Does having a diploma really make a difference? Yes! While we all have different goals and talents, a solid education opens up doors to many opportunities. Besides offering the potential to qualify for more jobs, earning your high school diploma can also have a positive impact on your life. Here are just 6 advantages of getting your high school diploma.
1. Earn a higher income
While money alone doesn't measure success, earning a higher paycheck can help you improve your quality of life, save money, and broaden your shopping, dining, and entertainment options. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that high school graduates earn an average of about $10,000 more each year than those who don’t complete high school.
2. Be more competitive when you're applying for a new job
More and more jobs today require you to have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for employment. , solve difficult problems, work well with others, and overcome challenges. If you have a high school diploma, you likely meet all of the above criteria and more. A high school diploma or its equivalent is also a must-have if you want to apply to college to further your education and prepare for a career you love! The good news? You can still !
3. Qualify for promotions at work
Even if your current job didn’t require you to have a high school diploma to get started, earning one can be necessary if you want to build a career and have the opportunity to advance – which can also mean earning more money. Advancing in many jobs means stepping into a leadership role, such as a shift supervisor or manager, and most employers want their leaders to have a high school education in addition to their work experience.
4. Start preparing for a career in high school
Besides getting a credential that can be essential to starting a career, high school can help you actually take the first steps toward preparing for one! Through your standard and elective classes, you can narrow down your interests and learn more about what you’d like to do. In some elective classes, you can even start building the skills for your future career today! Through an online high school, you can choose a high school diploma program that helps you develop skills you'll use in your career. You can apply much of what you'll learn in real-life situations and prepare for a career
5. Lifelong skills
High school classes can teach you more than just what’s on the test! Besides learning the basics like English, math, history, and science, you’ll also pick up skills you can use in real life. Through preparing for exams and studying, you can build skills like time management, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving skills that can make a difference when you move on to college or start building your career.
made a difference when it came to going to college. “Going to Penn Foster to finish high school, I had to make sure to have correct time management skills so I could complete my assignments,” she said. “Using those time management skills have definitely helped me throughout my college career.