I always thought that a GED diploma was as good as a high school diploma? Was I wrong ?? Anyway as near as I know when they say special circumstances it is possibly they will accept you as a mature adult instead of just fresh out of high school with your diploma. By mature adult they mean someone who has been out of school for 20 some years or around that long and in that case they do not expect you to hand over your diploma as a young person can. Don’t quote me on this but I am working in a place where all young people have to show their diploma but I was never asked because of my age…..don’t ask!!!!