High School Deploma and GED

[foreverproud]

Everything I'm finding online leads me that without a high school diploma or a GED you cannot join the Marines. I'm reading also that with a GED you must score higher ASVAB scores.

The reason I'm asking is we have one very difficult freshman this year. He is in the Special Education program simply because he is stubborn and really has very little interest in the school program. He is by no means unintelligent .... just a hormonal teen.

I was aware of this kid .... have listened to another teacher try to help him and reason with him. He is polite ... never disrespectful ... but just won't do the work. He wants to be a Marine. His mom says that is all he talks about. I did not know he wanted to be a Marine until today, when after listening to another teacher talk to him, I asked her about him after he left the class.

I told her that I believed you wouldn't be excepted without a high school diploma or a GED. She was really happy at that because she is going to try and use it as a motivator ... if he is truly serious. Anyway, I told her I'd talk to him too, so I'm just doing a double check ..... any exceptions that he could question me on?

Thanks....

[Phantom Blooper]

High School diploma....Best way to go.

GED plus 15 college credits....and then only a handful from each recruiting district picked.

To get a better in depth look.

Go into the Poolee Forum or Ask A Marine and there should be a sticky.

[foreverproud]

Thanks Phantom Blooper... appreciate it!

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Yup. Ask a Marine has a sticky.

And it's true. With ONLY a GED the chances of enlistment, even with the college credits, are very, very, slim indeed. Even then, (it requires a waiver from HQMC), unless the person has VERY high ASVAB scores, the job choices will be limited at best.

There is a Quota system for GED holders even with the required college creds.

[usmc3521]

If he wants to be a Marine tell him to square his **** away and get a diploma!

Not trying to be a dick but as his parents you are responsible for his discipline and work ethic. Whoop his ass if he can't get his crap together and quit blaming it on hormones.

[foreverproud]

I'm not his parent.

He's a student who is currently in the Special Education program at the high school where I'm a ParaEducator in the SPED program. I don't work with him directly at this time, but others in the program do. His parents are quiet concerned and pretty much have a daily conversation with his case manager. No one was blaming it on hormones ... I just used the term to loosely describe a teen ... having some problems at the moment, but really just a typical teen.

I'm just trying to help his teacher with some concrete info as far as a high school diploma and GED and what is required by the Marines. If he's serious about wanting to join the Marines, then it might make a difference in his effort at school.

[foreverproud]

If he wants to be a Marine tell him to square his **** away and get a diploma!

Actually I'd love to tell him that .... but I'd probably be fired or written up.


Thanks Sgt. Leprechaun for the additional info.

And it's true. With ONLY a GED the chances of enlistment, even with the college credits, are very, very, slim indeed. Even then, (it requires a waiver from HQMC), unless the person has VERY high ASVAB scores, the job choices will be limited at best.

There is a Quota system for GED holders even with the required college creds.

[usmc3521]

as Sgt Lep said 15 college credits with a GED and this is straight from my recruiter last night.... since the USMC is overmanned they are only recruiting the MOST qualified individuals, that being said if you have a GED even with college credits DONT WASTE YOUR TIME, he needs a diploma or no USMC

[usmc3521]

kudos to you though for making the effort for this kid to find out info about the USMC for him being that he is not your kid.

a Ged seems like an easy way for so many turds, they can quit school and sign up for ged classes, which is a joke. Dont sugar coat it for him, tell him flat out, no dipoma no Marine Corps

[foreverproud]

Thanks Motox .... ! If he's serious, really serious that ought to do it.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Well said, Motox....and thanks for doing that 'little bit extra'.

Sir, by all means, direct that lad to this site, if nothing else to read the responses.

[luis2787]

I dropped out of school and it was the worst mistake i ever made but i got my ged and college credits and decided i wanted to be a Marine. honestly special ed is for people who need help not people who dont want it sounds like he needs some to be thrown in the real see how he likes it god that makes me mad honestly i wish he lived around me cause id chew his *** out because Marines dont anyone its the few and the proud and believe me i have made mistakes but i tell you what if i had the chance id stay back in school.

[luis2787]

yeah i have made my mistakes but i have fixed them.

[montana]

how times have changed....i droped out of school....the Marines desided i would be a Marine and drafted me....still dont have diploma or ged....guess mostly because a teacher told me without it ill never amount to anything....well here i am...and im anything....I have reasonable health a home, land, animals, a wife that loves me, 6 kids that love me,10 grandkids that love me...and two that i dont know about yet as they are unable to tell me because of age...and three great grand kids that love me....dam what else is there???

[SlowWRX]

my recruiter told me I need a GED, I already have plenty of college credits, around 40, I made some mistakes in HS too, and didnt graduate by 10 credits, and now I really, really want to enlist, but can because of no GED, or diploma, Ill ask my recruiter again if I can still just enlist without the GED, since I have more credits in college then what I needed to graduate HS.