Difference Between GED and High School Diploma

GED vs High School Diploma

GED or General Educational Development and a High School Diploma are certificates which enable students to go for higher levels.

Once a student completes high school, he or she is awarded with a high school diploma. But GED is only a test to evaluate if a person has the level of knowledge of a high school student.

In most cases, only a school dropout goes for the General Educational Development. It is for this reason that it has a negative stigma attached to it.

When talking about GED and High School diploma, there is a big difference in the age when one can enrol for either. In most regions, a person who is at least 16 years can take the General Educational Development test. The said student must not have graduated from high school and can not be currently enrolled in high school. For a high school diploma, there is no minimum age, but the student should have completed the stipulated course work.

There is also a difference in the duration of the course. A student who wants a high school diploma will have to wait for four years to complete the course, though most students complete the course in just three years. As far as General Educational Development is concerned, it is just a seven hour test on five subjects.

The General Educational Development was introduced in 1942, mainly for soldiers who returned from war to pursue their education.

Like the high school diploma, the GED is also accepted for continuing college education and also for getting certain jobs. But the opportunities that a high school diploma holder gets are not available for a person having a GED.

Summary

1. Once a student completes high school, he or she is awarded with a high school diploma. But GED is only a test to evaluate if a person has the level of knowledge of a high school student.
2. Only a school dropout goes for a General Educational Development. Hence why it has a negative stigma attached to it.
3. A student who wants a high school diploma will have to wait four years to complete the course, though most students complete the course in just three years. As far as General Educational Development is concerned, it is just a seven hour test on five subjects.

Sharing is caring!