You may want to know whether the military accepts Penn Foster High School Diploma or not. It is important for you to know especially if you want to enlist in the military.
According to the Best Accredited Colleges site, if you want to enlist in the military, you need a high school diploma or GED along with United States citizenship. It is also explained on that site that an online high school diploma could be rejected from the military, but not an online high school diploma from Penn Foster. It is important for you to note that not all online high school diploma programs are created equally.
You need to know that Penn Foster’s high school diploma program is accredited regionally by the Middle States Commission and accredited nationally by the Distance Education Crediting Commission. Not only that, they are also licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. So, a high school diploma from Penn Foster is as valid as a high school diploma from any public school district and the military will accept it. However, it is also important for you to note that when you are picking an online high school diploma program, you have to check for accreditation and licensing where it is done to ensure credibility and validation. Usually, institutions list this information on their website under ‘school accreditation’.
On the Penn Foster website, it is explained that if you want to join the United States Armed Forces, you have to meet basic standards for education, age, fitness, and more. Eligibility requirements can vary based on the branch of the military that you want to join to, but one thing which is the same across most areas is the need for a legitimate high school diploma. Depending on other exam scores and eligibility, you are able to use an online high school diploma like Penn Foster’s to enlist in the military as a Tier 1 recruit.
The Difference of Each Tier
As explained on the Penn Foster site, the United States Military uses three tiers to categorize recruits based on education and those are listed below.
- Tier I
This tier recruits have at least a high school diploma or a minimum of 15 college credits. Schools in this tier include traditional high schools, accredited private schools, and depending on the state you live in, some distance education high schools. - Tier II
In this tier, recruits include the people who have earned their GED, a correspondence diploma, or other level of education below a completed high school diploma. Usually, the Army accepts about 10% of Tier II recruits each year. Meanwhile, the Marines, for example, only accept 5% of Tier II enlistments. - Tier III
This tier is a category which does not technically exist these days. However, it would include recruits who do not have a high school diploma, GED, or relevant education. Tier III enlistments are almost never accepted by the military.
The Basic Education Requirements to Enlist
Here is the explanation about the basic education requirements to enlist according to the Penn Foster site.
There are some recruits who have been accepted to the Armed Forces with GEDs or other high school equivalency exams. The process is able to be longer and it is important for you to note that only a small number are accepted each year. These usually fall under Tier II enlistments.
Tier I enlistments which make up 90% of those who join the armed services each year, are people who have graduated from a high school program or have at least 15 college credits under their belt. Usually, regionally accredited public schools are considered Tier I.
For people who are interested in enlisting, they have to take the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) whatever type of education that they have. Your score and also your education are used to determine whether you are qualified to enlist or not. Not only that, the exam is able to measure your aptitude for specialty positions in the different branches of the military.
The Way to Enlist as A Tier I Recruit with a Penn Foster High School Diploma
According to the Penn Foster site, here is the explanation about how to enlist as a Tier I recruit with a Penn Foster High School Diploma.
Graduates of Penn Foster High School have enlisted as Tier I recruits in the Armed Forces before. When you are talking with a recruiter, it is important for you to be specific about your education. Let’s say you ask whether an online diploma helps you enlist. You may find that the initial response may be ‘no’.
Well, it is important for you to note that not all online high school diplomas are created equal. Without more information, your recruiter may be worried that your high school education was not complete or legitimate. The thing that you have to know is that Penn Foster High School is regionally accredited through the Middle States Commission and nationally accredited through the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). Not only that, it is licensed in the State of Pennsylvania. So, these accreditations ensure that your coursework meets the standards for high school programs across the country. So, the Penn Foster High School diploma that you have is legit.
However, it is important for you to note that there are some extra steps if you want to enlist as a Tier I recruit with your Penn Foster education. Same as all others interested in enlisting, you will need to take the ASVAB, earning a score of at least 50 on the Armed Forces Qualifying Test. Besides, you also need to graduate. After you have your diploma and have got a qualifying score on the test, you will be considered in Tier I for enlistment.
That’s the information that I got about whether the Military accepts Penn Foster High School Diplomas and some other information related to it according to some online sources such as Best Accredited Colleges site and Penn Foster site. Hopefully, this information is useful for you who want to know about it.
