GED Academy Articles

Recently, a student wrote on a GED message board: “I was told over and over again when I was growing up that I am stupid and don’t amount to anything.” This student’s brother tells her that only losers get a GED, and that if she wasn’t a loser, she would have finished high school. Unfortunately, this is the kind of experience that many young people have in life. Without support, they fail in high school and drop out, leaving millions of American adults with no high school diploma. The brother’s response puts her in a no-win situation, basically saying that she’s closed all the doors open to her, and now she can only be a “loser.”

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William Adams has a medical degree from Yale University and spent 22 years as the head of the Rose Medical Center laboratory in Denver, Colorado. Now, at 83 years old, Adams has earned another degree: his GED.

Why would a medical doctor go back to earn a high school equivalency diploma? When Adams went to college early in the 1940s, he wasn’t required to graduate high school. He skipped forward again into medical school, at a time when the requirements weren’t as formalized as they are today. In more recent years, Adams has been active in water issues in his community of West Linn, Oregon, and he wanted to earn certification as a water plant operator. That’s when he ran into a problem. The certification requires a high school diploma.

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There is no short-cut to better jobs and higher education. For the 39 million American adults without high school diplomas, it can be frustrating to find that opportunities are closed to them. Pam Graves had experienced this frustration first hand.

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In America, 39 million adults have no high school diploma. The GED offers a second chance to high school drop-outs. But how far can you go in life with a GED? Take a look at Paul Salopek, a journalist who has won two Pulitzer Prizes as a foreign correspondent.

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Education pays. That’s what the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says. People with more education make more money. That’s not a big surprise. But they also are less likely to be unemployed. Who has the highest unemployment rate and lowest pay rate? People without a high school diploma. When unemployment grows, those without a high school diploma suffer most. The GED is a chance to earn a high school diploma, but more than that, it opens doors to the higher education that’s so valuable in today’s job market.

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The number of adult Americans who never finished high school is staggering: about 39 million Americans, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. In today’s marketplace, what is the outlook for these Americans?

Income for adults without high school diplomas has dropped up to $8,000 over the past 20 years, while salaries for the college educated continue to rise. Education has become essential in today’s competitive, information-based job market. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 80% of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States require some sort of education or training after high school. People without high school educations earn the least income and have the highest unemployment in the country, over 6%. The outlook doesn’t seem promising for the millions of adult Americans without high school diplomas. What are the options?

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Research indicates that inmates who earn a GED in prison are less likely to be re-incarcerated for crimes in the future. As correctional facilities search for solutions to implement low-cost, effective GED programs, technology provides new options.

A recent study, “The Effect of Earning a GED on Recidivism Rates” (http://essentialed.org/research.htm) shows that inmates who earned their GED while incarcerated were up to 14% less likely to return to prison in the next three years. With the cost of incarcerating a prisoner well above $20,000 per year and the number of inmates rising, correctional facilities are focusing on finding efficient ways to reduce recidivism, and implementing GED programs is a promising possibility.

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If you’re wondering about the GED, you probably need your high school diploma. The GED is a second chance for people who never graduated high school. How does it work? The GED exam is made up of 5 tests, in reading, writing, science, social studies, and math. After passing the GED exam at an official GED test center, your state department of education awards you a diploma. The GED diploma is accepted by almost all U.S. colleges and employers, including the U.S. military and police academies across the country.

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The GED is designed so that only 60% of high school seniors can pass this comprehensive exam. For the employer, this means that a GED graduate has a higher skill level than 40% of high school graduates. Hiring GED graduates takes the guesswork out of employee basic skill level.

Employers have many questions about the GED. How does a GED compare to a high school diploma? What skills does the GED graduate possess? How do these skills interface with the job market?

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A study released by John Nuttal and the Correctional Education Association indicates that inmates who earn a GED are less likely to commit future crimes and be re-incarcerated.

Judge Mathis, star of the syndicated court show named after him, grew up in the housing projects in Detroit. He was involved in gangs. He spent time in jail. How did he pull himself out? After learning that his mother had cancer, Mathis decided it was time to change the course of his life. He was offered probation, if he entered a GED program. He didn’t stop at a GED. He went on to college and law school, and he became the youngest superior court judge ever to serve in Michigan.

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