GED | General Educational Development

Exam Login

General Information about the GED

The GED is made up of 5 tests that have been developed and are administered by the American Council on Education (ACE). When an individual passes the GED battery of tests, they will receive a GED certificate. The majority of people who take the GED test are high school juniors and seniors and are usually at least 19 years of age.

The two main reasons that a student would choose a GED versus staying the course in high school are to speed up getting into college or to apply for a job that requires the applicant have a high school diploma or GED. Almost every employer will accept a GED instead of a traditional high school diploma. More employers accept the GED versus an online high school diploma as many high school programs online do meet the qualifications that ordinary high schools must and therefore can't always be considered as relevant.

Most colleges in the US, territories of the US and Canada will accept individuals who apply with a GED credential instead of being a graduate from a high school. In order to be fully accepted as a student of a college, the GED applicant will still need to take SAT or ACT test. GED applicants who are not accepted into a particular college may enroll in a community college and transfer back to a college after one full year or roughly 30 credits.

More About the GED Test

Writing: The writing portion is made up of two components. The first section goes over basic grammar testing mainly around sentence structure and punctuation. Students edit certain sections of a paragraph or short story for proper grammar and sentence structure. This first portion of the writing test allows students 75 minutes to complete the 50 questions.

Writing Part Two: The second writing portion requires the student to choose a topic and write an essay about it. The essay needs to follow proper writing and grammatical guidelines. The time alotted for this segment of the writing exam is 45 minutes. If a student finishes portion one of the two part exam before the first time limit, they may start immediately on the essay and have the remaining minutes applied to the 45 standard.

Math: Students will be tested on basic mathematics including geometry, equations and problem solving. This portion of the GED test is split into two segments; the first allows the student to use a calculator while the second part does not. Calculators will be supplied the GED advisors, do not bring your own calculator. Students will have 90 minutes to complete this 50 question part of the official GED exam.

Social Studies: This exam will test in the subjects of government, economics, geography and history. This part of the GED battery has the most variety of styles of questions asked. Students will need to read a segment and then answer questions based on it or direct questions without a reading portion. 70 minutes are allotted to this 50 question section of the GED test.

Reading: The reading test is made up of 5 fiction and 2 nonfiction sections. The student must read each section and then choose an appropriate answer from the multiple choice selection. The student will have 65 minutes to complete this 40 question section of the GED test.

Science: Testing is conducted on basic science principles - for example weather conditions, magnetics and propulsion...etc. The student will answer questions after reading a short descriptive narrative. In most cases there will be multiple questions for each narrative. Students will have 80 minutes to finish this 50 question section of the GED.

This page has been designed as a resource to help cover the many facts, frequently asked questions and general information about the GED. Below you will find information that has been carefully selected and deemed credible by our staff of GED counselors.

An applicant must bring an admission notice, 2 documents of identity(driver's license, credit card, birth certificate...etc), 2 number two pencils and a ballpoint pen when they arrive to take the GED test.
All GED testing facilities are monitored by instructors whose purpose is to assist individuals as well as ensure that no cheating takes place during any part of the examination.
If a person is disables or requires specific medical or health attention, it is recommended they advise the counselors of their situation prior to taking the GED so the instructors may help accommodate them. Most testing centers are designed to provide adequate resources for people who require this type of need.
Tutoring is an excellent option to consider when preparing to take the GED test. Typically, one can find local tutoring groups or individual tutors who are paid to help prep their students. GED preparation literature and programs, such as the ones offered on this site, will also embellish standard tutoring.
GED classes can be taken in person to help prepare for the exam. They usually require a fee and a certain number of individuals to commit before being entirely available. There are few, if any, online GED classes that provide any level of thorough preparation value.
Over 50% of first-time GED applicants will fail the GED battery. Proper studying must be applied no matter the education background or retention level of the individual. The GED online programs offered on this website are a great option to help ready a person for the actual test.
Check with your state requirements prior to taking the GED as some now require you take a GED practice test before you are eligible to register in the official examination.
You must be at least 16 years of age in order to be eligible to take the GED test. Certain states have now moved the entry level age to 18 so be sure to determine your state's enrollment statues before any considerable amount of prep time has been spent.
If you are enrolled in an accredited online or traditional high school, you may not take the GED. Only in certain cases will an individual be allowed to take the GED exam if they have received an alternative high school diploma.
If you have received an accredited high school diploma or a GED diploma, you may not retake or take the GED.
Many of the fifty states have additional qualifications that an applicant must meet prior to registering for the GED test. Use our state locator page to contact a local GED counselor to see what additional specifications, if any, must be met before you are completely eligible to take the exam.
The GED is now available in French and Spanish languages, audio and even braille. There are now private organizations who provide GED testing for individuals living outside the greater United States such as Puerto Rico, Canada and other American territories.
Though discontinued at this time, there was a collegiate-level GED exam for applicants who met different age and testing requirements. The main provider of this college-level GED program was DANTES.
Since its inception just before 1943, at least twenty million individuals have passed the GED.
There are now over 3,400 facilities that are designated for GED testing across the United States and other American territories or American-sponsored regions.
The GED, unlike many high school programs, can only be completed in person at a state-recognized GED testing facility. There has never been an option to complete the GED online.
There is currently only one developer of the GED battery of tests; the American Council on Education (ACE). Originally formed in 1918, ACE representatives now assist curriculum development and other educational formatting in up to eighty percent of college academics including the GED entirely.
The technical defenition for the GED is General Educational Development, however many people have been accustomed to assuming it is abbreviated for General Equivalency Diploma.
You must receive a score that is higher than the current forty percent of high school graduating students to be eligible for your GED diploma. Some states may have additional scoring requirements, be sure to check with your local GED counselor.
1/7 of adults in the United States do no own or have received their high school diploma.