In a post-pandemic world, online or virtual school has become more common. Most students these days have experienced online school in some capacity, whether during quarantine in 2020 and 2021 or as a replacement for beloved snow days. This exposure may have been enough to convince you that this untraditional way to get an education is the perfect way for you. It may not, however, be enough to convince your parent(s) or guardian. How can you get them on the same page as you? This guide can give you some tips on how you can get an education your way.

So, you've decided to attend an online high school to get your diploma–that’s great! –but now you have to figure out which track to take. At James Madison High School, we offer two different online high school diploma tracks, and it's important to pick the one that's the best fit for you. Let’s break down the differences between the high school diplomas to give you an idea of which is best for you and your future.

Going to high school online is a non-traditional choice, but it has become increasingly popular among teens and adults since the pandemic. Online high schools allow students to learn at their own pace. Students who study online can complete their courses faster than students who attend traditional brick-and-mortar high schools. This is an ideal solution for anyone—teen or adult—who is ready to move on to life after high school. Even adults can go back to school and do it all online. But how long does it take to finish an online high school program, are online high school programs legit, and is it worth it to get your high school diploma online?

What comes next after high school? Whether you’re just starting your James Madison journey or you’re wrapping up your last few classes, deciding what to do after graduation can feel stressful. Besides having to decide what you want to do for a career and where you want to go for college, understanding how to apply to the schools you’re interested in with an online high school diploma seems complicated. It doesn’t have to! Here’s what you should know about applying to colleges after your James Madison graduation.

Deciding which high school electives you should take involves knowing what your school offers, what your goals are after high school, and how rigorous you want your courses to be. Electives may seem less important than your core classes, but depending on what you want to do after high school, they can help prepare you for your next move. Here’s why electives are important and how to decide which classes are right for you.