What should you do with your "other diplomas and degrees"?

[reinhard]

Now that I have graduated from college and gotten my Bachelors, is there really any point of me keeping my High School Diploma? Similiarly, once I get my Ph.D or Masters, is there a point in keep the physical degree or diploma?

 

What are you thoughts? I am clenaing up my room and found a lot of garbage.

[ahlatsiawa]

Are you really referring to your merit certificates as 'garbage'? Personally, I would never get rid of my report cards and, more importantly, my degrees. If not for any academic or official reasons, then just for the memories and to have something to show my kids when they grow up. Also as far as I know, most universities issue the degree only once so one might get into trouble if they just threw theirs away and later on had to arrange for it for any reason whatsoever.

[reinhard]

Are you really referring to your merit certificates as 'garbage'? Personally, I would never get rid of my report cards and, more importantly, my degrees. If not for any academic or official reasons, then just for the memories and to have something to show my kids when they grow up. Also as far as I know, most universities issue the degree only once so one might get into trouble if they just threw theirs away and later on had to arrange for it for any reason whatsoever.

But if I got my BS, why would anyone want to see my high school diploma?

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

But if I got my BS, why would anyone want to see my high school diploma?

Nobody wants to see that picture you drew when you were 4 years old either, but some people like to hold onto things like that. Me, personally, I threw out my high school diploma, as well as all my family photos. I don't like to hold onto things. But it's common sense why some people might think holding onto your high school diploma might be something important to people. Luckily, grad school doesn't require common sense these days. 

[reinhard]

Nobody wants to see that picture you drew when you were 4 years old either, but some people like to hold onto things like that. Me, personally, I threw out my high school diploma, as well as all my family photos. I don't like to hold onto things. But it's common sense why some people might think holding onto your high school diploma might be something important to people. Luckily, grad school doesn't require common sense these days. 

Are you saying I don't have common sense...?

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

Are you saying I don't have common sense...?

Are you asking why someone would hold onto their high school diploma even if you don't need to ever physically provide it in the real world? Same reason why people hold onto baby pictures. Does this need an explanation? If you don't want the clutter, throw it out. That's what I do, personally. But most people like to hold onto things. I don't, but I'm unusual. Do whatever feels right. 

[TakeruK]

Hold onto the physical copy of your degree, at least from the BSc level and upwards. Some schools don't issue replacements easily (or have expensive fees to do so). I have only used my official BSc degree once, when I needed to prove to an insurance company that I am a college graduate in order to get a discount on my rate. I used my MSc degree once too, to prove to my current PhD program that I finished my MSc program.

 

I keep all of my degrees with other important documents, filed away in a safe place. Just good to have in case!

[victorydance]

I don't even have a copy of my HS diploma or BA. Never got one.

[rising_star]

The diplomas from my bachelor's and master's are actually in beautiful frames. My mom had it done years ago and surprised me with them. I think they're really nice and I'm planning to hang them up in my office this fall.

[reinhard]

So bottomline, don't throw out college degrees, but high school diplomas are okay.

[Lifesaver]

Jeezy petes. Dont throw that stuff out! I have been asked for my high school diploma numerous times this year when applying for jobs. Granted, law enforcement jobs want to know every last detail, down to the last time you farted, but still, don't throw it out. It's a huge pain in the rear to get a copy. Keep it all in a folder together. Problem solved.

[Vene]

I no longer have my high school diploma, but I don't really care about it (consequence of moving). I do have the AS and BA I earned though. I see no reason to get rid of them.

[Nautiloid]

I gave my high school diploma to my parents when I went off to college. They keep it and my brother's displayed in their home. It's kinda sweet. 

As for my bachelor's, I plan on framing it and hanging it up once I have a place to do so in. Same with any future degrees. These are things I'm proud of, and I don't think it's silly to want to show them off in the right context, even if I'm the only one who looks at them regularly. 

[hnotis]

I would keep it.  I work in a Financial Aid office and some girl had accidentally marked on her FAFSA that she never received a high school diploma (believe me, it's easy to mark something like that on accident since it's become an online application), so in order to prove that she actually did recieve one, she had to furnish us with that document.  What if something silly like that happened and you had thrown it away and then were kicking yourself because keeping it would have saved you a lot of trouble?  Seems worth it to keep it to me.

[bakalamba]

I second holding on to it. You never know when you'll be applying to something strange in the future that requires it; I occasionally work in other countries, and more emphasis is put on the diploma itself than transcripts, as we do here. Probably less chance the High School diploma will be needed, but your question includes PhD and Masters, which I think would be useful to keep.

 

And then there's that unwritten law that the moment you throw something out, someone will suddenly need it. I have my degrees in their original manila envelopes in a file box with other important documents - that way, they are really only taking up an extra few milometers in my life.

[WriteAndKnit]

My high school diploma is in the same place as other assumed-but-necessary paperwork (like my birth certificate), since you do occasionally need the official documentation. And, well, it will make someone's job in 100+ years of "documenting random American humans" easier. 

[RunnerGrad]

My two bachelor's degrees are in lovely university frames.  I have been asked to produce my first bachelor's degree when applying for jobs in the past (they didn't want my transcript, but wanted to see my actual degree.  *shrug*)  I've lost track of my high school diploma.  I do have all my high school awards (plaques and medals) in a box somewhere.  The awards from my first bachelor's are also in a box in the basement.  The ones from my most recent degree are on the wall.

 

Most dietitians tend to display their nutrition degree(s) on their office walls.  Since mine is in a university-crested frame I'll likely do the same thing when I start working.  My master's degree will join in (as will my PhD if I complete one).

[fuzzylogician]

Keep your diplomas. You may never need them but you just don't know. It's not that hard and I would hardly consider them "garbage." If you don't have one already, start a folder for important documents like diplomas, birth certificate, leases, tax documents a few years back, etc.

 

FWIW some jobs in Europe want to see ALL your official diplomas from high school onward. This happens every time you apply for a promotion or change of official title, too. I've had full professors tell me they still need to produce their original high school diploma every once in a while. When I applied for jobs in north America this year, only one wanted to see my diplomas (starting with my BA)--but it's the one I ended up taking so I'm really glad I had everything accessible and didn't pass on it because of this complication.