U.S. Department of Education considers a degree as a high school equivalency

[ArshveerCheema]

Hi, I'm turning 20, had a bad experience with my high school and unfortunately ended up not graduating. Now I am aware of tons of schools I can enroll in to get a degree due to me having (transfer credits) Sophia, but there are other schools that don't have transfer pathways or do but require to self-certify, high school completion. So I thought okay, as those schools have highschool diploma or equivalency as a requirement, I could get an associates degree first from a school that does not require that and then, if I want to enroll in one of those schools, I can. Though, with my communications with various schools, they don't consider a degree as a equivalency even though I later stumbled upon a U.S. Dept of Education page stating 60 credits or an associates to be an equivalency and explained as such. The TESU chat rep for example messaged saying that the chat has become unproductive and disconnected on me.

https://www2.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/...ploma.html

"Recognized Equivalent of a High School Diploma (RED)

RED-Q1. The regulations at 34 CFR 600.2 include the definition of a “recognized equivalent of a high school diploma.” One of those equivalents is “an academic transcript of a student who has successfully completed at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree.” Does this mean that any coursework that is at least two years or more is an acceptable equivalent of a high school diploma?

RED-A1. No. To be a “recognized equivalent of a high school diploma,” the two years of coursework must be acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree. The following are considered the equivalent of completing a "two-year program," regardless of the time it takes a student to complete the coursework (e.g., on an accelerated schedule):

Successful completion of an associate’s degree program;
Successful completion of at least 60 semester or trimester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours that does not result in the awarding of an associate’s degree, but that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree at any institution; or
Enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program where at least 60 semester or trimester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours have been successfully completed, including credit hours transferred into the bachelor’s degree program.
[Guidance issued 1/24/2014; revised 7/7/2015]"

As said, I already have a list of schools for me to choose from and I have already chosen my school for my associates so it's not a issue in that regard, just upsetting that these schools refuse to acknowledge the U.S. Department of Education's policy.

Also, I am Canadian and in my province of Ontario, a degree is also considered an equivalency.

I am wondering if people have any thoughts on this, like if I was misinterpreting the policy or what's up with this

[bjcheung77]

Yeah... Really... What's up with this, eh? https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid419220

[Jonathan Whatley]

The regulation you describe means that it's acceptable to the U.S. Department of Education if a college or university chooses to treat an associate's degree etc. as equivalent to a high school diploma. It does not oblige any college or university to do so. Each college or university may do so or not by its own decision.

[bjcheung77]

That's true for everything from accepting foreign credit to the number of foreign credits they take... Some institutions allow only 25% of credit that are alternative or challenge exams, etc, others may allow up to 50%, 75%, etc. Each institution has their own regulations and rules, they conform to the accreditation standards required, and they make their own adjustments (if any). There are things that are recommended by CHEA or USDOE, but institutions don't really have to follow them, an example is that the RA (regionally accredited) vs NA (nationally accredited) institutions should be 'equal', many institutions will only accept RA credits (about 80%), and only about 20% of them accept NA still, even though the USDOE recognizes them 'equally'.

[ArshveerCheema]

Yeah... Really... What's up with this, eh? https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid419220

Hi, everything worked out fine with that application. I just input Sophia Learning as well as a career school I'm attending and they didn't ask for my high school diploma

[Hotdogman1]

I’ve applied at a lot of places and most applications ask, “Do you have a high school diploma or equivalent?” with the answers being “yes” or “no” regardless of the education requirement of the job. I now understand that having an Associate degree with no HS diploma would mean you could select “yes.” However, rather than having to select “no” for the next 2 years, it still seems simpler to just get a GED or CAEC (GED replacement in Canada from 5/4/24 apparently) instead.

[ArshveerCheema]

I’ve applied at a lot of places and most applications ask, “Do you have a high school diploma or equivalent?” with the answers being “yes” or “no” regardless of the education requirement of the job. I now understand that having an Associate degree with no HS diploma would mean you could select “yes.” However, rather than having to select “no” for the next 2 years, it still seems simpler to just get a GED or CAEC (GED replacement in Canada from 5/4/24 apparently) instead.

The only school that offers CAEC is the one I dropped out of in highschool. I tried to get answers for their false advertising and lying about ministry policy, human rights violations and was belittled and had the blame put on me and then finally ghosted by the general manager and academic director, so yeah, horrible school.

Anyways, I'll have my Associates soon enough. I could get it really fast via Pierpont or some CBE-based education or just do the 4 months (due to Sophia) somewhere so the selecting no on applications isn't a concern.

---

I also just looked it up to confirm and yeah, career colleges are considered post-secondary education and I anticipate to be done my program sometime next month so I would end up attaining this equivalency:

• Canadian or U.S. postsecondary diploma or degree
  

So yeah, I'm good.

[Hotdogman1]

I refuse to believe that your former high school is the only testing center offering CAEC in Ontario. If that really is the case, maybe go on a nice 2-4 hour road trip across the US border and take the GED here since it seems like you’re considering US schools. You can pass the GED with 145/200 and even get college credits if you get over 175/200. I went to a public middle and high school in Asia where the most important subjects were Math and English. After I transferred back at 12th grade, I was told a week before graduation that I needed to make up 25+ classes so I decided to get a GED instead. So with US public school 7th grade level science and social studies, I got:

187 Social studies (3 lower level credit hours in humanities)
181 Math (3 lower level credit hours in College Algebra)
190 Science (3 lower level credit hours in natural and physical sciences)
166 Reasoning through Language Arts (0 credit hours)

Additionally, you technically need a high school diploma or equivalent to apply for the Pierpont BOG. They just don't ask for one if you are transferring in a certain amount of credit so this is something you should keep on the downlow if you do go this route.
"This degree program is open to any student who has graduated from high school two or more years prior; students who earned a High School Equivalency Exam Certificate are welcome to enroll if their assigned graduating class has been out of high school two years or more." https://www.pierpont.edu/academics/assoc...governors/

[ArshveerCheema]

I refuse to believe that your former high school is the only testing center offering CAEC in Ontario. If that really is the case, maybe go on a nice 2-4 hour road trip across the US border and take the GED here since it seems like you’re considering US schools. You can pass the GED with 145/200 and even get college credits if you get over 175/200. I went to a public middle and high school in Asia where the most important subjects were Math and English. After I transferred back at 12th grade, I was told a week before graduation that I needed to make up 25+ classes so I decided to get a GED instead. So with US public school 7th grade level science and social studies, I got:

187 Social studies (3 lower level credit hours in humanities)
181 Math (3 lower level credit hours in College Algebra)
190 Science (3 lower level credit hours in natural and physical sciences)
166 Reasoning through Language Arts (0 credit hours)

Additionally, you technically need a high school diploma or equivalent to apply for the Pierpont BOG. They just don't ask for one if you are transferring in a certain amount of credit so this is something you should keep on the downlow if you do go this route.
"This degree program is open to any student who has graduated from high school two or more years prior; students who earned a High School Equivalency Exam Certificate are welcome to enroll if their assigned graduating class has been out of high school two years or more." https://www.pierpont.edu/academics/assoc...governors/

Yes, I am aware of the Pierpont requirements. So far, my college applications have been a success with not asking for a diploma and in the SNHU application, it requires attestation of completion or current enrollment in high school and I emailed them and they exempted me from that.

I didn't bother with any other schools that require attestation, only SNHU as I'm aware they admit like pretty much anyone

[Pikachu]

You don't have to go across the border. You can give the American GED at any Pearson test center in Canada. You can book your exams directly via ged.com