Children are told from an early age that it is mandatory for them to graduate from high school, but it is only when they are on the verge of dropping out that they understand the importance of stay in school. It's also when they hear how high school students who drop out learn the incredible price they pay in the future when they give up their education. Thinking in a teenage frame of mind and trying to take the easy way out, they go straight for a GED, which is said to be equivalent to earning a diploma. In a comprehensive list of educational resources, most teachers tend to argue that "General educational development lacks the depth and breadth found in traditional higher education" ("The Facts about Getting a GED" par.5) . Initially, the program was created for World War II veterans to receive high school after the war and not for students who decided they wanted to opt out (“General Educational Development” par.1). That was until 1959, when it wasn't just veterans who got to the GED, but also adults who hadn't yet finished high school (par.1). In the Education Week article “Dropout,” it states that “Overall, the dropout rate has changed across racial and ethnic groups; minorities tend to have higher dropout rates than their white classmates” (Kaufman and Bardby para. 4). To date the GED profile is still changing between 3.5 and 6 million young adolescents aged 16 and 17 who have decided they do not want to finish school (Haskins par.1). National Public Radio stated that “Many states are willing to reduce the high school dropout rate by raising the high school dropout age to 18” (Abramson par. 10). This law should be passed... middle of paper... set equal to the mandatory school dropout age. This is a high risk if you give children the opportunity to drop out to earn money that will not benefit them in the long term without a diploma. There are few who will claim that the mandatory age for dropping out of high school is good at sixteen. Major requirements taught in high school become useless, especially lower-skilled jobs, so not all people who drop out will not be successful. Therefore, the company is creating an economic waste by providing a service of little benefit to the majority of people (Rodriguez par.2). PBS, the public broadcasting service, has provided facts showing that not all GED recipients are less successful than high school graduates. For example, comedians Bill Cosby and Dave Thomas both received GEDs and were very successful. (Schleicher 1).