For the seven or eight years or so between the time I left high school without a diploma and the time that I got my GED in 2007, every time I filled out a job application there was that dreaded "education" section. It usually looked something like this:
High School
Name of School ________ Address ________
Diploma? ▢Yes ▢No
Every time I checked "No", I knew it increased the chances that the person reviewing my application would stop right there and throw my app in the trash. If they did choose to hire me, they didn't have to worry about paying a competitive wage. Opportunity for advancement? Not for dropouts. When I finally got my GED, I thought my days of "checking the box" were finally over. Ooooooohhh, no. Not by a longshot.