Having a high school diploma can help you meet the basic requirements for many in-demand careers and allow you to take the next steps toward securing a job you’re interested in. With a few exceptions, most employers today are unlikely to even consider an application from someone who doesn’t meet their minimum education requirements. But besides getting your application to the next stage of the hiring process, completing your high school diploma has other benefits that can make a positive impression when you’re applying to jobs, from helping you develop problem-solving skills to building your understanding of the basic math and reading you’ll use every day.

Homeschooling offers an independent, self-paced education for students who may not thrive in a public school environment or who want the option to finish high school on their terms. But completing classwork and studying only at home—especially during a pandemic that keeps everyone inside—can start to feel like being stuck in a rut for your student. Without a change of scenery, they can get bored and find it harder to focus. Shaking up their study sessions can help them get back on track and excited to learn, but what can you do when the world is practicing social distancing? Here are five ideas to get started!

As an adult learner, school isn’t your only priority. While you know you need to finish your high school diploma, you also need to work, spend time with family, and try to squeeze in some downtime for yourself. Staying on track with all of your responsibilities can be a job in itself but with a little planning, balancing work, school, and your life is doable. Here’s how to get started.

Graduating from high school is a big milestone and it deserves to be celebrated! Whether you’re a traditional student graduating on time or a little early, or an adult learner who just had the opportunity to complete their high school diploma, you’ve accomplished something huge. As an online high school graduate, though, you may not be sure how to celebrate your success. But did you know that James Madison High School has a graduation ceremony that allows you to share your achievement with family, friends, teachers, and fellow grads? Here’s everything you should know to prepare for the 2020 ceremony.

As you get closer to finishing high school, people can’t seem to stop asking “what do you plan to do with the rest of your life?” That’s a big question to answer. It can even be a little scary - if what you choose to do after high school decides the rest of your life, will a “mistake’ set you back? Before going into a full-on panic about what will happen after graduation, here’s how you can start deciding what you want to do when you finish your diploma.