Is your goal to go to college to study CS? Though admissions officers may care whether you have a piece of paper saying you graduated from HS, most professors d

Is your goal to go to college to study CS? Though admissions officers may care whether you have a piece of paper saying you graduated from HS, most professors don't, and they have the ultimate power (at least in good universities). So I recommend finding a professor who can help you. It's fortunate that you have a connection to a university research lab. Professors and grad students there may be able to give you advice about what to do. Don't think of yourself as damaged goods because you're missing the bit of paper. From the professors' point of view, students genuinely interested in learning are the rarest and most desirable type. Most students go to college because it's the route to a better paying job, or to party, or just because it's the default plan. If you're genuinely interested in learning, many people will want to help you.