finally deciding to go for it

[dfrecore]

Make yourself a HS diploma and be done with it. Backdate it to whatever you would have actually graduated, and make a fairly generic transcript of high school subjects that probably look a lot like your own kid's.  Your parents overlooked this, they're gone, sign it and you're fine.  It's not like someone is going to come after you for it.  I'm actually shocked you did not come up with this idea long, long ago.  I would have done it myself 5 minutes after realizing I needed one about 25 years ago.

I somehow doubt it's allowed to sign your own HS diploma/transcripts.

This page says that you should get a GED if your parents are deceased and/or forgot/refused to issue a diploma: https://responsiblehomeschooling.org/gui...l-diploma/

The GED test is easy, as long as you're capable of doing college-level work. Take the test if you have to, move on, and don't mess with something that could potentially land you in trouble down the road.

Seriously, I'd sign my mom's name and be done with it.  I wouldn't spend time/money on the GED.

I don't normally tell people to do things like this, but seriously, this should not have been an issue.  I'd have done this when I was 18 years old.

[rachel83az]

Please don't forge your parents' signatures. You MIGHT not get in trouble, but do you really want to risk it? There might not be any legal trouble, but I could see a school revoking your degree if they somehow figured out that you got it under "false" pretenses.

[jsd]

Good thing I didn't know in high school that all it took was a forged parent signature to fake a homeschool transcript 

[uncapentin]

Good thing I didn't know in high school that all it took was a forged parent signature to fake a homeschool transcript 

This cracked me up. People have been creating fake transcripts and diploma's for public and private schools for many many years. In this case, the transcript wouldn't actually be a "fake" since the OP could list the courses taken. They wouldn't be making up something without having completed some work toward it.

[dfrecore]

Please don't forge your parents' signatures. You MIGHT not get in trouble, but do you really want to risk it? There might not be any legal trouble, but I could see a school revoking your degree if they somehow figured out that you got it under "false" pretenses.

Oh for Goodness sakes!  The woman is in her late 40's and her parents have both passed.  Is a school going to find out?  Really?  And I'm sure they're going to question her about this now...sigh...

This is one of those things that just cannot be something to get worked up over.  It happened 32 years ago.  She's made it through life and raised a child.

This is an instance where some quasi-government entity is asking for something that doesn't exist, and will make you jump through hoops to get something else instead.  Why?  What's the point in asking for this document?  That she's able to do college-level coursework?  Which no piece of paper can guarantee no matter where it's from.

My grandfather quit school in the 4th grade when his dad died, and his mother needed his help running their farm.  He never went back.  He joined the marines when he was 17.  He went to war.  He married and came back.  He stayed in the marines for 23 years, getting promotions and doing well.  He retired, and then applied for a job.  You know what they wanted from him?  Yep, a high school diploma.  So my mom found a school that had burned down in his home state (along with all of their documents), and forged a high school diploma.  He gave it to the HR department got the job, and worked 21 years there.  Then went to another company, who again, asked for his HS diploma.

I mean, really is there a rational reason to ask for a copy of someone's high school diploma when they are in their early 60's and have worked for 44 years, moving up, getting promotions, all of those years?  It's completely ridiculous.

I don't normally tell people to break rules, but this is just the dumbest thing on earth.  Break this one.

[rachel83az]

I'm not arguing that it's not stupid. But it's also not worth forging something when you can spend just $36 x 4 ($144) to take the exam(s) at home, potentially get college credit in the process, AND get peace of mind.

[dfrecore]

I'm not arguing that it's not stupid. But it's also not worth forging something when you can spend just $36 x 4 ($144) to take the exam(s) at home, potentially get college credit in the process, AND get peace of mind.

I would have peace of mind on this one.

[LevelUP]

You probably could get into big trouble if you forge a high school diploma and then apply for student loans and grants.

I would just get the GED.

[staceydiane]

I'm not forging anyone's signature.

[ss20ts]

If you can get ACE credits for passing the GED exams, then that's even better. Even if they come in as general electives. It's still credit. You'd also have the piece of paper saying you completed it and passed.