We’re experiencing the kind of economy that makes people wonder if investing time and money into earning a college degree is worth it. After all, we’re in a hyper competitive job market with a dwindling amount of jobs, and some hard labor jobs don’t require a college education. Everyone has to make the decision to pursue college for themselves, but a recent trend is troubling. More and more people are wondering if they even need a high school diploma to be successful.
A high school diploma doesn’t seem like a necessity for some, but they’re severely limiting their potential in the work world. The less education a person has, the lower their likelihood of working in a field that inspires them each and every day. Below are three reasons people should at a minimum get their high school diploma.
A diploma gives you better career opportunities
People without diplomas don’t have many careers to choose from, and most end up stuck in menial jobs. A high school diploma shows employers that you’ve mastered things like basic math and reading skills and are able to handle responsibility. Unemployment rates among people that lack a high school education are high, and those that are gainfully employed find themselves unfulfilled at their jobs. Unless you can envision yourself doing retail or labor when you’re older, you should look into high school diploma programs.
A diploma teaches you valuable life skills
“Why do I need to finish high school? I’m not going to need physics/algebra/history in real life!”
That’s a common complaint uttered by many people that don’t see the value in a diploma. There’s a common misconception that high school only teaches you memorization and facts. Academic pursuits are just a small part of a high school education. It may not seem like it, but high school programs teach a lot of life skills. You learn time management skills, when you juggle doing work for all of your classes. You improve communication skills when you talk to instructors and your peers. Even simply studying is teaching you research skills that are applicable in a number of fields. Sure you may never use trigonometry later in life, but you certainly will have to carefully manage your time and learn new skills!
It’s easier than ever to get a diploma
One of the main reasons adults choose to not get their diploma is simply because they can’t afford a program to earn it. This may come as a shock, but there are plenty of free high school diploma programs you can enroll in. You can get an actual diploma (not GED) for free, and thanks to online learning you can do it on your own schedule.
