Getting Your GED

By The Manolith Team on October 3rd, 2009

The General Education Development (GED) program has helped more 15 million people earn high school equivalency degrees that make it easier for them to find well-paying jobs. Getting your GED is a big step, so you want to be sure that you study effectively to prepare for the test. Familiarizing yourself with the GED exam will help you learn how to pass it successfully.

The GED Measures Performance in Five Subjects

The GED measures performance in five subjects, so you should concentrate on these areas. Other knowledge is useful, but preparing for questions that have a higher likeliness of being on the test will help you earn a higher score.

The GED is currently broken into Language Arts: Writing; Social Studies; Science; Language Arts: Reading; and Mathematics. Most school jurisdictions require test takers to score at least 410 out of 800 on each section.

While many people believe that the GED is an easy test, about 70 percent of those who take it don’t pass. The prevalent myth that the test is an easy way to earn a diploma without studying probably contributes to the high rate of incompletion. Take the test seriously by studying regularly for several months leading up to the exam will greatly improve your chances of success.

GED Preparatory Classes

Many public school systems have GED preparatory classes that will work with students to make sure they have the skills to pass the test. A prep class is useful because teachers can work with you one-on-one. This makes it easier to discover your strengths and weaknesses so that you can adjust your study habits to make success more likely.

Some libraries and school systems offer free GED prep classes, but you can also choose private programs. Private programs usually cost more, but many people find that they are effective.

Online Preparatory GED Tests

One of the best ways to practice your test-taking skills for the GED is to use a preparatory exam that uses the types of questions you will find on your test. There are plenty of preparatory exams available online. Most of them are free, so you try several to hone your skills.

Those who have not taken academic exams for several years often feel intimidated by the GED. Taking prep tests is a good way to get used to the types of questions that you need to answer to pass the exam. Success depends on knowing how to answer questions just as much as knowing what the answer is.

Where to Take the GED

Although several preparatory GED tests are available online, the actual exam is taken in person. The American Council of Education, which oversees the program, can provide listings of test centers located in your area. You can find the locations through this web site: http://www.acenet.edu/resources/GED/center_locator.cfm.

The ACE has plenty of testing centers to accommodate the needs of those all over the United States and Canada. It is possible, however, that those who live in remote areas will need to make additional arrangements to take the test.

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