<p>Greetings, I’m new here and am not sure whether this is the correct place for this question. My son is a 2nd semester junior in high school. He was an excellent student up until this past December when he developed a serious health issue. The school has been wonderful with accommodations, but cognitively, he has not been able to do the work for almost 4 months, and he has not yet recovered. He’s looking at a slew of incompletes for 2nd semester junior year. I’m not sure what senior year will look like although he is signed up for mostly AP classes.</p>
<p>Assuming my son is able to get back to school 100% in the fall, a big question is whether the school will ask him to make up this 2nd semester of 11th grade before he can graduate. We haven’t had that discussion yet and I haven’t asked as my son’s timeline for recovery is uncertain. He has already completed the state-mandated requirements for high school graduation, but he will very likely be short of units required by his school (a highly ranked public). </p>
<p>My question: if the school will not graduate him with his class next summer, is there any downside to having him take the HiSET exam (replaced the GED in our state) and then going forward to college from there or taking a gap year. That’s assuming he can garner some acceptances with a dodgy 2nd semester 11th grade transcript - although his GC can explain his illness in his recommendation. If it matters, my son also has a 504 plan in high school. He’s interested in moderately selective colleges for computer science (such as Northeastern, Worcester Polytechnic…those would be the most selective on his list.)</p>
<p>I think it would be worthwhile to contact those colleges and see if they would accept the HiSET.
Also talk to the Guidance Counselor and see what they say…if your son is still recovering maybe it would be best for him to stay in HS and redo that Junior year/semester?</p>
<p>Life isn’t a race…it is better that he get well and do well in HS and then he can move on.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply. Virtually all colleges accept GED; I’ve checked. HiSET is simply GED in Massachusetts and a few other states.</p>
<p>It’s not that we are in a hurry; simply that I think my son would prefer and would get more out of taking a gap year doing something he is passionate about, instead of spending half the year retaking the second semester of world history II.</p>
<p>My question was, assuming the grades in his transcript, SAT scores, and recommendations are good, would a GED instead of diploma hold him back. </p>
<p>In searching old threads, I don’t think it would - but was hoping for some updated information as well. </p>
<p>Just be aware that the number of applications has been skyrocketing at some schools, so schools some students may have deemed a match are no longer as predictable. Northeastern has received approximately 50,000 applications and it’s admit rate is dropping (approx 30%) so on the Northeastern boards there have been a lot of surprised students who were waltlisted or denied. </p>
<p>I do not know enough about GED, but there is lot of information on homeschooling available, so maybe homeschooling to allow the the depth/passion while finishing up any requirements at his own pace may be an option. </p>
<p>Is the GED the only way, other than a traditional high school diploma, that your state allows students to show high school equivalency? My son is a home schooler and all we had to show colleges was a letter from the superintendent of the district we reported to, and that’s just one of the options (other than the GED) available to NYS home educators.</p>
<p>I can’t generalize, but in my D’s case, a HS diploma was not necessary.</p>
<p>She was homeschooled since elementary and applied to college when she was 16. She had no HS diploma nor GED (in CA, one can’t take GED until at least 18 years old). To the local school district, she didn’t exist.</p>
<p>She was admitted to 4 of the top 20 Us (2 public, 2 private), waitlisted in other 2. She is now an engineering major at a public U.</p>
<p>Her stats were high, however: 7 AP tests - all 5, NMS finalist, 2360 SAT (took only once).</p>
<p>In our state and I suspect others there is a big difference between home schooling and a GED. All colleges I know of accept home school, but many do not accept the GED. Or, they accept a GED only after a period of time (ie if student went to CC with a GED and then transferred in). Perhaps you can home school over the summer to complete his junior year requirements? </p>