| Graduating from High School seems a simple thing for | | | | refuse, this isn't about judging; it's about determining if |
| some students and incredibly difficult for others. I've | | | | the test is a fit for you. I know one young woman who |
| noticed kids who can't quite grasp/thrive in high school | | | | did not pass it, in my opinion she blew it off like she did |
| often have one thing in common; they are the | | | | school. Your focus needs to be 30 days of reading |
| creatives. Certainly, there are cases when a student | | | | and studying to graduate from high school. Then you |
| has family, work, or personal problems. Many times, | | | | can move on. Usually, 30 days sounds so much better |
| however, what starts out as common stress, builds to | | | | than another year or two of high school, students are |
| frustration, and transitions to weak grades, missed | | | | motivated and find it doable. |
| classes, and negative feelings about classes, | | | | The first section of CHSPE is the English section. This |
| homework, and/or teachers. Once this burden gets too | | | | section has 84 multiple choice questions designed to |
| heavy, stomach issues, self-medication, and depression | | | | test reading and comprehension, sentence structure, |
| can ensue. The students I know who decide high | | | | punctuation and other grammar rules. The English |
| school is not for them often have incredible talent | | | | section requires you to write a brief essay to |
| working with their hands, whether it be artistic, music, or | | | | demonstrate knowledge and skills in accurate and |
| working on cars. Most don't have "issues" other than | | | | clear communication. This written portion is where I see |
| hating high school. | | | | students snag up. The question is unexpectedly easy, |
| Not all cases of, "will I graduate?" escalate to failure. | | | | test takers feel relieved to know the answer and lose |
| Let's take a look at a few options. | | | | track of the question's purpose. The correct approach |
| 1) the obvious, graduate; 2) take the GED; 3) take a | | | | to the essay is to write a topic statement, introduction, |
| High School Proficiency Exam (where available). | | | | transition between paragraphs, summarize, and write a |
| Keep an eye on what you really need to graduate. For | | | | conclusion. The purpose of the essay is to see how |
| example, you don't need 4 years of math. You don't | | | | students can critically write an essay, to present an |
| need 4 years of a foreign language. You can take | | | | idea, to offer who, what, when, where, and why; not to |
| community college classes that the high school will | | | | ramble on the topic. |
| accept for credit (see the concurrent enrollment article, | | | | The second section of CHSPE is the math test. These |
| one semester of a community college class equates | | | | are 50 questions in multiple-choice format covering all |
| to one year of the same topic in high school). | | | | areas of high school math such as dividing, fractions, |
| The GED is not easy. It is doable. In another article I'll | | | | decimals, multiplying, probability, patterns, statistics, basic |
| outline a good GED approach. If you live in California, | | | | geometry and algebra. Let's say you did fine in middle |
| Nevada, or any state that offers a High School | | | | school Math, okay in Math in high school, but don't turn |
| Proficiency Exam, I recommend you give it a try. | | | | in homework on time and barely pass the tests as a |
| The High School Proficiency Exam is a test students | | | | result. As long as you "get it" you'll be fine. If you would |
| typically take when they are still enrolled in high school. | | | | describe your math ability as very low, then you'll need |
| In California the CHSPE (California High School | | | | to prepare for the test. The level of expertise you'll |
| Proficiency Exam) is taken by students 16 years or | | | | need is Algebra. I have one son that flew through the |
| older. Students who take the exam include those | | | | math, and another that struggles in Math regardless of |
| struggling to graduate as well as others with good | | | | the book, teacher, or class. |
| grades anxious to get to college. Taking and passing | | | | Both sections must be passed to qualify for a |
| the text demonstrates proficiency in high school | | | | certificate. If you fail one section and pass the other, |
| curriculum, students receive the equivalent of a diploma | | | | you retake what you failed, you don't need to retake |
| from the state. If the student fails, no one's notified. | | | | what you pass. Scores are between 250-450 and a |
| I have counseled students on the test, including my | | | | score of 350 is needed to pass either section. Scores |
| oldest son. To pass, students need a high school | | | | are mailed out a few weeks after taking the test. |
| understanding of Math and English. The key here is to | | | | Here's the the official CHSPE test website. |
| assess why you are failing or why you have mediocre | | | | Here's the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam |
| grades in school. If it's an issue of whether you can or | | | | information. |
| can't do it, that's much different than you simply don't | | | | Have faith, your career and future aren't based on |
| or won't do it. You may have a great reason to | | | | following the traditional path of high school graduation. |