But states considering switching say they'll put more emphasis on the equivalency credential or diploma they issue rather than the test taken to earn it.

WSJ: Some states dropping GED as test price spikes

MIT, along with other academic shrines, may do all this while preserving the value of what it really sells: spots in the lecture hall and dorm rooms, the chance to interact face-to-face with a prestigious faculty and like-minded students and, a golden credential, the MIT diploma.

FORBES: MIT Short Circuits Distance-Ed Sellers

One reason for the relatively large high school completion rate is that the United States offers a number of "second chances" for students to obtain a high school diploma, including attendance at special school-based programs and obtaining a General Education Credential (GED) credential, usually by passing a high school equivalency examination.

UNESCO: II Part Analytic Section