What's GED?
Q: I can't determine whether it's a nationally standardized exam (you'd
think
it would be, but then why the discrepancy regarding what it stands for?).
Why should it? High Schools don't have nationally standardized exams do
they.
A:When I went to high school in New York, there was the GED (something like
"General Educational Development") diploma, the local high-school diploma,
and the Regents Diploma.
The GED test was roughly the minimum requirements for a local diploma, and
a local diploma didn't necessarily mean anything more than a GED diploma.
Either one was sufficient to get into a community or junior college, where
you could complete the first two years of a four-year bachelor's degree,
or to qualify for jobs or military service requiring a high-school
diploma. Either one _might_ be enough to get into a four-year college
directly. Because _some_ local programs covered more than the GED test
required, the GED way is sometimes looked at as an easy way out (though it
may well be a difficult way for those who actually end up earning one).
At the other end was the Regents Diploma, which required a certain amount
of diversity and a certain level of scores. The top end academic program
at a decent high school would typically give the background to take the
tests (say, four to six each year). It didn't leave much room for
occupational programs, so it's not like _not_ having one is particularly
significant;