How to earn a high school diploma online

Earning a high school diploma online requires that you evaluate online high schools based on several criteria. Follow these simple rules and you should be able to choose the online high school that will work best for you.

One important caveat: While recognized accreditation is mandatory for a good choice, the others listed below should be looked at holistically. Missing one does not immediately exempt a school from being chosen. Missing two? Probably.

First, is the online high school accredited by a recognized accreditor? Yes, just as there are diploma mills out there that will sell you worthless pieces of paper, so, too, there are accreditation mills that do much the same. Recognized accredited can be found at CHEA.

Second, does the school have a history of providing an education to students? Notice that I did not say that it absolutely must be online, but there should be some evidence that the school really is a school.

Third, is the school listed in the standard reference books for online high schools such as Complete Guide to Online High Schools or Bears' Guide to Earning High School Diplomas Nontraditionally? While newer schools will not be, schools with a longer history should. Certainly inclusion is not absolutely required, but it does give a sense of credibility.

Fourth, does the cost of the school meet your needs? Online high school costs vary from free to many thousands of dollars. While free sounds nice, that may not be the right choice for you. The free ones are typically for teens and are charter schools. I encourage you to choose the school that works for you in all ways and, please, do not choose a school because it was the cheapest option. You are likely to be disappointed.

Fifth, are the courses in a format that meets your learning needs? Some schools provide a lot of support and some provide none. Some people need more support than other. How do you know which you might need? If you struggled to learn in traditional public schools, that may be a clue.

Certainly this is only a beginning to choosing the right online high school. Sometimes which is a good fit and which is not comes down to how you feel about the conversation that you have with the school.

And, yes, I do encourage you to talk to a real, live human being before you commit your cash to the school. Why? Because I think you can get a real sense as to whether it is all about the education or all about the money. Yes, it is okay to be about both, but I would be concerned about signing up for a school where it is clear they only want your fees.