high school equivlency diploma on a graduate cap

There are various ways to obtain credentials that are regarded as being equivalent to a high school diploma just in case you are considering dropping out of high school or have already dropped out. You could think about a High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) as an alternative to a GED or a standard high school diploma.

Still, before going into the details, you must first know about what High School Equivalency Diploma is. In addition, you need to know how to obtain one, and how to determine whether it's the best option for your given situation or not.

What Is a High School Equivalency Diploma?


high school equivalency students next to schoolhigh school equivalency students next to school

Although you can obtain a High School Equivalency Diploma after dropping out of high school, it is comparable to a conventional high school diploma. Majority of professional jobs need at least a high school diploma. So, enrolling in an HSED program will almost surely be advantageous to your career.

High School Equivalency Diploma vs GED


Because the HSED's standards are more stringent than those of the GED, employers, colleges, and some branches of the military may prefer High School Equivalency Diploma as compared to GED.

This relates to one possible drawback of the HSED: obtaining it will probably need more coursework or exams than obtaining the GED. However, if you've previously earned credits in Social Studies and Health, it can be quite easy for you to fulfill these criteria.

Why Would You Want a High School Equivalency Diploma?


For students who haven't had the opportunity to obtain a regular high school diploma, the HSED is an excellent choice. It will provide you additional chances in your job and education. That's because the majority of businesses and universities recognize it as an alternative for a high school diploma.

If you are stuck in that High School Equivalency Diploma vs GED debate, you must know that HSED is favored as a more authentic document in most of the situations. A GED just shows that you've passed an exam. But an HSED shows that you've passed a test and finished some extra coursework. That is true even if both credentials are essentially the same.

This diploma is theoretically equal to a standard high school diploma. But most businesses and universities prefer the conventional credential in reality. We would advise against obtaining an HSED or GED. That is, if you still have the chance to return to high school and finish your course of study there. You can do this in most states if you're under 20 years of age.

Because it shows you were able to endure through lengthy tasks. As opposed to only being able to pass a test and fulfill a few additional criteria, a conventional high school diploma is more highly recognized. The best alternative to returning to high school is still a High School Equivalency Diploma, if that isn't a possibility for you.

Requirements For A High School Equivalency Diploma


red graduation cap over top of a cover for a diploma from high schoolred graduation cap over top of a cover for a diploma from high school

To demonstrate that you have the abilities required to receive your diploma, you may be required to take the HiSET or High School Equivalency Test in some states.

The HiSET is available in English and Spanish. And on request, accommodations can be made for test takers with impairments. California, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Wyoming are among the states that offer the HiSET.

You must pass the General Educational Development (GED) exam as one of the prerequisites for receiving your High School Equivalency Diploma online in states where the HiSET is not available. Reasoning Through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies are the four topics this test covers.

There are two short answer questions in the Science portion. That includes one essay question in the Reading through Language Arts area, and one in the Social Studies section. The remaining questions are all multiple choice.

In 2014, the authorities revised the test's curriculum to include additional textual analysis as well as specialized mathematics and writing abilities. There is additional information about the changes here. Rather than being administered on paper and a pencil, the GED and HiSET are both taken online.

Due to a few additional prerequisites, a High School Equivalency Diploma certificate differs from a GED certificate. In addition to passing a core academic exam like the HiSET or GED, you must meet standards in the areas of health, civic literacy, and employment skills in order to receive an HSED.

By passing two untimed exams, demonstrating that you have previously earned 0.5 Health credits and 3 Social Studies credits, or by taking a 30-hour course in each topic, you can fulfill the criteria for health and civics.

Any Additional Exams?


You won't need to take the additional exams or classes if you can present documentation of your credits in the form of a high school transcript. You must write a résumé and take a course to develop a career plan in order to satisfy the employability skills criterion.

The qualifying requirements for students aiming to obtain a High School Equivalency Diploma online differ from state to state. To take the GED or the HiSET, you must be at least 16 years old. In certain areas, the minimum age is 17. Additionally, you cannot be a high school student right now, and you must comply with your state's standards for the length of time you have been out of school.

If you're just 17 and want to take the HiSET in California, for instance, you need to have graduated from high school for at least 60 days in a row. Additionally, you need to have a letter of request from the military, a postsecondary institution, or a possible employment.

How to Obtain a High School Equivalency Diploma?


You can obtain HSED in one of three ways mentioned below:

Option 1


A person who is 18 years or older as of September 1 of the current school year, is lacking the credits required for a High School Diploma, has been absent from school for at least 10 months, and wishes to obtain a High School Equivalency Diploma should submit an application to the principal of a senior high school in the community.

The candidate must first show proof from their principal that he/ she has earned 60 credits through classroom instruction at a school or other organization that the Minister has approved or recognizes.

Option 2


A High School Equivalency Diploma will be awarded to a person who is at least 18 years old. In addition, he should not have attended school for at least ten months, and has successfully completed all five tests in the General Educational Development (GED) exam with a minimum standard score of 450 or higher on each test.

Option 3


In case you have exploited all your options to obtain HSED without any success, a high quality High School Equivalency Diploma online copy is surely the best alternative. That said, we would recommend DiplomaCompany.com to all our readers in case they are looking for the best quality High School Equivalency Diploma copy in real quick time.

We have a sizable variety of HSED designs that draw heavily from authentic GED certificates. Just let our coordinators know what you need, or let our design staff make it to your specifications.

What’s more?

Our template selections include formats and layouts from universities and colleges in all 50 US states as well as Canada.

Final Words


Obtaining High School Equivalency Diploma may take some good effort and time from your end. So, just in case you can’t wait any longer, you can always go for the high quality High School Equivalency Diploma online copy from Diploma Company. Check out our website to know more about our other services and products!