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Question:
Dear Guidance Counselor,
I have two children and I work in a clothing store. I never finished high school, and I don’t get paid much money. I don’t want to be trapped. Should I get my GED? My boss said that I should think about my career planning. Thanks, Sara
Answer:
Dear Sara,
You are lucky to have a boss who cares about your career development. While you might not need a GED to do the job you currently have, you are right that it could be hard to advance without more education and training.
Getting a GED sounds like a great step in your career planning. What does this step involve?
Career Planning: Avoid the Top 5 GED Mistakes
1) Putting it off. When you have children and a job, it’s easy to put off indefinitely the chore of preparing for and taking the GED. However, not taking the GED can have big implications for your life.
It has consistently been shown that people who get their GED have better chances for improved career development through both advancement and increased salary.
2) Not preparing for the exam. The GED consists of five different tests: reading, writing, math, social studies, and science. To do well on these tests and pass the exam, almost everyone will need to do some review at the least, and do some new learning at the most.
There are many ways to prepare well for the exam. You can join a local study group or workshop through your state’s educational center. You can study on your own with practice books and tests from online. There are also online preparatory classes that can help you be at your best.
3) Trying to take the test online. You can legitimately study for the GED through a class you take online. However, you cannot legitimately take the GED itself online. The GED is only offered at official locations through your local educational center. Look at your state website or the American Council of Education website.
Unfortunately there are now many scams—companies that will try to take advantage of someone needing their GED by offering an online program.
4) Not looking at the high school diploma option. While you cannot take a legitimate GED exam online, you might want to consider the option of an online high school diploma. Like other online programs, you will have the advantage of working from home on your degree. Some employers and colleges do prefer an online high school diploma to a GED.
You might find it helpful to speak with your employer (or college, if that is your next step in your career planning) to see if they have a preference. The online diploma will be more costly, but some people think that in the future it will be the more viable certification.
5) Stopping there. Getting your GED or diploma is a wonderful first step for someone who has dropped out of high school. However, have you considered following this step with exploration of a further degree? An associate’s degree could prepare you for a specific career such as dental hygienist or lab technician. A bachelor’s degree also gives you many options, and will likely bring you a higher salary in the work world. Both these degrees are available online.
Yes, it is hard to find time to take a test such as the GED or enroll in an online program. But I believe you will find these career planning efforts well worth-while!
Tags: career planning, ged, online diploma
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