Find the Best Online High Schools in Three Easy Steps!
Why Does My Age Matter?
Not all online high schools are available to persons of every age. In fact, most schools serve only youths. Fortunately, that still leaves several excellent educational options for adults of every age—if you know where to look. Select your age category and then use our three-step solution to find the school that’s right for you.
We’ve done all the groundwork so that you can easily see what each school has to offer. We also offer you access to free online high school resources and have valuable advice to share with anyone who’s been wondering how to do the GED online.
Understanding Online High Schooling
Just as in education, the key to any successful endeavor is to begin with a firm grasp of the basics. To find the right online high school, start by considering the following:
1.What is an online high school?
An online high school is one that is hosted by, or largely conducted on, the Web. Many high schools have virtual learning components, but are not truly “online.” More Info
2.How can I find a free online high school or earn a free online high school diploma?
Tuition-free online high schools are generally public and state-funded. More Info
3.How does an online high school work?
The programs of such schools vary widely. For instance, some online high schools host real-time virtual classes with live instruction, others present schedules or simply host basic communication between teacher and student. Some programs make the entire curriculum accessible online, while many rely on both print and digital Web-based learning materials, which may include scripted audio or visual presentations.
In short, not all online programs are equal. That’s why careful analysis has informed our recommendations of the best online high schools. More Info
4.What’s the difference between cyber school, virtual school, and online high school?
The difference is merely one of semantics, or word choice. Historically, many terms have been used to identify Web-based secondary schools. Today, the most commonly preferred term is online high school. More Info
5.How legitimate, or real, are these online schools?
Online high schools are legitimate provided that they are fully accredited as well as staffed by credentialed teachers. As such, they must go through the same accreditation procedures. Many such schools are paving the way for a new age of technology-enabled education, as they can often offer more than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. More Info
6.How long have online high schools been in existence?
While there are no definitive statistics on this, the majority of truly online programs became operational within the last decade. More Info
7.Do colleges accept online high school diplomas? Do they acknowledge the validity of online classes and courses?
Just as it does with on-site schools, this depends on the online high school’s accreditation. Today a growing number of colleges strongly support online education. More Info
8.What are the technology requirements?
To begin with, of course, a computer and Internet connection are required. In addition, Webcams and microphone headsets extend the communication options between student and teacher. Many schools rely on a variety of software that is used depending on the program. This ranges from software for instruction and assessment to software that facilitates virtual meetings and presentations. More Info
9.How long will I have to spend on the computer?
This varies from school to school. Some online learning centers require all-day attendance. For others, attendance may function on a “per class” basis. Still other schools allow for asynchronous learning, in which students access prerecorded classes on their own schedule and at their own pace. More Info
10.I took a college online course. Is high school similar?
Online high schools tend to be more interactive than their college counterparts. As a rule, online college courses involve less communication and instructional support than online high schools. More Info
A Note from the Editor
It was around the turn of the millennium when an acquaintance first shared with me a most extraordinary insight about the future of education– they predicted that there would one day be schools—including public high schools—that were hosted entirely online. At the time I laughed it off. Soon afterward, I realized that the joke was on me. Soon, I was conducting serious research into the aims, resources, objectives, and potential of such schools.
What I learned altered my personal career direction. I started an online public high school and gained a wealth of direct experience in this mode of secondary education. I also discovered that the waters of online high school education were vast and largely unchartered. In processing inquiries for the public online high school that I founded, I discovered that more than half the inquiries reflected misconceptions or misinformation. What people needed was an authoritative and free online high school guide.
Hence, this website. Here you will find clear and accurate information about the many-faceted forms of online high school education. I encourage you to make OnlineHighSchool.org your trusted guide to determining which school can best meets your needs.
