Distinction Between High School Diploma and High School Certificate

Filed in School News by on February 4, 2022

Would you like to learn about the differences between High School Diploma and High School Certificate? Do you know that both are sometimes called certificate of completion? Well, this post contains detailed information about high school diploma and high school certificate.

Distinction Between High School Diploma and High School Certificate

There are normally two ways to receive credit for graduating from high school. Obtaining a high school diploma is one alternative. Another option is to obtain a certificate.

Certificates can have different names depending on your state. Certificate of Completion and Certificate of Attendance are common ones. And some states offer more than one type of certificate.

Meaning of High School Diploma

A high school diploma is a North American academic school leaving qualification awarded upon high school graduation.

The high school diploma is typically obtained after a course of study lasting four years, from grade 9 to grade 12.

However, the diploma is awarded by the school in accordance with the requirements of the local state or provincial government.

The Requirements for earning the diploma vary by jurisdiction, and there may be different requirements for different streams or levels of high school graduation.

Typically they include a combination of selected coursework meeting specified criteria for a particular stream and acceptable passing grades earned on the state exit examination.

What Does High School Certificate Mean?

A school leaving qualification is an academic qualification awarded for the completion of high school.

Depending on the country or region, it may alternatively be known as a high school diploma, senior secondary leaving certificate, high school general certificate, or school certificate (amongst other names).

Institutional requirements differ for obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent. For example, some schools require that all students study a foreign language, and others do not.

The number of years that students are required to attend school before earning a high school diploma, the difficulty level of the classes, and the types of classes vary significantly.

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Distinction Between High School Diploma

Some Accredited High School Diploma Online

Below are some of the free accredited high school diploma online:

A) Indiana University High School

This is based in Bloomington, IN. It offers College Prep and Standard Diploma Pathways. Also, it has a license from Advanced. Furthermore, It has a tuition of $252 per course.

Students can offer Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. And, there are Health Education and Directed Electives. Also, there are Free Electives amongst others. This is the Official Website

B) Park City Independent Online Adult High School

This is one of the free accredited high school diploma online. This school is based in Scottsdale, AZ. Advanced has accredited them. This program has a credit load of 24 credits.

Furthermore, at Park City Independent, 6 credits must be completed. Finally, for tuition rates call 888-866-4989. You can visit the Official Website.

C) University of Mississippi High School

This school gives a free accredited high school diploma online. Also, this is at no cost. And it’s based on the University of Mississippi. They have a license from Advanced.

Also, this is one of the free accredited high school diplomas online. At UMHS, students must complete at least 6.25 credits.

Furthermore, students can offer English Language and Arts. Also, there is Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. And Fine Arts, Business, and Technology.

Also, there is Health and Physical Education. And there are Foreign Languages and other courses.

Additionally, the fee is as follows: 1 unit course is $375. The ½ unit course is $250. 1 unit AP course is $425. And ½ unit AP course is $300. This is the Official Website for more information.

High School Diploma and High School Certificate

Differences between High School Diploma and High School Certificate

It is important to understand that certificates and high school diplomas are not the same, as such, they are very different from each other. Each can have a different impact on your child’s future.

The table below compares them.

  High School Diploma High School Certificate
Meaning A student has completed all of the graduation requirements. A student has completed high school but didn’t meet all the requirements for graduation.
What are the graduation requirements? To earn a diploma, a student typically must pass grade-level English, math, social studies, science, and other classes.
The number and type of class credits required to vary by state.
Some states also require a student to pass a high school exit exam to get a diploma.
It depends on the state and school. Unlike a diploma, the requirements are often flexible and can be tied to a student’s IEP goals.
Accommodations allowed Yes Yes
Curriculum modifications allowed Maybe. By changing what students learn, modifications can hurt their ability to earn a high school diploma. Yes
Accepted by the military Yes No
Accepted by colleges Yes Maybe. It depends on the college.
Eligible for federal student aid for college Yes No
Accepted by employers Yes Maybe. It depends on the employer and the job qualifications.
Similar high school credentials
  • GED certificate: This isn’t the same as a high school diploma. However, a GED is usually accepted by the military, colleges, and employers in place of a high school diploma.
  • Vocational diploma: A diploma for a student who achieved the required technical skills for a certain job.
  • Honors diploma: A special high school diploma for a student who achieved a high academic level. This usually means earning a high grade-point average or passing advanced tests.
  • IEP or special education diploma: This kind of diploma is available for a student with an IEP (though many students with IEPs earn regular diplomas). It has the same impact on a student’s future as a high school certificate.
  • Certificate of Attendance, Certificate of Completion, or Certificate of Achievement: Different names for a certificate.

In summary, the difference between a high school diploma and a high school certificate of completion is very crucial to your child’s future. 

However, we believe this article was helpful, if yes, don’t hesitate to share this information with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, and Google plus.

CSN Team.

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