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Online Program for Completing a High School Diploma

Students holding diplomasThe online high school program offered by Achieve Virtual Education Academy is a great way for any Indiana student with a need to attend classes when and where it makes the most sense for them, whether it’s for making up missed credits, accelerating their completion of diploma requirements, or attending a full-time schedule virtually because it works better for them than traditional high school. In this article we’ll provide guidance on what it takes to get a high school diploma online both in terms of Indiana requirements and what types of students thrive in the virtual environment.

Why Obtain a High School Diploma Through Online School?

There are a variety of reasons why it can make sense for any given student to pursue their diploma in part or in whole through a virtual learning program versus the traditional physical classroom approach.

In some cases, a student may need to just make up one course to keep them on track towards graduation, but the school can’t offer the course in time or on a schedule that works for the student. Other students might need to make up several classes. There are also cases where the traditional school approach simply doesn’t work for some students. They may be adult learners who need to juggle work and family responsibilities as they pursue their diploma. They may be homeschool students who want to continue learning at home, but need additional support as they enter higher grades and more advanced subjects. They may be a teenage student who needs to work during the regular school day to support their family. Others may be homebound because of a medical condition or chronic illness. In all these situations and others, an online school program can be the perfect solution with the flexibility they need to earn their high school diploma.

Indiana High School Diploma Requirements

At Achieve Virtual, students can work their way toward a high school diploma in our online program. The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) outlines four different kinds of high school diplomas: General, Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors (AHD), and Core 40 with Technical Honors (THD). The Achieve Virtual online high school program is designed to earn a complete Core 40 or Core 40 AHD. The IDOE website also lays out the course and credit requirements for these two diplomas as follows:

  • 8 credits of English/language arts
  • 4 credits of math
  • 4 credits of science
  • 4 credits of social studies
  • 2 credits of physical education
  • 1 credit of health and wellness
  • 6 credits of college and career pathway courses
  • 5 credits in directed elective courses (world languages, fine arts, career/technical ed.)
  • 6 credits of elective courses

The above credit list totals to 40 and makes up the requirements for a Core 40 diploma. Students who wish to achieve the Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma (AHD) must complete the above and add in the following:

  • Complete all requirements for Core 40.
  • Earn 2 additional Core 40 math credits.
  • Earn 6-8 Core 40 world language credits (6 credits in one language or 4 credits each in two languages).
  • Earn 2 Core 40 fine arts credits.
  • Earn a grade of a “C” or better in courses that will count toward the diploma.
  • Have a grade point average of a “B” or better.
  • Complete one of the following:
    • Earn 4 credits in 2 or more AP courses and take corresponding AP exams.
    • Earn 6 college credits in dual credit courses from the approved dual credit list (verified with transcripts).
    • Earn two of the following: A minimum of 3 college credits from the approved dual credit list (verified with transcripts); 2 credits in AP courses and corresponding AP exams, 2 credits in IB standard level courses and corresponding IB exams.
    • Earn a composite score of 1250 or higher on the SAT and a minimum of 560 on math and 590 on the evidence based reading and writing section.
    • Earn an ACT composite score of 26 or higher and complete written section.
    • Earn 4 credits in IB courses and take corresponding IB exams.

Each of the courses offered by Achieve Virtual for fulfilling the above requirements was designed for the digital learning environment by subject material experts, and in many cases were created by the teachers who will also provide the instruction to online students. Achieve Virtual Education Academy is managed by the Metropolitan School District (MSD) of Wayne Township, the public school district serving Indianapolis. Students ready to learn online can get the courses they need on a schedule that lets learning happen when and where works best for them.

What Kinds of Students Thrive in Online High School?

An online high school program isn’t for everyone. Students who do best are highly motivated and have enough self-discipline to keep themselves organized in a self-directed learning environment. Students eager to jumpstart their career, prepare for higher education, ready themselves for better workforce opportunities, or generally achieve academic success almost always do well in our program, whether it’s a teen or and adult learner. For more details on who is best-suited for online high school, including busting some myths and misconceptions, please take advantage of the following pages and articles of our website:

After reading all that material, you’ve probably got a good idea now about whether or not Achieve Virtual and its distance learning is the kind of online high school program that could work for you or a high school student in your family. Below we’ll provide some additional information about our program and how it works.

A Quality Online High School Education Program by Achieve Virtual

Not all online schools are created equal. You’ll have peace of mind knowing Achieve Virtual has years of experience in how to plan, design, and offer coursework and instructional support from teachers who get students across the finish line.

Each of our real Indiana teachers is highly qualified, licensed, and certified to teach in their subject areas. They are passionate not only about teaching, but about seeing each student succeed. Every Achieve Virtual student gets all the teacher support they need in each course.

No payment of any kind is required of any Indiana student enrolled with a full-time status. Part-time students may fund the modest fees of their coursework privately or can have the cost of their additional classes paid for by their regular school.

If you have a real go-getter high school student who wants to get a substantial head start towards higher education, whether it’s a private college or public university, please see our article about Advanced Education Options in Online School, which includes information about our advanced placement (AP) offerings as well as dual-credit offerings for college credit.

In our experience, colleges, universities, and even employers like seeing adults and teens who have taken the initiative to complete or accelerate their high school education with through Achieve Virtual. We’ve written about the career benefits of a high school diploma. Check out Adults Can Get Better Jobs After Online High School as well as our article about using Achieve Virtual to launch into higher education: The College Eligibility Benefit of Online High School for Adult Learners.

If you have any questions about our educational services that haven’t been answered either in this article or elsewhere on our website, please always feel free to contact us directly. We are here to help!

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