Seeking to advance her career, Hannah, a homeschool graduate from New Jersey, signed up for a certification exam from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Although Hannah held both a valid high school diploma issued to her by her parents and an associate’s degree from Marion Military College, ASCP said that her application for testing was “deficient”  because they did not consider her high school diploma valid.

Thinking there must be some misunderstanding, Hannah called ASCP’s customer service line, and pointed out that the ASCP’s standards for testing eligibility clearly state that an associate’s degree should be sufficient.

Nonetheless, the ASCP representative informed Hannah that she was ineligible due to her status as a homeschool graduate.

Looking for Help

After being unable to speak with anyone in ASCP’s leadership, Hannah knew what to do next. Her family had been a member of HSLDA, so she contacted our legal team for guidance and assistance. We promptly sent a letter to ASCP explaining Hannah’s situation and pointing out that Hannah had not only a legally valid high school diploma, but also an associate’s degree, which was more than enough for her to meet their standards for testing.

Thankfully, ASCP contacted Hannah a few days later and told her that there had been a misunderstanding, and that she met the eligibility standards for testing.

HSLDA is grateful for ASCP’s willingness to correct their error and allow Hannah to take the certification test. If you’re an HSLDA member family and your grad encounters a similar problem in New Jersey or another state, please feel free to contact us. We’re happy to assist you!