Many parents issue a diploma to their child after he or she has completed a homeschool high school program. Though these diplomas are not accredited, they are valid diplomas indicating the completion of high school. Some universities may not accept this type of nonaccredited diploma, but the number of postsecondary institutions accepting homeschooled students continues to grow every year. As this continues, nonaccredited, parent-issued high-school diplomas also continue to grow in acceptance. The armed forces accepts nonaccredited diplomas from homeschooled students when accompanied by a transcript detailing the course of study completed by the student.
Consider using a traditional distance-learning program to receive an accredited high-school diploma. Distance-learning programs consist of a program of study completed by the student in the home environment but created and supervised by school officials. The main advantages to distance-learning programs are the official transcripts and diploma issued by such programs. Be aware that not all distance-learning programs are accredited and thus provide no more validity than a diploma issued by a homeschool parent. Look for distance-learning programs accredited by a national accrediting organization to ensure against this occurrence.
Several online hig-school program options now exist for homeschoolers. These programs require several hours of work every day on the computer in addition to study time completed off-line. Most programs require school work to be done on the computer. Some offer texts with their programs while others provide all necessary information and materials in an online format. Advantages of online programs include increased options for multimedia learning, social experiences in online forums with other students and faculty members and even live classroom experiences in some instances.
Homeschool video programs leading to a high-school diploma offer the relaxed environment of home learning and official transcripts and diplomas for completed work combined with a more interesting and engaging educational experience than that offered by traditional distance-learning programs. Students watch recorded classes on video or DVD and complete assignments, which are then sent back to the school for grading and recording.
An alternative to a high-school diploma exists in the GED, or General Equivalency Diploma. Some homeschooling parents in the past chose to have their child take this exam in lieu of obtaining a high-school diploma, and some still continue to choose this option today. While a GED indicates a certain proficiency in high-school level courses, it is not a diploma. Universities and potential employers sometimes look down on a GED, considering it an indication that a student does not possess the knowledge, persistence or follow-through to complete a standard high-school course of study.