GED – What it is and How to Get One

The GED or General Education Development is a series of four subject tests. These tests demonstrate high school equivalency. The series of tests was first created by the American Council on Education in the wake of World War II. It was initially developed to offer veterans and military personnel an avenue to attain educational credentials and reintegrate into society. Over the decades, the set of tests has been revised to keep up with the evolving standards of American high school education.

In today’s world, the GED offers students from all walks of life the opportunity to get a high school equivalency diploma. Although a high school diploma is best to prepare students for college-level education, it can take four years to complete. The GED is a wonderful alternative. It allows students of any age to prepare and earn certification in just a few months. If you are wondering how to get this equivalency, hopefully this synthesis can provide a helpful guide.

Why get a GED?

By getting your GED, you will have the opportunity to either apply to colleges or jump straight into the workforce. Additionally, earning a this diploma can significantly improve your quality of life. Potential employers are far more likely to hire individuals who have a high school equivalency degree as opposed to dropouts. Many graduates have increased their earning potential by nine thousand or more dollars per year.

How to get one?

Every state offers the GED at specific test centers. Across the country, there are more than three thousand testing centers. Unlike standardized tests like the SAT or Advanced Placement, which offer their tests on a coordinated date, each individual test center sets their own test date. The requirements for taking the test also vary across different states. If you are a resident of New York State, for instance, you only have to be sixteen years of age to take the test. In other states, GED diploma seekers need to be at least eighteen years of age. The cost of the equivalency is covered by some states, but many states charge a small fee.

What Subjects Are on the test?

When it comes to researching how to get a GED, it’s important to know which topics will appear on the exams. The entire series of tests take a total of approximately seven hours. However, the series is separated into mathematical reasoning (115 minutes), social studies (70 minutes), science (90 minutes), and reasoning through language arts (150 minutes). The mathematical reasoning exam tests units like geometry, basic algebra, graphs, and functions. The social studies exam does not require memorization; instead, it requires that students interpret graphs, apply reason, and draw conclusion. Similarly, the science test does not require memorization. It explores topics like life science, physical science, and earth and space. Lastly, the reasoning through language arts exam requires passage analysis, identifying arguments, and grammar and language.

New York State Requirements

If you’re trying to get a GED in New York State, it is important to be aware that New York is an exception compared to other states. New York State is unique in that it offers another high school equivalency tested called the TASC, otherwise known as the test assessing secondary completion. TASC is the New York alternative of the GED; it requires five exams instead of four. What separates the TASC is that it requires a literacy writing section. In other words, it divides the equivalent of the GED’s reasoning through language arts exam into a literacy writing test and a literacy reading test.

The GED Today

The current pandemic is posing some complications for how to get a GED. Unfortunately, only a limited sector of students can take the test online. In order to be eligible a student has to have passed three of the four exams and be a resident of a state that offers online testing. Nevertheless, if you cannot currently take the test, the next few months offer the perfect opportunity for test preparation. Hopefully test centers will open in the coming months, and you will be prepared to exemplify your mastery of the GED curriculum, when they do.

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