Your High School Diploma: Is It Just a Piece of Paper?

Posted on December 06 2011

Receiving a high school diploma may mean the difference between a life of accomplishment and difficult struggle. Those who graduate high school have far more advantages above those who do not.

Your high school diploma may seem like just a piece of paper. But it is a piece of paper that shows you have achieved a certain merit worthy of consideration for future endeavors like jobs or higher education. A high school diploma is rewarded when a student has completed all the required coursework of a high school program with passing grades. A diploma tells prospective employers and colleges that you have acquired certain basic skills and knowledge to be able to manage given job tasks or college level work.

Having a diploma means you will have better access to jobs. Most jobs require at least a high school diploma, severely limiting options for those who did not graduate from high school. A diploma also ensures better pay than someone without one, since jobs are often salaried commensurate with education within a given field. More opportunities to advance will also be present since a person will have access to various higher paying or higher level jobs that require high school diplomas. Furthermore, most accredited institutions will ask for a high school diploma. While there are ways to get around this, like acquiring a General Education Development (GED) certificate, without a high school diploma it may be difficult to show a strong foundation in practical experience and academics that higher-level academic institutions often require and appreciate.

Getting your high school diploma means opportunities for a better standard of living. More employment opportunities, plus better pay and more opportunities to advance translates to greater earning potential which means the ability to pay for basic living expenses and also achieve the comforts and leisure you desire in your life.

With a high school diploma you may not face the struggles of low self-esteem of someone who feels they have not accomplished anything or who is debilitated by his or her inability to make progress. You will not have to face the stigma of being a “high school dropout” on top of having to figure out how to make money and survive.

Earning a diploma is an achievement to be proud of! Whether you stick it out in school, or decide that an > online high school education best meets your needs and tastes, you absolutely can earn your diploma. Years later, you will appreciate that this little piece of paper, perhaps taken for granted, was a clear speedway into a whole world of ripe possibilities.