In 1989, a study was conducted to determine whether General Educational Development (GED) certificate holders and students with high school diplomas achieved the same degree of academic success at Lorain County Community College (LCCC). The study subjects were LCCC students who were admitted just prior to the 1988-89 school year, including 40 students with high school diplomas and 40 GED certificate holders. The GED group was comprised of: 18 (45%) males; 31 (77%) Caucasians; and 19 (42.5%) married students. The diploma group was comprised of 11 (27.5%) males; 37 (92.5%) Caucasians; and 5 (12.5%) married students. Mean grade point average (GPA), credit hours attempted, credit hours completed, and placement test results were averaged for each of the two groups. The study found that the diploma students produced significantly higher GPA's and attempted and completed more credit hours than did the GED students. GED students had an average GPA of 1.95, attempted an average of 12.4 credit hours, and completed 10.8 credit hours, while diploma students had an average GPA of 2.66, attempted an average of 33.3 credit hours, and completed an average of 31.4 credit hours. In addition, the placement mean scores of the diploma students were significantly higher than the GED students, with the average GED student needing remedial work in English, reading, and mathematics, and the average diploma student needing remedial work only in mathematics. (JMC)