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I want to finish with good grades and receive my diploma

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If it's been years since you missed out on the opportunity to get your high school diploma, you may wonder, "What's the point?" More than likely, plenty has happened since that time. Maybe you have a job, a family, responsibilities and other challenges that make it difficult to think about getting your high school diploma.

After all, couldn't you just get an HSE? You could, but getting a high school diploma may not be as difficult as you think. Additionally, the benefits you gain could be significant - especially when you consider the long-term benefits.

Take a look at 6 reasons you should consider earning your high school diploma.

1. Better career opportunities. This is typically the main reason many people pursue a high school diploma. It can serve as the foundation for the rest of your life. When compared with gaining a HSE (a high school equivalency diploma), earning a high school diploma puts you ahead. Not only will it set you up for the possibility of attending college at a later date, but it also puts you at an advantage with employers.

2. Higher pay. While the numbers may vary depending upon your job, it's clear that the more education you obtain, the better your chances to earn more income. According to the Economic Policy Institute, those with a high school diploma earned about $4 more per hour than those without a high school diploma.

Another study also showed that a HSE, in many cases, didn't do much to boost a salary. For an overall comparison, high school dropouts earned $21,080 in 2012 (the last year for the study), compared to $28,309 for high school graduates and $50,734 for college graduates.

It's important to note the significant difference earning a college degree can make. If you get your high school diploma, consider the opportunity to attend college - whether as a traditional or online student.

3. Most colleges prefer a high school diploma. Thinking about the next step for your future? After looking at the salary comparisons, perhaps you should take the next step. While some higher institutions accept HSE for admission, all colleges and universities generally prefer a high school diploma to be considered for admission. It's never too late to continue your education. Study your options carefully and seek advice from counselors at your online school or local college.

4. An education improves your skills. Sometimes it's easy to forget the main benefits of high school. You're gaining life skills and practical skills that help you succeed in the workplace and at home. A high school diploma represents the hard work you put into your learning experiences. It's important not to underestimate the power of your education.

5. Less risk of being unemployed. Finish your high school diploma if you want a better chance at getting a job. As of December 2017, unemployment rates in the United States hovered around 4.1 percent. When compared to previous years unemployment rates continue to improve.

However, the unemployment rate varies significantly depending upon your education level. According to the 2017 Bureau of Labor statistics, the unemployment rate for college graduates was only 2.5 percent, compared to 5.3 percent for a high school graduate and 7.7 percent for those who had less than a high school degree.

6. Earning a high school diploma is easier than it was in the past. There could be a number of reasons why you think earning a high school diploma could be difficult. But with the ability to attend online high school - without ever leaving your home, it's more convenient than ever and can pave the way to a better future.

No matter which of these 6 reasons matter most to you, earning a high school diploma can make a significant difference in your life - both now and in the future. Contact us to learn more about your opportunities to earn a high school diploma online with Achieve Virtual.

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6 Reasons to Consider Completing Your High School Diploma

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If it's been years since you missed out on the opportunity to get your high school diploma, you may wonder, "What's the point?" More than likely, plenty has happened since that time. Maybe you have a job, a family, responsibilities and other challenges that make it difficult to think about getting your high school diploma.

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I want  to work and save some money for projects and trips.

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While your teachers are telling you to focus on school and spend all day and night locked in your room to study forever, getting a job in high school is probably one of the best things you can do. There are a tonne of positives and because you don't need to pay a mortgage and other adult things, you can take control of exactly how much you want to work.

1. Money

Getting a job in high school means earning your own money. Chances are your parents won't be making you pay board while you're in high school, so anything you earn can go straight towards whatever you want it to. NUGGETS AND GARLIC BREAD OBVS.

2. Experience

Getting a job early gives you plenty of time to build up experience, even if you're only working a couple of shifts a week. It'll look good on your resume and give you a reference for when you want to move on to something else.

3. Distraction

While it's easy to feel the pressure when your teachers make three assignments due in the same week, being able to forget about everything for a couple of hours while you're at work will help you put things in perspective. It'll also stop any major freak outs by giving you a break from the stress.

4. New friends

When you're working at a place that hires a lot of young people (think mainly hospo or retail jobs), you're going to be meeting heaps of new people your age. You'll always have something to talk about and you might meet some of your best friends there too.

5. Life skills

Getting a job during high school will put you ahead of anyone else who is waiting for graduation to land a job. Working teaches you essential things like time management, patience, people skills and the value of a good work ethic.

6. Discounts/free food

This is a major perk, especially if you're working in hospo and free food is on the cards. Not only will you be earning money, you'll also have to spend less if you want to buy something from work. Plus, your friends will love you if you use your discount when they come in.

7. It'll help you work out what you want to do

Getting experience and seeing the big wide world while you're in high school can help give you a clearer idea of what you want to do when you graduate. Even if working at Maccas makes you vow to never work in fast food again, at least you'll know that that industry isn't for you.

8. Flexible hours

Working in high school means you'll probably start out as a casual and your shifts will mostly be on weekends or during the afternoon/night. While you might start complaining about never having any free time, this working arrangement allows you to swap shifts pretty easily.

9. Early promotions

If you love your job and love the industry, working in high school means you'll be able to make significant steps in the company when you're still pretty young.

10. Time management

Having a job while you're in high school means you're going to have to organise yourself to get everything done. You'll probably find you procrastinate less, purely because you don't have the time to put things off anymore. That's probs not a bad thing either.

Employment Plus are all about helping you find a job so you can start making bank and being more independent. If you need a hand and you're anywhere from Brisbane to Melbourne, EPLUS has a range of services, all you need to do is hit them up with them a message on their Facebook page.

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Year13 - 10 Reasons Why You Should Get a Job In High School

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While your teachers are telling you to focus on school and spend all day and night locked in your room to study forever, getting a job in high school is probably one of the best things you can do.

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I want to get a higher education after high school so I can be better prepared for whatever career I choose to

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A college or university degree is a sizable investment, and you want to be sure that you are getting your money's worth when deciding which degree to get and which school to attend. How much a college education will cost depends on the type of degree, the specific college or university, and, at public institutions, whether you are an in-state resident student or attending an institution out-of-state. Generally, the tuition cost for in-state students at public colleges is about one-half as much as the cost of attending an institution out-of-state.

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A college or university degree is a sizable investment, and you want to be sure that you are getting your money's worth when deciding which degree to get and which school to attend. How much a college education will cost depends on the type of degree, the specific college or university, and, at public institutions, whether you are an in-state resident student or attending an institution out-of-state.

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After graduation I want to travel by myself and experience different things before college.

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Why you must travel alone at least once in your life | Chintan Ruparel | TEDxVITPune

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I want to buy my own house

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Buying your first house takes gumption. You resist splurging on Insta-worthy vacations to save for a down payment. Then hold off on converting those savings into stocks for the latest plant-based start-up your cousin raves about. You fight every temptation in hopes of joining that glorious homebuyers' circle, and just before you pull the trigger, you stumble upon an infographic telling you renting is actually cheaper - is this struggle even worth it?

The short answer is: yes. We've got a long answer for you, too (it even touches on the perennial own vs. rent debate). Here are nine benefits to homeownership that make buying a house totally worth it:

1. Grow with a local community

When you buy a house, you're not just another tenant swinging through a rental's revolving door. You're tethered to a location, tied to a community.

"Buying a home gives you roots. You meet a community, you become part of that community, and you establish a long-term relationship with a neighborhood, regardless of what age or demographic you are," shares Christina Griffin, a top-selling real estate agent in Tampa, Florida, with 18 years of experience helping buyers find the perfect home.

Communities with high own-to-rent ratios enjoy less crime, higher property values, and better voter turnouts. Neighbors connect through HOAs and online networks like Nextdoor to organize everything from neighborhood watch to Fourth of July bike parades. An ongoing 80-year study by Harvard proves a sense of community is essential to living a long and healthy life - all the more reason to settle in and stay a while.

2. Stabilize your monthly housing costs

Life's full of surprises - housing doesn't need to be one of them. When you buy a home, you remove the threat of landlord changes, lease termination, and rent spikes, a bane particularly plaguing city dwellers.

While the national average rent has steadily risen 11.3% since 2014, rent in expanding metro areas has lurched to new heights. For instance, rent in Griffin's home market of Tampa increased an average of 2.3% a year from 2018 to 2019, accounting for a 23% increase since 2014. In Stockton, California, home to some of San Francisco's super commuters, the rent hiked 28.4% from 2018 to 2019.

As a homeowner, your property taxes and home insurance rates may fluctuate, but you can control the majority of your monthly housing costs with a fixed-rate mortgage. For even greater predictability, take control of your monthly utility bills with these energy-saving tactics:

Swap out old appliances for new energy-efficient models.

Insulate your home with dual-pane windows and door sweeps.

Convert to drought-resistant landscaping.

Switch your utilities to budget billing, and set monthly utility payment based on your average yearly usage.

3. Paying a mortgage forces you to save

Buying a home builds long-term wealth through " forced savings." With each mortgage payment, you pay down your debt and accumulate equity in your house. You save automatically compared to the conscious effort needed to allocate money into your investments or savings account. When you reach the finish line of the mortgage marathon, you own an asset worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars outright.

Eager to play devil's advocate, some economists argue in today's housing market, you can theoretically save more money renting compared to buying a house. This stance highlights homeowners expend more recurring costs than renters (for example, property taxes, mortgage interest, maintenance costs, homeowner's insurance, and homeowners association or HOA fees).

Yet real data from the latest federal Survey of Consumer Finances reveals the average homeowner boasts a net worth of $195,400 compared to just $5,400 of the average renter; that's 36 times greater wealth. The difference between theory and practice? Discipline. For most Americans, forced savings is a hell of a lot easier than resisting the temptation to spend the spare cash they'd need to consistently save or invest to make renting a better deal.

4. Achieve a mortgage-free living and sail into retirement

The biggest reason why buying a house is worth it? When you pay your house off, you own an asset outright, which you can also live in (not to mention sip celebratory champagne inside of). Thirty-seven percent of U.S. households are owned outright, their occupants "free and clear" of mortgage payments. Accomplish outright homeownership and enjoy saving or spending the significant portion of your income previously assigned to housing.

When you reach retirement, this dispensable sum is ever more important as your income fixes. With minimal housing costs (property taxes, utilities, HOAs, and so on), you greatly increase your monthly spending budget - say aloha to spontaneous trip to Hawaii!

Even if the house you buy now isn't the one you'll take off from, you can always sell the house to help fund your retirement. The average American has roughly twice as much value in home equity as they have in their retirement savings. Selling your house allows you to liquidize your equity and put it toward buying a smaller house for cash or moving to a more affordable state.

5. Take advantage of homeowner tax breaks

Talking tax benefits is still talking taxes, so we'll make this quick. Here are the top tax breaks for homeowners:

Mortgage interest tax deduction

Deduct interest on up to $750,000 of a home loan for married couples, plus mortgage points if you bought them at closing.

Mortgage tax credit

Lower-income households who received a qualified Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) to purchase a house receive a credit amount of 10% to 50% of mortgage interest paid during the year.

Home sale tax exclusion

When it's time to sell, enjoy a tax break on capital gains of $250,000 for single homeowners and $500,000 for married homeowners filing jointly. You'll need to pay tax on profit beyond this threshold. See our full breakdown of the calculation here.

Implicit savings with imputed rent

Put on your thinking cap and pour yourself a double espresso for this one. Homeowners in the U.S. benefit from the hidden imputed rent tax break, meaning the government does not tax the payments you make as a homeowner into your mortgage as they would if those payments were funneled through a renter. Check out Business Insider's breakdown of this tricky, but wicked concept.

6. Design your house so you feel at home

Throw out your Command hooks and nail that oil painting to the wall! Home design is one of the most entertaining parts of owning a house (HGTV is the fourth-most-watched cable network in the country, after all...).

Enjoy free rein tailoring each room to your personal taste until you feel at home. Seventy-four percent of homeowners shared they have a greater desire to spend time in their house after remodeling. Your interior design and curb appeal enhancements not only improve your lifestyle, but they also have the potential to add value to your home, making a messy DIY weekend absolutely worth it.

So go ahead - paint the walls blue, convert a closet to a wine rack, install a mid-century mailbox. The world is your oyster.

7. Enjoy the comforts of increased privacy

Buying a house buys you privacy: no more nosy drive-bys or 24-hour entry notices from your landlord. When the A/C blows hot as July, you vet the service provider and schedule a time best for your schedule (probably with greater urgency than a landlord would).

You can also increase your privacy with physical home additions such as front yard fences, backyard lattices, and clever landscaping; or add smart home security systems like Ring, which sends alerts and live footage of your home's entry points straight to your phone. You're in control of your family's privacy and comfort.

8. Say hello to your new side hustle

Quit working for Uber and turn your house into your side hustle. Earn money from your spare rooms so you can pay off your debt or subsidize your mortgage.

For couples buying a home to grow into, the money you earn from those extra bedrooms can go toward the college fund of your future kids they're designated for.

Host with Airbnb

Experience travel vicariously through hosting guests with Airbnb. On average, Airbnb hosts earn $924 a month; with high-priced outliers taken into consideration, the median earning is still $440 a month.

Offer weekly and monthly discount rates to compete with hotels and short-term rentals, and charge a cleaning fee to refresh the space between guests. Regulations placing limitations on Airbnb are continuing to develop, so be sure to check your local laws and HOA rules before listing.

Rent a room

If you'd prefer a longer-term roommate, rent your spare bedroom to a local student or young professional. A recent analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data suggests if Americans rented out their spare bedrooms, they'd earn $6.2 billion a week. You'll need to claim the rent for income taxes, but you will also benefit from deductions on repairs like carpet replacement.

Split your mortgage with a duplex

Buying a duplex provides a balance of rental income and privacy - your renters aren't sharing your personal living space.

Griffin explains that duplexes are big in Tampa: "People are liking duplexes. They're selling at top dollar right now. They'll have a family living in one unit, then they'll rent other side, and it covers most of the mortgage payment."

Buying a duplex also teaches you the ins-and-outs of real estate investments. Learn the laws, test your landlord abilities, and convert your half into a second rental when you're ready to move your family to an upgraded home.

9. Pride of ownership is profound

Buying your first house is a mega-accomplishment, an important life milestone, even a realization of the American Dream. In a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors, buyers ranked " desire to own my own home" as their primary reason for buying a house. The majority of participant surveys show that citizens still view homeownership as a part of their American dream ( 75% of non-homeowners and 90% of current homeowners agree with this sentiment). When you buy a house, you own land, you express greater independence - you're the master of your domain.

Consider the caveats before you commit to a mortgage

Wealth-building and happiness through homeownership are by no means guaranteed. To make buying a house worth it, you'll need to:

Prepare your finances: Buying a house includes an array of costs on top of your down payment (think: Realtor fees, home insurance, property taxes, home maintenance costs, and so on). Calculate how much you should save with our first-time buyers guide.

Commit to a location: Investment-wise, housing is a long game, not a short one. The rate of return on a housing investment significantly increases the longer it's held as your equity grows and home appreciates in value over time. If you're ready to move for a job at the drop of a hat, consider renting until you settle into an area.

Buy the right house: Buying the wrong house can lead to buyer's remorse or worse: foreclosure. Team up with a top real estate agent so you can find the right home for your needs (and negotiate the best deal for your wallet).

Resist refinancing for the wrong reasons: Just because you can tap into your home equity, doesn't mean you should. Avoid refinancing your house to pay off debts or purchase consumable goods that don't add value to your property. Refinancing your home detracts from your forced savings and often costs more than the promised lower interest rate is worth.

When you're ready, buying a house is worth it

Buying a house is a major commitment, but the financial and lifestyle benefits are well worth the cost. Real estate is not the only investment out there, but it's certainly one of the most rewarding. After all, achieving homeownership is about more than buying a house - it's about settling into a home.
Header image source: (Skitterphoto / Pexels.com)

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Is Buying a House Worth It? 9 Reasons Why the Answer Is: '100% Yes!'

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Buying your first house takes gumption. You resist splurging on Insta-worthy vacations to save for a down payment. Then hold off on converting those savings into stocks for the latest plant-based start-up your cousin raves about.

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I’ve always wanted one

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I’m planning on studying visual communications

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A Visual Communications Degree is a field of study where talents and interests as diverse as photojournalism, painting and graphic design can merge and blend. A degree in this field will include courses in applied communications and technical skills along with history and theory of communications in different forms. Visual communications is exactly what its name implies: the study of how people communicate visually. With new media emerging on a continuous basis, this field changes frequently, but basic principles of good communication remain constant whether the medium is a traditional printed brochure or a mobile advertisement.

Degree Course Offerings

Majors in this field often choose what type of communications they want to emphasize after they have taken some courses that cover the history and theory of visual communication. Art history, the history of design, and information design theories are examples of classes that cover theory and involve academic study. Applied courses, where students will learn and practice skills, include drawing, illustration, web design, various software classes, and typography. Many courses cover the reasons why some images, colors and shapes work well for certain communication purposes.

Accreditation, Facilities and Recognition

No matter what school you choose for your visual communications program, you will want to make sure it is an accredited institution of higher education. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design provides accreditation for schools offering this type of degree program. The College Board also recommends that you should investigate the studios and labs on campus to make sure they are up to date and have state of the art equipment. Another strong program recommendation is whether or not graduates and faculty have won awards and have national or international recognition. Don't hesitate to ask the school what types of jobs graduates have gotten, and ask for references from recent graduates.

Differences in Visual Communications and Related Degrees

One of the hallmarks of a visual communication degree is its breadth. You will be exposed to many different modes of communication, even though your main interest might be to work as a photojournalist. Related degrees in graphic design, game design or advertising and marketing are generally more specialized. You may take courses that expose you to concepts in all of these areas if you are a visual communications major. You can also choose to emphasize a certain specialty such as commercial art, within your overall degree.

Career Choices for Visual Communications Majors

You have a wide range of career options as a visual communications major, from working as an art or creative director with a marketing agency, or as a web designer and programmer. The highest paid positions for graduates in this field are currently in the areas of web design and programming. New jobs are likely to emerge quickly as new media platforms emerge and mobile computing continues to grow worldwide.

What is a Visual Communications Degree? It is a broad major that will expose you to many different skills and theoretical knowledge used in communications and focused on visual images. With courses ranging from the history of art to typography and web design, you can gain skills useful in dozens of careers. A degree in visual communication is especially beneficial if you plan to work in new media, journalism, or web design.

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A Visual Communications Degree is a field of study where talents and interests as diverse as photojournalism, painting and graphic design can merge and blend. A degree in this field will include courses in applied communications and technical skills along with history and theory of communications in different forms. Visual communications is exactly what its name implies: the study of how people communicate visually.

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I want to start a business in the next few years so I can have extra money

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Why everyone should start a business | Bastiaan Zwanenburg | TEDxYouth@HNLBilthoven

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(this won't take longer than a year )

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(this will take longer than a year )