Why Is it Important to Finish High School?
Improving high school graduation rates has been a priority for the U.S. for many years. Studies show that high school graduates are more likely to be employed, earn more money and have more access to post-secondary education opportunities, like college, than those who have not finished high school.
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Graduation Rate
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High school graduation rates have generally increased over the past decade. Between 1996 and 2006, high school graduation rates increased from about 66 percent to 70 percent, according to a report by Education Week magazine and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. However, only 55 percent of Native American, Hispanic and African-American students graduate from high school.
Employment
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Americans without a high school diploma are more likely to be unemployed than those who have graduated high school. The unemployment rate in March 2005 for people between the ages of 25 and 64 was 9 percent. The unemployment rate for high school graduates was about 5.5 percent. College graduates are the least likely to be unemployed, with a jobless rate around 2 percent. Most colleges require a high school diploma or its equivalent for admission.
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Financial Impact
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In 2002, American men lacking a high school diploma made only $421 a week, compared with the $616 per week high school graduates made. American women lacking a high school diploma made $323 per week, compared with the $459 per week women with diplomas made.
College graduates made significantly more than Americans with no high school diploma. Men who had completed some college or who had earned an associate's degree earned $732 per week. Men with college degrees earned $1,089 per week. Women who had completed some college or with an associate degree earned $545 per week, and those with college degrees made $809 per week.
In the U.S. Department of Labor predicts that by 2014, 90 percent of the fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. will require a college degree.
Exceptions
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A high school diploma, or its equivalent, is essential for being admitted to most colleges. Many states are pushing for more college readiness among high school students by requiring they earn credits in college preparatory classes for graduation. And while there are some less-selective colleges that don't require a diploma for admission, there have been attempts in certain states to ban financial aid to college students who lack a high school diploma. In 2006, New York Governor George E. Pataki tried to ban state tuition grants to students who do not have a high school diploma.
Alternatives to Graduation
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Anyone over the age of 16 who has attended some high school but did not or does not want to graduate, can apply to take the GED instead. Passing the GED (General Equivalency Diploma) test will earn you an equivalent to a high school diploma and is recognized by most employers and colleges.
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References
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- Photo Credit young guy on a graduation day image by Galina Barskaya from Fotolia.com
