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Last Updated: January 15, 2022

What is GED Test?

The General Educational Development or GED test has been developed by Pearson with the GED trademark owned by the American Council of Education. It is a test equivalent to a high school diploma targeted at students who have been unable to complete their high school education due to various factors and aspire to continue their education at a later point in life.

There are over 3,200 testing centers for GED within the US which offers students the opportunity to take the in-person examination. GED also offers them the option of taking the test online making it all the more accessible to students. The exam is also available in languages like Spanish and French and even in braille in an attempt to make it all-inclusive.

Who can Apply for GED Test?

Students who are above the age of 16 and have not completed their high school education due to various personal reasons are eligible for taking the GED test. The test is typically taken by students who have failed previously in high school or have dropped out of school for work because of their financial conditions. These students will be able to take the GED test at any point in their life as long as they are not enrolled in a high school or have not graduated.

Eligibility Requirements for GED Test

The eligibility requirements for enrolling for the GED examination are as follows:

Cost of Taking GED Test

The examination fee for GED is calculated per subject and differs from state to state in the country. The price range per subject is $20 to $40 on average whereas the average range for the 4 subjects combined is between $80 to $160. For the fee paid, examinees will be able to avail of the following features:

How to Register/Apply for GED Test?

GED aspirants can register for the exam by logging into their official GED account and choosing the subjects they are testing for. They have the option of testing for each subject separately or all on the same day according to their interest.

After choosing the subjects they want to take the test for, they can select a day and time at the nearest test center and pay using a credit/debit card.

Test Dates for GED Test

The test dates for GED are not set on a national level and are dependent entirely on the individual testing center. The test is conducted throughout the year through the different test centers in the country and also online for students who wish to opt for that method. Students will be able to choose a date and time of their convenience. They will be able to do that online if they wish to take a computer-based test and they will be able to schedule the paper-based test by visiting their local test center.

Syllabus for GED Test

The GED examination contains 4 different sections which the examinee will have to attempt separately for a combined GED score. The different sections for the exam are Mathematical Reasoning, Reasoning for Language Arts, Sciences, and Social Studies. The student can take the tests separately for each subsection but they need to clear all 4 subsections to get their GED certificate. The syllabus and test format that is dealt with in each of these four sections are as follows-

Mathematical Reasoning

The Mathematical Reasoning section deals with the core subjects that are taught in high school. These subjects are: These concepts have been split into two sections according to which the student’s skill will be measured. These parameters are:

Reasoning for Language Arts

The language section of GED is comprised of different reading and language content areas that are diverse in nature. The reading content can include informational texts, non fiction, fiction, etc. whereas the language content can include concepts like punctuation, sentence structure, homonyms, subject-verb agreement, etc.

The parameters with which the language skills of students are assessed are:

Science

This section deals with most of the concepts that are dealt with in high school with each concept having its own subsections. These sections are: The parameters based on which the student’s skills are assessed for these topics are as follows:

Social Studies

The syllabus for Social Studies includes concepts from fields like history, government, economics, and geography. But essentially, these concepts have been divided into the following broad sections: The parameters for assessing the skillsets of students in this field are as follows: The best books for preparing for GED.

Test Structure for GED

The test structure for GED is based on the subject that the section is dealing with. This goes as follows-

Mathematical Reasoning

This section has 2 parts. One of these parts will be allowed the use of a calculator while the other will not be. Students will also have access to a calculator reference sheet and a math formula sheet during the test. The question format is as follows:

Reasoning through Language Arts

This section has 3 parts in all where there will be a written essay and other forms of questions. The written essay will receive over 45 minutes of the entire time. The question format is as follows:

Science

For the Science Exam, a calculator will be permitted at all times. Students will also have access to a calculator reference sheet during the examination. The overall question format for the section is as follows:

Social Studies

This section allows the use of a calculator and also permits students to access a calculator reference sheet during the examination. The question types for the exam are as follows:

Time-Duration for GED Test

The distribution of time for the four different subjects differs according to the intensity of the questions the students will have to face. The Language section of the GED exam is given the maximum amount of time owing to the amount of content the examinee has to read in order to complete the examination. At the same time, due to the factual nature of the Social Studies exam, it is awarded the least amount of time when compared to the other three subjects.

The time duration for each subject is as follows:
SubjectTime Duration
Mathematics 115 minutes
Reasoning Through Language Arts 150 minutes
Science 90 minutes
Social Studies 70 minutes

Calculate GED Score

The passing score for GED is 145 for each of the different subjects in GED. While 145 is enough to qualify one in GED, it is recommended that examinees aim for a score range of 165-174 since this implies that they are ready for college education. A score above 175 in any subject can also provide the examinee with the opportunity to qualify for up to 10 credit hours in a college.

Retake GED Test

Students who have failed in their first attempt of GED will be able to retake the test twice without any restrictions. But if they have failed even the third attempt, they will have to wait for an additional 60 days to try again. Students also have the option of retaking the test if they need a higher score but they will be required to pay the full fee amount for the same.

The cost of retaking the test the first two times is dependent on the state the student is from. These two retests have a discounted rate which will not be applicable if the student is attempting the retest 12 months after their first attempt. For more details, visit the GED FAQ page.


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