The BasicsShould You Pursue Higher Education?What Types of Education Exist?Choosing Where to StudyThe Application ProcessFunding Your EducationGetting a Job While in SchoolOther Financial ConsiderationsRights and AccommodationsNext Steps

Getting a Higher Education

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    updated August 1, 2025
    Getting a Higher Education

    The Basics

    Young people who are finishing or have recently finished high school have to make some big decisions as they become adults. These decisions include whether to continue going to school, what type of school to go to, where to go to school, and how to pay for school.

    If you are in this situation, this section will help you decide what to do. It will help you decide whether you want to get more education and what types of education to consider. If you have been accepted into a school or are already attending one, it also has information about how to pay for your education and your rights as a student.

    High School Equivalency (HSE)

    Some people don’t graduate from high school. That means they don’t have a high school diploma. Without a diploma a person can’t be accepted into college or get some jobs.

    If you don’t have a high school diploma and aren’t in high school anymore, you may be able to take a set of tests to earn a certificate or diploma that lets you go to college or do jobs or activities that require a high school diploma. In North Carolina, you must be at least 18 years old to take the equivalency tests (or get special approval if you are 16 or 17).

    There are three options in North Carolina: the General Educational Development (GED), the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), and the Multiple Pathways to High School Equivalency (MPHSE) Diploma program with free classes at North Carolina Community Colleges.

    There are books and classes that can help you prepare for these equivalency tests. Many people with disabilities can get reasonable accommodations to assist them while taking the tests, including extra time, a private room, a calculator, and more.

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    Start Planning Now

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    Finding a Job

    Get ideas on how to find work.