Every year, people have to leave high school before graduation for various reasons. If you were one of them, it’s not too late to go back to school and earn a GED.
The GED process involves taking and passing four tests, on subjects including science, math, social studies, and language arts. Once you pass all four tests, you earn a State of Florida High School Diploma. If you’re on the fence about pursuing a GED, there are many reasons it’s worth it.
1. Greater Opportunities
While you can find a job without having a high school diploma, most of the better-paying positions expect people to have finished high school. If you’re not happy with the work you’re doing now or if you put in long hours at multiple jobs just to make ends meet, getting a GED can be the first step you take toward more opportunities.
A GED does more than open the door to more jobs. It can also best the first step on the ladder to more education. Colleges typically require students to have a high school diploma before they enroll. Most accept a GED instead of a traditional diploma. If you hope to get a career certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree in the future, you need to get a GED first.
If you want to join the military and don’t have a high school diploma, a GED allows you to join up.
2. Improved Self Esteem
Earning a GED is an accomplishment. While you won’t have to go back to full-time high school, many people do find that they need to take preparation classes before they attempt the test.
The tests themselves can be challenging, making it even more fulfilling when you pass them and earn your GED.
Putting in the effort to prepare for the tests, then successfully passing them shows you that you can set a goal and achieve it. Getting your GED can do wonders for your overall self-worth and self-confidence.
3. Higher Earning Potential
Just as getting a GED opens up more job and educational opportunities for you, it also increases your earning potential. In the first quarter of 2022, the median weekly earnings of people without a GED or high school diploma were $6701.
People with a GED or diploma but no college had median weekly earnings of $827. Those with some college education or an associate’s degree had median earnings of $938 weekly.
Your earnings potential will only increase over time once you get your GED. If you decide to pursue post-secondary education, you can earn even more. As you gain more experience in your field, you can command a higher and higher salary.
4. More Knowledge
Knowledge is power, and you’ll learn a lot while preparing for the GED tests, whether you go to a GED school for adults or study on your own. Since the tests cover a range of subjects, you have the chance to learn about a variety of interesting topics.
Many of the subjects you’ll study will help you in your daily life. For example, mastering math will help you make a budget and see if you’re really getting a good deal when you shop.
Social studies can help you make sense of what’s going on in the world around you while studying language arts can give you the skills you need to improve your communication and to think deeply and critically about topics.
You might learn something about yourself when preparing for the GED, too. For example, your preparation class might help you discover that you really love math or that you find science fascinating. You can use that to help guide yourself to a future career.
5. Set a Good Example
Earning your GED helps you set an example for others in your life. If you have children, it shows them the importance of getting an education and the value of never giving up. If you have younger siblings, you can set a good example for them by pursuing your GED, too.
Orange Technical College offers a computer-based GED testing service at our West and South Campuses. You can sign up to take the tests together or complete each one individually. While not a requirement, we also offer preparation classes to help you get the skills and knowledge you need to successfully pass each exam. Contact us today to learn more about GED enrollment.
Sources:
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Median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by educational attainment, Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/charts/usual-weekly-earnings/usual-weekly-earnings-over-time-by-education.htm
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