I am so lost
July 21, 2010 3:17 PM Subscribe
I asked this question last week... Turns out the school misled about being accredited. Now what?
After finally getting through to someone who could help me, I found out the school was accredited through a private organization and not through the state agency. (My mom insisted it was accredited, so apparently she was misled into thinking it was accredited by the state.)
The job I was trying to get... Denied. Because it wasn't state accredited.
I got through to a lady who used to work at the school. She explained that I should take my ACT test (which I didn't get around to back then.) She says the ACT results would somehow 'validate' my worthless transcripts and diploma. This doesn't really make sense to me, and she had a hard time trying to explain to me why it made sense. She seemed very flustered that I was questioning their accreditation.
So I am confused. I am currently a student in college (yes, the college accepted my HS credits...), but the job I applied for needed to verify my HS diploma. Do I take my ACT test and hope that will work next time it has to be verified? Do I go and get a G.E.D.? (Even though I completed HS and have a diploma.)
I am so confused and angry I am having trouble trying to figure this out on my own. I'd appreciate any help or suggestions greatly.
After finally getting through to someone who could help me, I found out the school was accredited through a private organization and not through the state agency. (My mom insisted it was accredited, so apparently she was misled into thinking it was accredited by the state.)
The job I was trying to get... Denied. Because it wasn't state accredited.
I got through to a lady who used to work at the school. She explained that I should take my ACT test (which I didn't get around to back then.) She says the ACT results would somehow 'validate' my worthless transcripts and diploma. This doesn't really make sense to me, and she had a hard time trying to explain to me why it made sense. She seemed very flustered that I was questioning their accreditation.
So I am confused. I am currently a student in college (yes, the college accepted my HS credits...), but the job I applied for needed to verify my HS diploma. Do I take my ACT test and hope that will work next time it has to be verified? Do I go and get a G.E.D.? (Even though I completed HS and have a diploma.)
I am so confused and angry I am having trouble trying to figure this out on my own. I'd appreciate any help or suggestions greatly.
I am sorry you're having to deal with this. I imagine it must be frustrating. It might help you to get better advice and suggestions if you add some details about your situation. What type of job are you looking to get? What is the field you are studying, and where are you in college now?
posted by cribcage at 3:24 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by cribcage at 3:24 PM on July 21, 2010
If you're in college, I would assume that you've already taken the SAT/ACT.
This sounds like more of a "checkbox" for the HR of the job you're applying for. A kind of job that does this, well, I wouldn't want to work there anyway. In any case, taking the ACT is not likely to appease them.
If I were you I would sign up for a G.E.D. That opportunity might be lost, but if you want to protect yourself in the future. You should know though that most private employers don't check this stuff, and hardly ever check transcripts.
posted by unexpected at 3:25 PM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
This sounds like more of a "checkbox" for the HR of the job you're applying for. A kind of job that does this, well, I wouldn't want to work there anyway. In any case, taking the ACT is not likely to appease them.
If I were you I would sign up for a G.E.D. That opportunity might be lost, but if you want to protect yourself in the future. You should know though that most private employers don't check this stuff, and hardly ever check transcripts.
posted by unexpected at 3:25 PM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Are you trying to get a state job, ie, navigating the Merit Employment System? It'd help to know that, as KY seems to have some restrictions on what they consider valid for accreditation (as listed here).
Note that the ACT is mentioned nowhere here, and I wouldn't necessarily trust former employees of a school with dodgy accreditation to tell you how to fix the problem. If it is a state gig and it does operate under the merit system, you should call those guys at (502) 564-8030 and have them tell you exactly what you need.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 3:26 PM on July 21, 2010
Note that the ACT is mentioned nowhere here, and I wouldn't necessarily trust former employees of a school with dodgy accreditation to tell you how to fix the problem. If it is a state gig and it does operate under the merit system, you should call those guys at (502) 564-8030 and have them tell you exactly what you need.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 3:26 PM on July 21, 2010
Response by poster: It is a state job. I am currently a criminal justice major. I don't trust what that woman said, it didn't make sense to me anyway.
@ fairytale of los angeles - I checked out that link you put. It is a government agency. The man is HR apparently does check accreditation. He told me I was uneligible because of this whole issue...
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 3:30 PM on July 21, 2010
@ fairytale of los angeles - I checked out that link you put. It is a government agency. The man is HR apparently does check accreditation. He told me I was uneligible because of this whole issue...
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 3:30 PM on July 21, 2010
Response by poster: As to my last comment, I said the job I applied for was a state job. It is a government agency, but it was a local agency. I am not sure if that makes a difference here.
The job was for the Fayette Co. Gov that I was denied.
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 3:32 PM on July 21, 2010
The job was for the Fayette Co. Gov that I was denied.
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 3:32 PM on July 21, 2010
Well, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government jobs department has its own line for questions, (859) 258-3051.
I do think it's going to come down to asking the right office "how do I make myself eligible for employment under these conditions, given that I didn't attend an accredited high school? Do I need to take the GED, or is there some other process I can undergo?" The right office is probably whichever one you sent your application to.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 3:42 PM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I do think it's going to come down to asking the right office "how do I make myself eligible for employment under these conditions, given that I didn't attend an accredited high school? Do I need to take the GED, or is there some other process I can undergo?" The right office is probably whichever one you sent your application to.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 3:42 PM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I would be sure to lodge a complaint with the BBB, the state AG, and the state school accrediting body (state board of ed, probably?) since this place is basically engaging in fraud.
Which doesn't fix your present problem but sometimes vengeance is helpful.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:50 PM on July 21, 2010
Which doesn't fix your present problem but sometimes vengeance is helpful.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:50 PM on July 21, 2010
I would also suggest talking to a counselor at the college- probably in the registrar's office. Working in high school administration, I get the picture that college counselors tend to know about how to deal with these kind of things. I'm sure that you're not the only person to have been put in this kind of situation.
posted by jmd82 at 3:52 PM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by jmd82 at 3:52 PM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
I would be sure to lodge a complaint with the BBB, the state AG, and the state school accrediting body (state board of ed, probably?) since this place is basically engaging in fraud
As much as it sucks, this is debatable. Part of the trick with private schools (I work in one) is getting the correct accreditation. We just went through the process last year, and I learned there are plenty of accreditation boards out there. It's also not about the state per se accrediting your school- we are accredited by a private organization, but is a national and well-known one which states recognize.
posted by jmd82 at 3:56 PM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
As much as it sucks, this is debatable. Part of the trick with private schools (I work in one) is getting the correct accreditation. We just went through the process last year, and I learned there are plenty of accreditation boards out there. It's also not about the state per se accrediting your school- we are accredited by a private organization, but is a national and well-known one which states recognize.
posted by jmd82 at 3:56 PM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
The school is closed now, according to the poster's previous question.
posted by amtho at 4:09 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by amtho at 4:09 PM on July 21, 2010
Go get a GED. You should be able to get a perfect score without even studying.
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:18 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:18 PM on July 21, 2010
Response by poster: Thank you all, very much. I'll call those numbers, but you pretty much confirmed that I need to go after the GED. That disappoints me and will be a hassle/waste of money, but I guess I have no other options.
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 4:43 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 4:43 PM on July 21, 2010
Have you double-checked to see if they will accept the SAT rather than the ACT? Presumably you took the SAT if you're in college and didn't take the SAT. I would contact the state education board and ask if they have any guidance for people in your situation. It's very unusual for a job to check into the validity of your high school diploma if you're in college... seems weird.
posted by elpea at 6:17 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by elpea at 6:17 PM on July 21, 2010
FEIW, I dealt with a similar problem, although in my case the school said that they would become accredited during my attendance, but did not. I chose not to get a GED when I found, to my surprise, that it was actually a *bad* thing in some quarters. For instance, a college that I wanted to apply to simply wouldn't consider applicants with GEDs, but wasn't concerned about whether my high school was accredited.
Point being, recognize that a GED might actually be bad under some circumstances.
posted by waldo at 6:58 PM on July 21, 2010
Point being, recognize that a GED might actually be bad under some circumstances.
posted by waldo at 6:58 PM on July 21, 2010
It seems like there would be very few (and very strange) circumstances in which the accreditation of your high school would matter to an employer at all. I was homeschooled through high school, and no employer has ever cared.
Also, as previous comments have noted, there are different private accrediting agencies which can accredit private schools; accreditation of private schools is not done *by* the state. What was the name of the private accrediting agency in question? It may be one of the six generally-recognized-as-legitimate regional accrediting agencies, in which case, no one should have any problem with it.
posted by Wavelet at 7:37 PM on July 21, 2010
Also, as previous comments have noted, there are different private accrediting agencies which can accredit private schools; accreditation of private schools is not done *by* the state. What was the name of the private accrediting agency in question? It may be one of the six generally-recognized-as-legitimate regional accrediting agencies, in which case, no one should have any problem with it.
posted by Wavelet at 7:37 PM on July 21, 2010
Response by poster: I really don't want to do the GED thing, I did graduate high school and I realize that GEDs don't look quite as good as diplomas. I have worked all my life and never had a problem with this before.
I am trying to get into the Law Enforcement, and apparently they check everything alot more thoroughly than I ever expected.
I do find it weird that I am in college and yet they still want to validate my HS diploma...
@Wavelet - Thanks for that link btw. I have checked it out and it was none of those agencies. When I talked to the school lady she said it was accredited by a Christian organization (I had no idea...) and the credits were accepted by the nearby colleges. So the UK and EKU apparently accept it as valid. Any other college is a crapshoot.
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 8:09 PM on July 21, 2010
I am trying to get into the Law Enforcement, and apparently they check everything alot more thoroughly than I ever expected.
I do find it weird that I am in college and yet they still want to validate my HS diploma...
@Wavelet - Thanks for that link btw. I have checked it out and it was none of those agencies. When I talked to the school lady she said it was accredited by a Christian organization (I had no idea...) and the credits were accepted by the nearby colleges. So the UK and EKU apparently accept it as valid. Any other college is a crapshoot.
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 8:09 PM on July 21, 2010
Does your local community college offer a high school diploma? Some of the local colleges offer a diploma or GED, so you have a choice of one or the other. Then you could get a real diploma instead of a GED.
posted by fiercekitten at 11:18 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by fiercekitten at 11:18 PM on July 21, 2010
I don't know how it works down South (i.e. in the US), but wouldn't completion of a university (what Americans call "college") degree negate any need for a highschool diploma? I technically don't have a highschool diploma (due to one half credit of math missing, long story that still makes me angry) but I did my BA as a "mature student" (mid-to-late 20's) and potential employers don't really care about my highschool diploma, since I have a more advanced degree/education by going to University. If you have a BA or BSc, is having an "accredited by the right board" hs diploma that important?
posted by 1000monkeys at 12:08 AM on July 22, 2010
posted by 1000monkeys at 12:08 AM on July 22, 2010
Was the accreditation agency these guys? They are legit.
One thing you could do is take the GED test to satisfy these people, but never put it on your resume. If the next employer gives you shit, just say "yeah, I got that last time. I took a GED test to satisfy them, here are my results."
And parents, this is why you send your kids to normal schools. Whatever good is done by the special school is pretty quickly undone when nobody accepts their diplomas.
(Funny thing, nobody has ever asked for my diploma. I kinda doubt anyone ever even checked with the school.)
posted by gjc at 3:21 AM on July 22, 2010
One thing you could do is take the GED test to satisfy these people, but never put it on your resume. If the next employer gives you shit, just say "yeah, I got that last time. I took a GED test to satisfy them, here are my results."
And parents, this is why you send your kids to normal schools. Whatever good is done by the special school is pretty quickly undone when nobody accepts their diplomas.
(Funny thing, nobody has ever asked for my diploma. I kinda doubt anyone ever even checked with the school.)
posted by gjc at 3:21 AM on July 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by alaijmw at 3:21 PM on July 21, 2010