While obtaining a GED presents the opportunity for someone to pursue higher education, the credential often limits an individual's selection of schools. Although many community colleges and public universities accept the GED as equivalent to a high school diploma, some private universities have separate admission rules that do not view the GED as an acceptable credential. The GED recipient is therefore forced to choose from a limited selection of schools, whereas the average high school graduate is not subjected to such terms.
Many GED recipients enroll in associate and bachelor's degree programs. While in these programs, some individuals fail to earn all of the required semester or quarterly credits. In fact, research from Brown University shows that the average GED holder receives half of the amount of college credits that an average high school graduate receives. According to the research statistics, these GED recipients will earn 2 percent less in wages because of missing college credits.
While GED holders typically earn more than individuals with no credential, such earnings become irrelevant when compared with persons having professional degrees. GED recipients essentially cannot compete with master's and doctorate degree holders in the job market. For this reason, it is vital GED holders planning to advance their careers attend college.
Although they may be unable to compete with individuals having higher degrees, GED recipients may experience long-term economic progress if they left school with poor academic skills. Research shows that students with weak skills who drop out of high school tend to experience more economic progress after receiving the GED than students who left school with higher skill levels. In essence, individuals with poor academic performance benefit from dropping out of high school and taking the GED, while those who perform well in high school do not. Regardless of the level of skill at dropout, GED recipients have equal opportunity to reap the benefits of extra effort in the workforce.