📬 Mailbag: Do You Need a Diploma for Success?

One parent's dilemma sparks a discussion on non-traditional paths to college and career success. Plus: How our CEO got into college without a diploma!

Author

OpenEd
August 28, 2024

Last week, we got an email from a parent named JoAnna, who was wrestling with a familiar dilemma:

“My student did 9th grade last year on the diploma path, but we are planning to do non-diploma-seeking status this year. My child needs options and flexibility more than we felt was available on the diploma seeking path. However, I worry a lot about not following the traditional, “earn-a-diploma-and-go-to-college-path.” I would love help specific to college and/or other training when doing school through OpenEd.”

– JoAnna

JoAnna is not alone. Many parents struggle with this decision, and society has long pushed a linear path:

High school diploma → college degree → good job → success!

But as education and work evolve, so must our approach to preparing kids for the future.

Here's what you need to know:

  1. You can still get into college without a traditional diploma. In fact, our CEO did! Colleges often accept alternatives such as:

    • A well-documented homeschool transcript

    • GED

    • Standardized test scores (SAT/ACT)

  2. You can create your own diploma. It doesn't have to be from a public or private school (you can even create it in MS Word). What matters more than this piece of paper is demonstrating readiness for college-level work.

  3. Early college credits are a game-changer. OpenEd students have earned associate's degrees through programs like Southern New Hampshire University while still in high school.

  4. Non-traditional paths can lead to amazing opportunities. For instance, another student started a successful dog-breeding business at 15, earning $30,000 in profit within six months.

  5. There are many alternatives to traditional college. These include vocational training, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, and structured gap year programs.

In a new post, we explore all of these in detail and introduce several concepts every parent should know:

  • How non-traditional students can prepare for college

  • The new landscape of post-high school options (college isn’t the end-all-be-all)

  • Specific alternatives to the traditional college path

  • Resources like the "Own It!" mini-course that can help students navigate their unique educational journeys

How are you approaching the diploma decision in your family? Reply to this email with your story – we’d love your thoughts!

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)