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Homeschool Discrimination!


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I wonder what people do if their school no longer exists. Would the school district have that information?

 

I guess they'd have to prove they are grownups by some other means. This is all so ridiculous!

 

I know I left home with my diploma at age 17, and I'm pretty sure I unpacked it when we moved to this house 8 years ago, but I'm not entirely sure where it is right now. I think I'd better look for it.

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Isn't a homeschool diploma still a high school diploma? Can't the individual mentioned in the OP provide her homeschooled high school diploma?

 

I know that there as been an issue with a couple of admissions offices at state colleges in PA, but isn't this more an issue of the admissions officers being ignorant of the homeschooling laws throughout the country, rather than the homeschooled diploma being invalid? :confused:

 

What am I not getting????

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I guess they'd have to prove they are grownups by some other means. This is all so ridiculous!

 

.

 

A bit off topic, but my XMIL (82 now) lost her birth certificate. About 10 years ago she needed to get a drivers license in LA after living in AR for 40 years. She couldn't find her bc and the parish where she was born has no record of her birth. There are some 'rules' for declaring oneself 'born' but they involve providing evidence from people who knew you way back when. She can't do it. Too old, everyone is gone.

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Well just a few minutes ago my friend posted:

"Update on the job... I was informed that the decision to terminate me came from an investigator @HR Plus (a large company that Abrazo uses for their application process) my employment has been reinstated. I am pursuing a formal complaint against HR Plus... I will keep you updated. Thank you all for your words of encouragement- it is great to have such amazing friends!!"

 

So she has her job back! I am glad she is going to pursue it though.

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This is all so strange. I had thought for sure a college degree trumped a high school degree. I do know that you can contact your high school to get an official letter stating you graduated, if you no longer have your actual degree.

 

I kind of remember Amazon being a company that does not hire homeschool graduates. Does anyone remember anything about that?

 

We've (rather unfortunately, I guess -- but we wanted to be prepared) always chosen to get an official school degree, since many of my children have been interested in studying abroad, and schools there seemed less likely to accept a homeschool degree. This has proven true in one case so far, and possibly another next year.

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That's what I would like to know. I don't want to use a distance learning program for high school just so we can get a diploma. I would prefer to just homeschool on our own for high school. My husband is worried that the kids will have problems later with a homeschool diploma.

 

I have done quite a bit of research on this topic. With the exception of Pitt and Penn State, I have never heard of a homeschooled diploma issued by the parents to be a problem.

 

Does anyone know of any other colleges where a homeschooled diploma has been unacceptable?

 

I did read about some confusion a few years back where the colleges were requesting a certified diploma from the State Board of Education because the colleges misinterpreted some new federal financial aid guidelines (I don't remember the specifics), and the colleges were afraid that by accepting homeschooled diplomas, the college would be in violation of the new guidelines.

 

That federal government clarified that issue and said that homeschoolers would simply need to take a Ability to Benefit test in order to be eligible for financial aid - that the colleges did not have to demand a certified diploma from the State Board of Education (which is impossible in most states) or the GED.

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I have done quite a bit of research on this topic. With the exception of Pitt and Penn State, I have never heard of a homeschooled diploma issued by the parents to be a problem.

 

Does anyone know of any other colleges where a homeschooled diploma has been unacceptable?

 

I did read about some confusion a few years back where the colleges were requesting a certified diploma from the State Board of Education because the colleges misinterpreted some new federal financial aid guidelines (I don't remember the specifics), and the colleges were afraid that by accepting homeschooled diplomas, the college would be in violation of the new guidelines.

 

That federal government clarified that issue and said that homeschoolers would simply need to take a Ability to Benefit test in order to be eligible for financial aid - that the colleges did not have to demand a certified diploma from the State Board of Education (which is impossible in most states) or the GED.

 

What I was talking about in Buffalo was merit aid issued based on GPA, test scores, and such. Having a GED got your application tossed into a pile that didn't get as much money because it had already been handed out by the time they got to that pool. It had nothing to do with being accepted or with the money associated with the FAFSA. I only know about that particular situation.

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What I was talking about in Buffalo was merit aid issued based on GPA, test scores, and such. Having a GED got your application tossed into a pile that didn't get as much money because it had already been handed out by the time they got to that pool. It had nothing to do with being accepted or with the money associated with the FAFSA. I only know about that particular situation.

 

The situation I am referring to has nothing to do with merit aid or financial aid, but actual acceptance into the college because the homeschooled high school diploma is not acceptable to the admissions staff.

 

There was a thread a few months back regarding Pitt for anyone who is interested.

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The situation I am referring to has nothing to do with merit aid or financial aid, but actual acceptance into the college because the homeschooled high school diploma is not acceptable to the admissions staff.

 

There was a thread a few months back regarding Pitt for anyone who is interested.

 

I know about that thread. I noticed it because Pitt isn't horribly far from here. I was just clarifying in case my earlier post on GEDs and scholarships at that school had been unclear. :001_smile:

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I have done quite a bit of research on this topic. With the exception of Pitt and Penn State, I have never heard of a homeschooled diploma issued by the parents to be a problem.

 

Does anyone know of any other colleges where a homeschooled diploma has been unacceptable?

 

I did read about some confusion a few years back where the colleges were requesting a certified diploma from the State Board of Education because the colleges misinterpreted some new federal financial aid guidelines (I don't remember the specifics), and the colleges were afraid that by accepting homeschooled diplomas, the college would be in violation of the new guidelines.

 

That federal government clarified that issue and said that homeschoolers would simply need to take a Ability to Benefit test in order to be eligible for financial aid - that the colleges did not have to demand a certified diploma from the State Board of Education (which is impossible in most states) or the GED.

 

We're in Texas, where homeschooling is both easy and popular, and we've had zero issues. In fact, on the FASFA there is a place to "check" homeschool in one of the "where did you attend high school" options. My son receives financial aid and has also received several scholarships. Absolutely no problems. He has never been asked to take any sort of "equivalency" tests either.

 

I'm not sure if that answers your questions, but that is our experience.

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I know about that thread. I noticed it because Pitt isn't horribly far from here. I was just clarifying in case my earlier post on GEDs and scholarships at that school had been unclear. :001_smile:

I haven't seen any updates regarding the Pitt situation. I know that another member of the Hive sent a letter to Pitt regarding their stance on the diploma issue. I wonder if there has been a response? I'll try to find the thread and revive it.

 

Hopefully, the letter prompted admission staff at Pitt to educate itself a little bit about homeschooling: they don't seem to have a clue on how homeschooling works across the nation.

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Sure, I can see listing where you graduated from for undergrad and grad school. Employers probably want to make sure that someone has a degree from an accredited university, not a diploma mill. That makes sense to me. But SAT scores from over 20 years ago? Where would you even get those from? Does the College Board keep test scores that long, especially when the test itself is different now?

 

I guess I'm utterly flummoxed as to why a high school transcript and/or diploma even matters if one has an undergrad or grad degree.

 

They required a copy of his high school transcript. I don't know where you'd get test scores from that long ago, although mine were listed on my diploma and college transcript. We questioned the necessity and were told they wanted to know just how honest we were because they had a lot of liars in the past they would have caught had they verified information in the application and resume.

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They required a copy of his high school transcript. I don't know where you'd get test scores from that long ago, although mine were listed on my diploma and college transcript. We questioned the necessity and were told they wanted to know just how honest we were because they had a lot of liars in the past they would have caught had they verified information in the application and resume.

 

Huh. As I recall neither my high school transcripts nor diploma had test score info on them. Certainly my uni diploma did not. How bizarre!

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I discovered this week that in the state of Oklahoma you can go to the Dept of Education with your college transcript that lists at least 30 college credits and they will grant you a high school diploma! This is GREAT for me because, although I took the GED and passed in 1989 the scores have been lost and can't be retrieved in Illinois at all. The certificate is not what matters, apparently, it is the scores.

 

So, what this all boils down to is that I will have my Bachelor's Degree that was granted in 2005 and a high school diploma granted in 2012. :lol:

 

I kinda' wish that I had a Ph.D already so I could have:

 

Bachelor's Degree followed by

 

Master's Degree followed by

 

Doctoral Degree followed by

 

High School Diploma. :tongue_smilie:

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A few HSLDA links:

 

http://www.hslda.org/highschool/diploma.asp "High School Diploma" (FAQs at the bottom of the page)

 

http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/mo/201105030.asp "Who Should Issue the Diploma?"

 

http://www.nexternal.com/hslda/high-school-diploma----blank-certificate-p3.aspx Buy a high school diploma, $25

 

 

Why wouldn't an employer, military, college, etc. question the validity of a diploma that can be ordered online, though?

 

This reminds me of the homeschool ID cards that were so popular for awhile. What's the point of it if it is just printed out my mom?

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Why wouldn't an employer, military, college, etc. question the validity of a diploma that can be ordered online, though?

 

This reminds me of the homeschool ID cards that were so popular for awhile. What's the point of it if it is just printed out my mom?

 

I've never quite understood that, myself. On the other hand, my diploma only represents good attendance, as far as I'm concerned. I didn't learn much in high school and graduated a year early. But, hey, I graduated, so I was obviously prepared to go to college, work at a daycare, or help old people.

 

Bizarre.

 

My boys have Mom-printed student ID cards. :001_rolleyes: They go lots of places where they need to show a student ID. Local sports games, the community gym...I forget where else but they don't leave home without them. Not one person has ever batted an eye at their cards for being from a home(school) and not the local ps.

 

I've decided the carrying of a student ID just satisfies some requirement that a kid actually belong to somebody, presumably spends some time in a place with books, and isn't feral.

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I discovered this week that in the state of Oklahoma you can go to the Dept of Education with your college transcript that lists at least 30 college credits and they will grant you a high school diploma! This is GREAT for me because, although I took the GED and passed in 1989 the scores have been lost and can't be retrieved in Illinois at all. The certificate is not what matters, apparently, it is the scores.

 

So, what this all boils down to is that I will have my Bachelor's Degree that was granted in 2005 and a high school diploma granted in 2012. :lol:

 

I kinda' wish that I had a Ph.D already so I could have:

 

Bachelor's Degree followed by

 

Master's Degree followed by

 

Doctoral Degree followed by

 

High School Diploma. :tongue_smilie:

 

Hah!

 

You know, I should do that when I finally defend -- if the state I end up in will do it. :D

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Not that I doubt you, but how is that even reasonable for people over a certain age? I wouldn't know where to find my uni transcript or diploma, let alone my SAT scores (which were taken well over 20 years ago and were, of course, different from today's SATs).

 

I bet these kinds of things are state dependent.

 

 

Needless to say, when he handed over his SAT scores he reminded them that when he took the SAT the top score was 1600.

 

He had to request official copies from where he went to school.

 

I think it may be industry specific at this point but it could be State specific.

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