High School Diploma GED Validation
High School Diploma/GED Validation Policy
In the event Carroll College has reason to believe that a high school diploma is not valid or was not obtained from
an entity that provides secondary school education, Carroll College will conduct additional research to determine if
the diploma is in fact valid. Red flags that will prompt additional research are:
- No apparent state legal authority for high school or G.E.D.
- Limited curriculum/instructors
- High school diploma given for a fee within a short period of time
- High school diploma date/place not consistent
- High school diplomas/transcripts/GED’s that were issued by a school that bears a non-traditional name that
does not end in “high school”, such as “academy”, or “center”
- High school diplomas/transcripts/GED’s that were purchased and/or completed online
- High school diplomas/GED’s that have names and/or dates that have been written on the diploma, and those
where “white out” type corrections have been made
Should any of the above red flags exist, Carroll College will conduct additional research to include:
- Checking the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) website for information relative to the
validity of the school, and if the school in fact provides secondary school education. If Carroll College is
unable to obtain the required information, Carroll College will contact the state the school is located in an
attempt to obtain the appropriate documentation.
- Determining if the school has previously been identified as a high school diploma mill, via internet research and existing lists the school maintains.
- Determining if the diploma or transcript was purchased online with little work expected by the student, or if it was earned via brick and mortar traditional high school.
Ultimately, if Carroll College is not reasonably certain a high school diploma or G.E.D. is valid, the student will
not be admitted. Carroll College’s decision relative to the validity of a particular high school diploma or G.E.D. is
final, and not subject to appeal.