LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fifty students graduated today from American Career College’s no-cost GED (General Education Development) preparation program at ACC’s Los Angeles campus on Rosewood Avenue. The program, which has prepared ACC students for the GED for more than 10 years, opened this year to qualified community members.
GED Program Administrator Rhonda Petrini called it “a huge privilege to be part of our students’ journey.”
“These days, without a high school diploma or GED, students can’t get jobs and can’t pursue their education,” she said. “That can be discouraging. But we get to tell people that no matter what your story was, that’s all over, because doors open when you get your GED.”
ACC’s program provides individualized scheduling, teaching, tutoring, study materials, and practice testing in a comfortable classroom environment at no cost. Available at the college’s Los Angeles, Ontario, and Orange County campuses, the program uses adaptive learning technology to assess students’ skill levels and determine which test subjects have been mastered and which need further attention. Each campus has computers for self-paced tutoring and a library of GED-relevant material.
Those who pass the two-day California GED exam receive the equivalent of a high school diploma. Many pursue higher education, including ACC’s wide range of health care diploma and degree programs, from respiratory therapy and pharmacy technician to dental assisting and vocational nursing. Nearly half of L.A.’s 50 GED graduates said they plan to remain at ACC, where GED students are eligible to apply for ACC scholarships.
“Twenty years ago, it didn’t matter,” said 45-year-old Deloris Nicholas of South Los Angeles, who dropped out of high school to care for her mother and brother. “If it looked like you could do the job, they’d hire you.”
But when she was laid off after 13 years with a security company, she said, she couldn’t find another job without a diploma. Now, GED in hand, she is in the Medical Billing and Coding program at ACC’s Los Angeles campus. “I already have lined up a place to volunteer for an experience and an externship at a doctor’s office,” she said proudly. “Until now, I had no idea how much more I could do.”
“Times are getting better, but most job placements require you to have a GED,” agreed 27-year-old Mario Mariscal of San Pedro, a trucking dispatcher and father of two. Mariscal said he had trained in his native Mexico as an electronics technician, but couldn’t use his skill in his adopted country because he lacked a diploma. With his GED, he said, he can resume his training. “I want to get my career back,” he said, “and this has been a great opportunity.”
About the GED
The GED exam is a high school equivalency exam that tests students’ proficiency in Language Arts, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The exam is held in schools and facilities around the country. In 2010, more than 757,000 adults worldwide took the test.
About American Career College
American Career College (ACC) is a health care educator with three campuses located in Southern California. Founded by David Pyle (www.davidapyle.com) over 30 years ago, ACC offers students a comprehensive array of high-quality educational programs which prepare graduates for a challenging and rewarding career in health care. ACC is so confident in its ability to deliver a quality educational experience that if offers new students the “ACC Advantage” – a 30-day opportunity to attend classes and spend time on campus, and if students decide to cancel their enrollment before the 30th day, they do so with no tuition obligation. For more information, visit www.americancareercollege.edu.