A Second Chance at a Diploma

For many adults, the path to a high school diploma isn’t linear. Life happens. Responsibilities shift. Finishing school gets put on hold. But at Elgin Community College (ECC), a growing number of students are discovering a new path forward through the Transcript-Based Alternative Method of Credentialing, known as AMOC.

ECC Associate Dean of Adult Education Marcia Luptak has spent the last year working with students in this new program, which is designed for adults who are just a few credits shy of earning their high school diploma.

“Typically, it's somewhere between two to five credits that students are coming in, needing us to help,” Luptak said. “Once we identify what classes they are missing, there's a program we use through the state of Illinois called I-Pathways.” 

Who qualifies for AMOC?

To enroll, students must meet specific state requirements. They must: 

• Be 18.5 years of age or older, and their high school graduating class must be, at a minimum, in the third quarter of their senior year;
• Does not have a high school diploma or high school equivalency credential and is not currently enrolled in a secondary school;
• Have lived in Illinois for at least 30 days before the initial transcript evaluation,  and have completed.
• Have completed at least 75% of high school graduation requirements
• Earn a high school-level reading score, which ECC can help them complete

ECC also assists students who still need to pass the Illinois and U.S. Constitution exams.

A flexible, achievable path

Once Luptak helps the students identify what credits they are missing, she helps them sign up for a state of Illinois program called I-Pathways. Students can take their classes online, and at their own pace, she said. 

“There are no time limits,” Luptak said. “I have some that have completed it in a month, but I have some that are still working on it after six months. It really is up to the individual and how fast they get through the materials.”

Yessenia Rodriguez was one student who finished the program in about two months. She initially came to ECC to sign up for GED classes when they told her about the AMOC program. Rodriguez said she just had a science and government class to take to complete her diploma. She earned her diploma in February 2025 and walked in ECC’s High School Equivalency Graduation Ceremony in May.

“It was very nice for my family to come and witness that and acknowledge that I was able to complete the high school program,” Rodriguez said. I was ready to start the next steps.”

Those next steps are already underway. With more than 11 years of experience working in a nursing home and a fertility clinic, Rodriguez is now taking classes at ECC toward an associate degree, with plans to study nursing or sonography. 

Opening doors for more students

Once students complete their required AMOC  courses, Luptak sends that information to the regional office of the county where the student went to high school. The state of Illinois issues the diplomas, and graduates are invited to celebrate with ECC each May. 

So far, Luptak has supported six graduates through the program, and she hopes many more will follow.  

Adult education services will meet with each student after they complete their high school diploma and discuss their future education goals. Do they want to pursue an associate degree or a certificate?

“I want people to know it's there, because we’d love to be serving more individuals who are in that situation,” Luptak said. “Sometimes the GED is very daunting, and it takes a long time. Not for everybody, but for some people, it takes a long time, and they shy away from it. This is another way for them to do it.”