<p>Here's my situation. I'm 17, I'll taking the GED test in the spring of 2015, and then if everything works out, I'd like to go to college that fall. Now, I'm pretty sure I want to get a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and then get a doctor in mechanical engineering. How should I go about completing this goal? I've read that people with GEDs should transfer from a community college but I'm not sure how that works. What if the community college I go to doesn't offer a course in mechanical engineering? Is it possible to just apply for a regular university if I do well on the GED test and the ACT? Any advice is appreciated.</p>
<p>Some colleges will take a GED and some won’t. Check the admission pages of the universities you are considering. Most community colleges will have an agreement for transfer to your state universities, sometimes privates. They will lay out the transfer requirements for the various major offerings. Usually you will take math, physics and some general ed requirements in preparation. You might find this information on the CC websites.</p>
<p>I looked at the University of Michigan’s site and they said that they accept GEDs in lieu of diplomas but they still need your high school transcript. That’s the thing I’m worried about, I went to high school for 1.5 years, dropped out, and then went again for half a year and dropped out and I didn’t do well either of those times. I’m just worried that they’ll deny me just because of my high school performance.</p>
<p>ABSOLUTELY. More than 85% of all Colleges and Universities in the US accepts GED. The tipping scale in most schools will be your ACT or SAT scores that will determine your acceptance and scholarships/aid that you receive from each school. So do well on your GED, ACT & SAT, then check the colleges website that you are interested in an go from there.
Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Yes, I’d say that was a near certainty. Go to community college to demonstrate the ability to a) do college level work b) finish something.</p>
<p>Some CCs (if not most) have an option whereby you can enroll and earn your H.S. diploma while working toward an Associate’s degree. Another option is to take the CLEP exams in some fields. You will need to prepare, probably by taking some on-line classes. My best friend did that, and earned a number of credits toward an undergraduate degree. She was a middle-aged woman at the time, but very well-read.</p>
<p>No NYS home schooler has a high school diploma; ALL of them have either the GED, a letter from their district superintendent that says they’ve completed the equivalent of a public high school education, passed a handful of regents (state tests), or paid out of pocket for a (specific) set of 24-college credits. The most common method amongst families I know is to get the GED and enroll in whatever college suits them. Many go directly to 4-year schools (Bard, MIT, Harvard, SUNYs…). Others go to community college first, then transfer. Most of the time that’s done to save money, but can be done to help improve a student’s academic record. </p>
<p>In NYS, students who get an associate’s degree from one of our community colleges are guaranteed transfer to one of our public 4-year schools. Neither the high school transcripts nor the SAT are considered in the transfer admission, only the collegiate record. Check your local community colleges and see if they have articulation agreements with any 4-year colleges. If your college record is good, your high school record might not matter anyway; that’s up to the individual schools. Look at the admission requirements for the colleges you’re interested in (both freshman and transfer requirements) to find out what they want.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>