Looking Beyond the GED - Higher Education

More than 30 million American adults lack a GED or higher school diploma. The GED is only the tip of the iceberg, though. The best career opportunities come with college instruction. You can gain the most advantage from a GED by using it as a stepping stone to higher education.

The income amount of adults extends upward, with more education, and at the school level, it makes a massive leap. Among individuals 25 and over who'd full-time jobs, the median weekly income for people without a high school diploma was $426 at 2008. With a high school diploma, it jumped to $591 per week, a rise of almost 40%. With a 2-year Associate level, median income was $736 a week, and with a bachelor's degree, median income was $978. That is over double the median earnings without a high school diploma.

Can GED graduates succeed in college? They can, and do. Rockingham Community College pupil Khori Navarre earned a GED in 2008 before registering as a full-time pupil. Navarre credits the GED with giving her confidence to go to college.

If you are working toward a GED, start considering another step. Look into local community schools and universities. Some scholarships are set up particularly for GED earners. A good example is that the Columbus, Ohio Ivy Tech Community College, which is awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a top-scoring GED earner in the area for the 2010-2011 school year. The GED testing center in your area or your local adult education center may be able to offer you information about scholarships. Other scholarships are available to GED earners as well as high school graduates entering college. Attempt meeting with a counsellor in your local community college and ask about what scholarships and other financial aid are available.

For many GED earners, community college is a great step in a four-year school or an associate degree. Community schools are generally less expensive and provide evening classes that fit to mature students' lives. They act as bridges to universities and livelihood training, and they frequently offer transitional courses in reading, writing, math, and study skills, to help students prepare for college level courses.