It becomes extremely difficult to get ahead in life without a high school diploma. But sadly, the numbers of school drop out are on rise. In a recent speech, President Obama mentioned, more than 3,300 American youth are dropping out of high school every day. Socio economic reasons for high school dropping out are many and varied that range from poverty and teen pregnancy to discipline problem to boredom. 

Often a long process of disengagement and academic struggle results into dropping out from the school. Clearly, those decide to drop out from school lack in motivation as well as encouragement from school or home.

Whatever may be the reason, the discontinuation of study at an early age may mean havoc for the youth. Without a high school diploma, they will have a harder time finding a job, and they will earn much less when they do find one. They are more prone to health issues, living in poverty, and having children at an early age, who in turn have a higher propensity to drop out of high school themselves.

 

According to an estimate of U.S. Department of Labor, high school dropouts earn about $10,000 less each year compared to workers with diplomas. The downturn has made the job market fiercely competitive, where jobless baby boomers are seen competing for jobs with college graduates and undergraduates, and college students competing with high school students and dropouts.

March unemployment figures from the federal Bureau of Labor show that unemployment was 13.3 percent among people in the age group of 25 and older with less than a high school diploma, compared to 8.5 percent overall.

 

However, online education comes as the silver lining in the cloud.

It is true that many teen dropouts eventually go back to school to get their diploma and then on to earn a college degree. But with window for state-funded schooling closed, it becomes expensive for the returning students, who now must make the sacrifice to go to school as a working adult and pay tuition.

 

Online education brings hope for those drop outs who intend to make a come back to the world of education but lacks the resource. Online education system allows the students obtain a high school diploma without spending a lot of money.

 

Ashworth High School is a good case in point. The school's online high school program is regionally accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). It has recently become even more affordable this summer by reducing tuition on its general, college preparatory and vocational programs by as much as 35 percent.

 

The Sloan Survey of Online Learning Report states that online education has increased by over 16 percent in the past three years, and growth is projected to continue, as the benefits become widely known.

 

While online education can prove helpful to set the youth on the right path of their career, it is essential to practice caution, while choosing a program.

When seeking out an online high school, one needs to make sure the institution is accredited. 

"If you want your diploma to be accepted by employers and other schools, your best bet is to enroll in a school where the accrediting body is approved by the Department of Education. Diploma mills will either openly sell degrees for cash or pretend to be legitimate. Sadly, many students 'graduate' from these diploma mills thinking they have earned a real degree," Dr. F. Milton Miller, Ashworth College Vice President of Education, advises.