Becoming a High School Graduate

I dropped out of school on August 29, 1986 at the age of fifteen.

When I dropped out, I made myself a promise that I would get my high school diploma at some point in the future.

I received my high school diploma in the mail twenty five years ago today. It was a correspondence course that cost me about $400.

I became a high school graduate a quarter of a century ago.

I had to study for over two years to get my diploma. I began studying in April of 1993 and I finished in June of 1995.

No, it's not a GED. Many people make the mistake of thinking that it's a GED, but it's not. It's a high school diploma.

It doesn't take over two years of studying and $400 to get a GED. If it did, nobody would get a GED.

The name of the school was ICS (International Correspondence School).

The name has since been changed. ICS is now called Penn Foster.

I'm proud of myself because of my diploma. I promised myself that I would eventually get my high school diploma and I did.

But for any kids who may be reading. Don't drop out of school. Don't make the same mistake that I made in 1986. Stay in school and graduate.