<p>I'm getting my GED this summer and am attaching this to my common app to explain my situation. I was just curious if I'm going about this letter correctly, and if there is anything I should be changing (tone, grammar, etc.) Thanks a lot for any help!</p>
<p>Hello,
My freshman year I started taking classes at my local community college in conjunction with my work at high school. I should have roughly 70-75 credits when I apply in December (by way of summer classes and a full course load during the school year.) I decided that because my high school lacks a rigorous curriculum, that I would be best suited to take my senior year to pursue research/volunteer work closer to what I am passionate about (economics of urban environments), along with continuing my coursework at the community college. Because my high school does not allow 3 year graduation, I will receive my GED in lieu of the schools diploma. </p>
<p>Admittedly, my high school grades are quite average (3.34 UW) with many bumps along the road. Some bumps are due to a lack of effort, while others to a heavy course load. Either way, it was a system where I never found something to truly love about school. While the GED unquestionably still carries an unfair stigma, I have no regrets about my decision. My classes at the community college are where I have given up many of my weekday evenings and Saturday mornings, yet those hours are such a small price to pay to have the freedom to pursue whatever my heart desires. That being said, I do not wish to transfer a single credit of my work. I will always be thankful for getting to dip my feet into the water of academia, but I would be a fool to give up even one moment of the experiences that I will make wherever I find myself next fall. </p>
<p>Have a great day,
Ryan Highfill</p>