, just something somebody made on a computer. But it looked like a real school. With a real test.”

This student’s story is typical and more common every day. Many adult learners fall victim to diploma scams, usually paying $200 to $800 in tuition, testing, and transcript or diploma fees. But because the school or program isn’t accredited, the diploma has no value … it’s meaningless. When it comes to employers, job training programs, tech school, community colleges and universities, bogus diplomas are useless.

But a GED credential is useful. For today’s 39 million or more adults in the US who never graduated from high school, passing the GED test is a passkey to both career and educational opportunities. Approximately 95 percent of employers and 97 percent of US colleges and universities accept the GED program because it really is an official, accredited ‘diploma.’ It’s meaningful, and it has real value.

When choosing an education program, a student’s best bet is a GED solution, whether enrolling in a local class, an online preparation program or managing self-guided study through the selection of quality GED study materials. If online learning or distance learning is the best solution for you, look for a program, class or choose materials that include all GED study material needed to prepare for the GED test.

Here are some guidelines for choosing a real online GED program provider and avoiding bogus schools or fake diploma scams:

• The American Council on Education (ACE), GED Testing Service, has tight guidelines for the GED. The test covers science, social studies, language arts reading and writing, and math – including algebra, geometry and data analysis. Find a program that includes all testing areas; avoid any solution or school that doesn’t include all test areas or information about test areas and ACE requirements. Learn more at www.gedtest.org..
  
  
• GED practice tests are available online and are a good way for a student to determine GED study material for the test. But the real GED test cannot be taken online! The test is only given at official test sites. So avoid any company that claims to offer the official GED test or a quick online version for a diploma. For a listing of official test sites and state contacts, visit Test Sites. Or, use this link: http://www.passGED.com/test_state.php#1
  
  
• Read the fine print, before you pay—make sure you understand what the company or school is offering and determine if it’s worth the price. Is it a worthwhile learning process or just a fake diploma? Will it help you progress in your career or education? Will the online GED program or learning solution you choose really prepare you for the GED test? Ask for guidance if you’re unsure.  Talk to a local GED instructor or agency you trust about local resources.
  
  
• Look beyond the company or school; discover what other teachers, students and adult learners say. Learn from their experiences. Explore GED, GED study materials, education message boards, online forums, library materials, local newsletters and news articles or learning communities.
  
  
• Be very cautious in dealing with any company or online high school that offers a diploma or transcript after passing an online test. The GED test is difficult; the test is timed and usually takes more than seven hours. Basically, just as the old adage says: “If it sounds too good to be true it probably is too good to be true.”

Education is probably the best investment you can make in yourself. Make sure your investment is a good one, and gives you a return that’s worthwhile. The GED credential might be harder to get than a $250 diploma. Still, you sure can count on it to take you to where you want to go.

About the Author: Leonard Williams, an e-learning instructor with www.passGED.com, is also a curriculum specialist who focuses on research and development, implementation and assessment of best-practice learning solutions for adult learners and people with educational challenges. You can contact Leonard at: ContactUs. He invites feedback and questions from GED instructors and students.

©2006 Essential Education Corporation / www.passGED.com
Want to reprint this article? It’s easy. Click for Guidelines

Articles, Content and Image Use Guidelines

General Use:  Unless exclusive rights are declared, all website articles listed in the website article section, including article content and images (if applicable), are free for personal use, for blogs, e-zines, educational newsletters and for any use sponsored by a for-profit or nonprofit organization or program (including government, schools, higher education, libraries, corrections programs and community-based workforce development programs). We do require that articles are credited and reprinted in entirety. To credit properly, simply include author info and resource links contained in author bio and resource information.

Corporate and Other Use: For corporate or syndicated use, unless syndicated use has already been authorized, feel free to reprint or distribute for educational use, such as in workforce development news/newsletters, website channels or for employee or staff training and education. Just follow the General Use guidelines. Otherwise, please send an email for permission, ContactUs. You can expect a prompt reply and we seldom charge a fee.

Content Use: If you’d like to use content sections only, or images only, please contact us for express permission, ContactUs. You can expect a prompt reply and we seldom charge a fee.
We believe in education and welcome the distribution of our information. Let’s just do it right.

Exclusive Rights: Otherwise, all GED Academy, Essential Education Corporation or PassGED.com generated content, images, website copy, newsletters, educational materials, courseware, audio and video graphics, along with copyright protected material exclusive to us, are proprietary to The GED Academy, Essential Education Corporation, PassGED.com and/or company agents. These materials are protected by U.S. copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written consent of a designated company agent. Any unauthorized use is a violation of copyright, trademark, privacy and publicity laws and civil and criminal statutes.