90% of United States citizens aged 25 and older have completed high school.

This is a stark contrast to 1940 when less than half of the population had completed 12th grade.

If you’re in the 10% of people who haven’t completed high school, what are the benefits of getting a high school diploma?

In this article, we’ll discuss why having that piece of paper is so important. In fact, it plays a crucial role in securing your future for yourself and your family.

Read on to see why you should seriously consider getting your diploma by either returning to school or scoring your GED.

It Is a Prerequisite to Most Continuing Education Courses

A four-year liberal arts degree may not be in the cards for you. That’s fine, as it’s not for everyone.

But a high school diploma is a prerequisite for almost any continuing education course. If you want to be a police officer or firefighter or even a makeup artist, chances are a general prerequisite will be that you finish high school.

If you haven’t finished high school traditionally, you will at least be required to have GED or General Education Diploma. In some states, there are equivalency exams you can take that are also recognized by continuing education courses.

You’ll Get a Higher Salary

High school graduates earn more than those who dropped out. You’ll automatically be on a higher starting salary than your peers who have dropped out of high school, meaning you’ll have better financial security.

It Makes You More Marketable

Unless you’ve got some ridiculously amazing special skill, most employers aren’t super keen on hiring those who haven’t finished high school.

Finishing high school shows that you have the skills to stick with something and see it through.

People want to hire dependable employees, and finishing high school does show that you have at least some level of dependability. You were able to show up to school enough to have finished or were at least dedicated enough to take a GED course and test.

That says a lot about your marketability.

Getting Your High School Diploma is Now Mandatory

Previously, students were able to drop out school at age 16. Now, this is no longer an option, and all students must finish high school. As a result, everyone who is applying for jobs will hold a high school diploma, unless there is some very extenuating circumstance for them.

You’ll want to be sure you can compete with them. Without a high school diploma, you’ll look severely lacking next to the current generation who will all hold diplomas.

Most employers won’t give a second thought to hiring someone without a diploma, mostly because there is no reason to since virtually every applicant has one.

Read more now about your options to obtain a diploma.

You Learn Life Skills

In high school, you actually learn life skills that you can take with you.

Some of these skills include social skills and learning how to handle tough situations.

During your time in school, you will encounter conflict and people you don’t like. As a result, you’ll have to learn to solve these issues with your peers or your teachers. This gives you a major leg up in the world, as you’ll have these issues within the workplace and with other individuals you encounter in the “real world.”

It also trains you to put your nose to the grindstone, even if you’re doing something you don’t particularly like or have a passion for.

You may not like or have a passion for everything you’ll do in life or in your job, but it has to be done. High school sets you up with the skills for that.

You Learn Academic Skills

In high school, or even if you take the GED, you’re exposed to a broad range of subjects. From history to English to math, you’ll have at least a basic grasp of the subjects.

This will directly translate to both work and personal skills. In your life, you’ll need at least a little bit of math to get by. It will help you with paying bills, as well as in your future jobs.

English will be helpful as you’ll need to compose emails and other letters to people throughout your life. It will also help you get ideas across to other people in written form in the chance that you need to do so.

Many high schools also ask students to do things like make presentations to their peers. This will help give you the confidence to engage in public speaking as an adult. No matter what you decide to do as an adult, you’ll find that having this skill will help you immensely.

In your work, you’ll have to present ideas to others and may have to make presentations to your team or to potential customers. This will instill confidence in you so that it isn’t difficult to do so later on in life.

Final Thoughts

Although obtaining a high school diploma is now mandatory, there are many reasons why individuals might not be able to finish a course. Be it illness or trouble with the law, some people may find that they cannot finish high school before the age of 18.

If this has been the case for you, it is important to try to return to school, or obtain a GED certificate to ensure you have the best opportunities in life.

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