Frequently Asked Questions
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A “regionally” accredited high school diploma program is the 4 year academic program you would find at your local public high school (9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades). The students that we serve are primarily adults that have not been able to graduate from their local public high school, pass the G.E.D. exam, or pass their public high school state exit exam for high school graduation and are seeking an alternative to a traditional attendance-based high school diploma program or G.E.D. program. These adult students have demonstrated that they are not interested in being enrolled in a rigorous and time consuming 4 year college-prep high school diploma program and more importantly, cannot afford or are unwilling to pay the tuition of a regionally accredited private high school diploma program. A four year regionally accredited online program may cost approximately $1,500.00 per academic year which equals $6,000.00 for a student that needs to complete 9th through 12th grade.
The federal government provides financial aid for trade school and college courses however; the federal government does not provide financial aid to cover the cost of private high school tuition. Unlike colleges that receive federal financial aid, Continental Academy is a private high school that receives no federal financial aid. The student must pay the private high school tuition entirely out of pocket which can be very expensive or unaffordable for many students. For these various reasons, Continental Academy does not offer a regionally accredited or college-prep high school diploma program to its adult-based student population.
When searching for an alternative online high school completion program, students should be aware that there are no short cuts to college. A regionally accredited high school diploma program is not quick, easy, nor cheap. A regionally accredited private high school diploma program will require a significant amount of time, discipline, dedication, and money to successfully complete. Even though Continental Academy does not offer a regionally accredited or college-prep high school diploma program, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about college admissions. Our admissions counselors are available for a free no-cost consultation. To reach one of our admissions counselors simply pick up the phone and call 1-800-285-3514
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Yes. If you enroll ONLINE you will receive a $100.00 tuition discount which will reduce the total amount paid to:
$250.00 Full Payment Plan (Save $100.00)
$350.00 Monthly Payment Plan ($40.00 down / $40.00 per month)Note: You MUST ENROLL ONLINE with a credit card or debit card to receive the $100.00 tuition discount!
If you mail your application the payment plans are as follows:
$350.00 Full Payment Plan (Save $100.00)
$450.00 Monthly Payment Plan ($40.00 down / $40.00 per month)Note: A $34.95 graduation fee that includes the shipping and handling of the student diploma, diploma cover, wallet size diploma, and official graduation letter will be billed to the student account. The graduation fee may be paid at any time during the course of an academic program.
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Yes. Continental Academy has a 60-day money-back guarantee. Details are on the Click here for details.
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No. There are no classes to attend. You will have access to your online program 24 hours a day / 7 days a week and can study from anywhere that you have internet access.
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It’s easy to start. There are three options available to you:1. You may enroll online (credit card or debit card required) or
2. Print an enrollment application from our ENROLL NOW page and mail it back to Continental Academy along with a tuition payment or
3. Call 1-800-285-3514 to enroll on the phone with a credit card.
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You can call our Admissions Department at 1-800-285-3514.
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No. The P.A.C.E. program (18 online courses) is not designed for college admissions or to prepare you for college level coursework. The P.A.C.E. program is an accelerated online program designed for students who need an opportunity to earn a high school proficiency diploma for private sector jobs that require proof of high school proficiency, or, students who desire an opportunity to obtain a high school proficiency diploma for self improvement and/or personal satisfaction. Our program is not designed for college admissions, military enlistment, or for government/public sector employment. Continental Academy does not offer a college-bound or college preparatory program.
Note: Our P.A.C.E. online program (only 18 courses) provides students with an opportunity to graduate in a shorter period of time. In order to meet the admissions requirements of a college in regards to applying as a high school diploma graduate, you must demonstrate on your official high school transcript that you have successfully completed “individual courses”. These “individual courses” are approximately 28 courses that are usually completed in 4 YEARS. Also, depending on the state that you live in, you may be required to take and pass a public high school state exit exam in order to be able to receive a public high school diploma. Please be advised that if you are planning to apply to a college, the college may require more than a high school diploma; you may be required to have a sufficient exam score on a standardized test such as the SAT test and/or a sufficient exam score on a national college admissions examination such as the ACT. Additionally, the college may require college preparatory English courses, advanced Math courses such as Trigonometry and Calculus, advanced Science courses such as Physics and Chemistry, Foreign Language courses such as French and Italian, and other admissions requirements. You should check with any potential college as to its specific admissions requirements.
Even though Continental Academy does not offer a college-prep program, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about college admissions. Our admissions counselors are available for a free no-cost consultation. To reach one of our admissions counselors simply pick up the phone and call 1-800-285-3514.
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In employment, employers often evaluate if an employee or an employment candidate has sufficient proficiency in a wide range of high school subjects to ensure that person can perform tasks and duties that require proficient knowledge of high school subjects. In such instances, the high school proficiency diploma is useful and this is why we offer the program. It is a measure and gauge of a graduate’s proficiency, but not a substitution of a full four year high school program. If you are seeking to use the diploma for specific employment, purposes or criteria, we ask that you check with your employer first, to see if the P.A.C.E. Program, or the diploma generally, meets their criteria.
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Primarily for employment in the private sector and for self-improvement and/or personal satisfaction. Our program is not for college admissions, military enlistment, or for government/public sector employment. Most colleges, military branches, and government employment offices require either a G.E.D. or a 4 year regionally accredited high school diploma to qualify for employment. We do not offer the G.E.D. program or a 4 year regionally accredited high school diploma program. The acceptance of credits or graduates is always the prerogative of the receiving institution or employer.
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The P.A.C.E. Program (Pioneering Alternative Career-centric Education) is a self-paced, 16 credit, ONLINE high school proficiency diploma program for students who are at least 16 years of age. All courses are ONLINE. A computer with internet access is required to participate and graduate from this program.
The graduation requirements of the P.A.C.E. Program are to successfully complete 18 courses that equal 16 credits with a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 which is a “C” average.
When a student has successfully earned the required 16 credits for graduation and has paid their tuition in full, the student is awarded a Continental Academy High School Proficiency Diploma. There is no final exit exam to graduate from the P.A.C.E. Program.
DISCLOSURE: The P.A.C.E. program has been designed specifically for students who need an opportunity to earn a high school proficiency diploma for private sector jobs that require proof of high school proficiency, or, students who desire an opportunity to obtain a high school proficiency diploma for self-improvement and/or personal satisfaction. Please be advised that the P.A.C.E. program is not a college-prep program that prepares students for admissions requirements of a college/university/trade school and is not a high school completion program that prepares students for educational enlistment requirements of the U.S. Military. The P.A.C.E. program and this diploma may not be accepted by all educational institutions or employers as evidence of a high school education or diploma. “The P.A.C.E. program and this diploma are not high school equivalencies and may not be accepted as evidence of a high school education or diploma by all colleges or employers. Students should check with any potential college or employer as to its specific criteria. This diploma is not accepted as evidence of a high school education or diploma by any branch of the United States Military.”
Please be advised that the decision to recognize or accept Continental Academy’s high school proficiency diploma or any other diploma that you have earned is always the prerogative of the receiving institution in the United States. The decision to recognize or accept a diploma credential is usually based on the admissions requirements of the college or the employment policy of the employer. Continental Academy makes no representation that the P.A.C.E. program and this diploma will be recognized or accepted by ALL colleges or employers or that you will be guaranteed a job after graduating from Continental Academy. Continental Academy makes no representation of any kind concerning the fitness of its curriculum to meet any legal, educational, certification, licensing, or employment requirements.
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No. There is no need to mail your previous high school transcripts. Your Continental Academy transcript will be based on the academic performance of your successfully completed P.A.C.E. Program online courses which is a total of 16 credits.
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No. Continental Academy is a PRIVATE home study high school that awards a high school proficiency diploma. Continental Academy is NOT a public institution such as a public high school that offers the GED exam or a state department of education that offers a state high school proficiency exam in a proctored classroom testing environment.
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Yes. Academic Support is just a phone call away. Teachers are available Monday thru Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. With your study materials, you will receive a toll-free phone number to communicate with our Academic Support Department.
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All applicants will be considered for enrollment regardless of the last grade completed. However, students must be at least 16 years of age to enroll in the P.A.C.E. Program. Students under the age of 18 may enroll with parental or guardian approval.
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Upon completion of all your academic requirements and receipt of your final tuition payment and graduation fee, you will receive your 8 1/2″ x 11″ high school proficiency diploma, showcased in a blue & gold diploma cover. Along with your diploma you will receive your official graduation letter and wallet size diploma.
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Continental Academy is accredited by the National Association for the Legal Support of Alternative Schools (N.A.L.S.A.S.). The National Association for the Legal Support of Alternative Schools is not recognized by the United States Department of Education and/or the Florida Department of Education.
Note: The U.S. Department of Education does not have the authority to accredit private or public elementary or secondary schools, and the Department does not recognize accrediting bodies for the accreditation of private or public elementary and secondary schools. However, the U.S. Department of Education does recognize accrediting bodies for the accreditation of institutions of higher (postsecondary) education. If an accrediting body which is recognized by the Department for higher education also accredits elementary and secondary schools, the Department’s recognition applies ONLY to the agency’s accreditation of postsecondary institutions.
The National Association for the Legal Support of Alternative Schools ONLY provides accreditation to private alternative schools at the K-12 level and the U.S. Department of Education does not recognize accrediting bodies for the accreditation of private or public elementary and secondary schools at the K-12 level. The Florida Department of Education does not accredit, regulate, approve, or license private schools. Additionally, the Florida Department of Education does not officially recognize any of the various agencies that accredit private schools. The acceptance of diplomas from private schools will be subject to the requirements of the receiving educational institution or employer. For these reasons, besides ascertaining the accredited status of a school or program, students should take additional measures to determine, prior to enrollment, whether their educational or employment goals will be met through enrollment at Continental Academy. Those measures should include inquiries to prospective educational institutions or employers.
A Certificate of Accreditation issued by N.A.L.S.A.S. is not meant to represent an evaluation and/or approval of the materials, teaching staff or educational philosophy employed by the applicant program. Rather, only one standard is applied: consumer protection—an assurance to the general public: 1) that a member of the National Association for the Legal Support of Alternative Schools (N.A.L.S.A.S.) not involved with the control, operation, or proceeds of the applicant program has reviewed and confirmed documentation of their compliance with all state and local laws; and 2) that the conditions and advertising claims made regarding their location and operation have been verified (that the program is what it purports to be and does what it purports to do). Whether such a program is desirable or suitable for meeting the needs of a particular learner then becomes a question for the consumer to determine.