Neither my husband nor I had a certified piece of paper but both of us got into the colleges of our choice, as did our siblings so far. My brother is about to go ROTC and they aren’t asking for a “certified” diploma. Yes, it’s an easy way to satisfy the requirement but it’s not the only one. It all depends on the value system of the family involved. For you, obviously, the cheap and easy diploma has a high value. For me, the freedom of doing my own thing is more important. The nice thing about homeschooling is that both models are valid.
“For you, obviously, the cheap and easy diploma has a high value.”
I wouldn’t exactly say it has “high” value. It is true that I put value on avoiding future hassles where I can reasonably do so. If various institutions want some silly piece of paper that I can provide them without much grief or expense, then I’ll probably choose to do it.
There is also the issue of the child that does not choose to go to college. I would want them to have the documents necessary to go as far as they can.