How To Get a Copy of Your High School Diploma
Are you among the 3.6 million students graduating from high school? Keep a hold of your transcript of records and diploma! Those will prove important when applying for college or for work!
Your high school transcripts are great for proving your education. That said, most organizations prefer your diploma.
But what happens if you lose it?
Do you call the school? Do you get a fake diploma made as a temporary solution?
If you want to know how to get a copy of your high school diploma, here are some things to consider:
1. Verify Your College or Employer Requirements
Always remember that your high school diploma is not the same thing as your transcript. In some cases, companies don't consider your diploma as an official record of your education in high school. To them, it only serves as proof that you at least graduated.
If you aim to use diploma to get into college or an employment, try double-checking. You never know, the place you're applying to might need a transcript instead. The only time you don't need to double-check is when you're getting one for personal reasons.
This is what you need to consider first before you ask how to get a copy of high school diploma.
2. Contact Your High School
Once you clear the requirements, you can now ask, "how to get a copy of my high school diploma?" If you're from a public school, it's most likely that they have a website. Check on it and see if they have information on the specific steps you need to get records like transcripts or your diploma.
In some cases, your school might not have their own website. You can do your research and try getting other contact information like their phone number or e-mail address. The best way to learn more is to go to the school in person and ask.
Go to the main office and start asking the staff. It's possible that they'll point you to the registrar office or some other person that can help with your issue.
3. Submit Requirements
When it comes to your copy of the diploma, the school processes might have slight variations. Your diploma is an official document, so at the very least they'll ask for a valid ID copy. They will most likely ask for your personal information and signature too.
The school will hand you a form that you have to fill by hand. Once you're done, you need to mail it to the address they gave. Take note that you will pay fees to print your new diploma copy.
The process might take several weeks to finish since it's a new personalized document. If you need to meet a certain deadline to get it, don't delay and get it as soon as possible.
What to Do in Alternate Situations
There are some school districts that don't issue copies of your diplomas. Their main alternative is to offer transcripts as well as letters of verification. These are effective means of confirming that you attended the high school.
In these situations, it might be the best and only option you have. Again, depending on the purpose, ask if your chosen college or employer will accept these instead. Contact them and ask what they can do to compromise but still meet their standards.
One of the worst case scenarios is that your school closed down or moved somewhere else. If you aren't sure which person to contact, you can try your state's Department of Education. They know what happened to your school and can direct you on which person to contact.
This helps you know whether you can access older or closed school records.
What to Avoid
Do not, under any circumstances, get a false or forged high school diploma. The option is tempting especially since it's a lot easier than the process of getting official copies. A lot of websites out there sell these under the guise of "novelty" diplomas and transcripts.
Fake diplomas are on a gray area in terms of legality. The strictness of the laws governing this can vary in different states. In most cases, the actual process of making or owning a fake diploma is legal unless it's an exact forgery of actual documents.
When you use a fake diploma to get a job still counts as fraud. What this means is that you can get expelled from work for this reason at the least. At its worst, your employer can take legal action and prosecute you.
You can also land yourself in deep trouble if you use your diploma to do services you don't have the qualifications for, and it becomes a big crime if anyone gets hurt as a result of your practice.
However: a duplicate diploma or replica is fine. These are considered forged diplomas or transcripts but they are only meant as a temporary deal until you can provide the real thing.
Does the Diploma Need a Seal?
In some cases, your chosen college or employer might request a sealed copy of your diploma. The diploma should be inside an envelop that has your school's stamp or seal. When requesting a copy of your diploma, make sure you don't open the school envelop before sending it in.
A sealed diploma is the best way for your employers to know its authenticity. It gives them the peace of mind knowing that it wasn't tampered with. Institutions that need this type of diploma usually have sensitive reputations, making sure their applicants send legitimate diplomas.
Make sure to keep a regular copy of your diploma when you send a sealed one.
How to Get a Copy of Your High School Diploma? Learn More Today!
With more than 160 million people in the civilian labor force, education becomes more important. It gives you the means to compete against the millions of applicants and accomplish the work you need to do.
It's the foundation you need to build a career and a stable means of earning a living.
Learning how to get a copy of your high school diploma isn't hard. Don't get tempted with fake or forged diplomas or you risk ruining your future career. Secure your future and study hard!
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