Is A Home Schooled Diploma As Creditable as a High School Diploma?

Question

I heard home schools offer a certificate of education. Which isn't the same as a H.S. Diploma. Or as creditable when looking for employment after graduating.

Answer 1

It depends on which home school board you're with... I'm with Wisdom Homeschooling in Alberta, and I've heard that their diploma is very credible, because of their facilitators who make sure a student is ready for graduating before handing over the diploma... And if I were an employer or college, I would definitely prefer someone who was HS'ed, because all the other homeschooled students I know really have it together...

Answer 2

Yes, they are for the most part. Once upon a time universities and colleges would look askance, but most states have passed legislation disallowing discrimination.

There is no 'centralized' homeschool group that offers home school diplomas, parents can print one out on their computer (which shows you the value of the ones from public school) The great importance is going to be in your transcript, your portfolio and references, as well as your SAT/ACT test scores. When I applied to universities while in high school, they didn't even ask for my diploma, they wanted my transcript, and that's it.

Answer 3

Absoloutly. Why wouldn't thye be? Most college's and employer's are looking for a diploma/certificate and a portfolio these days.

Answer 4

It depends on where you live what will be offered.

From what I've heard, some states won't allow homeschoolers to have a state-approved high school diploma, but they will allow them to get a certificate of education.

In other states, there is a way for homeschoolers to get their diplomas approved by the government.

In others, there's simply no way to have a state-approved (accredited) diploma as a homeschooler. In this case, it's likely that parents issue the diplomas, the way a non-accredited private high school would.

Now, your wording is a little odd to me ("homeschools offer a certificate of education"--homeschools are people's homes) and I'm wondering if you are thinking of some specific program that goes on at home but isn't technically homeschooling under the law. What they offer will depend on the program.

If you're not going to college, then a parent- or other-wise approved diploma is better than just a certificate.

ADDED: I, too, live in Alberta, and diplomas here are quite different. You can get an Alberta high school diploma by following some specific things. The Wisdom Homeschooling someone else mentioned has their own diploma, but I'm not sure how employers see that diploma. It's not really done here like I hear of in the US that parents give diplomas--they would be completely looked down upon. But the school board issuing a diploma would probably be okay.

Answer 5

I don't know about employment but I have heard Colleges really want home schooled because they are more likely to be self motivators.

Answer 6

In theory they're supposed to be identical, but in practice I've heard from a few employers who say they don't think as highly of them.  They say they've found too much variation in how much people with the certificates have actually learned.  Overall, though, I don't think it's much of a handicap.

Answer 7

h**l..... I would prefer someone that was home schooled over the public education we have now.  All you learn in P.S. nowadays is how to dodge bullets, how to assault teachers (and get away with it) and how to get knocked-up.

Answer 8

Depends on program

Penn Foster is now accredited through Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools and DETC (which also accredits U Phoenix, ITT Tech and other trade and on line schools) so their diploma is as valid as any school in the MSCSS roster.

The Florida virtual school awards a Florida diploma

There is one that offers a diploma through James Madison High School which is a legitmate school and affiliated with a college.  It has a campus and students.

Most of the others don't award anything, but college generally accept the credits.

Also you can take the GED test

Answer 9

It sounds like you are actually asking about online high schools.

If the online high school is officially accredited, then they can and do provide a high school diploma to those who earn it.

Many brand name universities and lately public school systems offer online high school courses and diploma programs.  If you get your education through one of these options, the diploma should be equally "creditable."

Many businesses are also offering online high school courses and some of these are accredited and some are not.

The term "certificate of education" sounds to me like a marketing phrase made up to cover non-accreditation.

Homeschooling is an altogether different approach to education and many options exist for a homeschooled high schooler to get a meaningful diploma.

Answer 10

Every single one of them.

If you ever run into issues with your homeschool diploma, call HSLDA.  They are wonderful about helping with things like that.