What is a GED?

August 12, 2019

You may hear other meanings for GED such as Graduate Equivalency Degree or General Educational Diploma. However, GED traditionally stands for General Educational Development Test. 

After graduating from high school, you will receive a diploma. A diploma is a document stating you’ve completed all the required courses to graduate. Some students in high school are close to finishing and getting a diploma, but don’t quite get there. In those cases, students can take a series of tests that will indicate whether or not they have a high school level of education. This is known as the GED test. 

Want to learn more about earning your GED credential? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Earning your GED is worthwhile, and we’re here to help you discover more about what a GED is, the process of earning one, and how it will benefit your life further down the road. Check out the video below and keep reading for more information. 

 

About the GED

The GED test has four main areas of testing:

  • Mathematical Reasoning
  • Reasoning Through Language Arts
  • Science
  • Social Studies

You will take four separate tests that together make up the entire GED exam. Each test takes at least one hour, and you must get a certain score in order to pass. You can schedule one test at a time or all four at once.

View Test Subjects

What a GED Can Do for You

Passing the GED exam will earn you a state high school diploma and recognition that you have a high school level of education. 

If you’re hoping to get a better job or higher degree, the GED is recognized and accepted by nearly all U.S. colleges, employers, and universities. Passing the GED exam can give you better opportunities for work in the future. And don’t think that you’re alone in preparing for or wanting to earn your GED: there are 20 million GED graduates around the world.

Who Can Take the GED Exam?

In order to take the GED, you can’t be enrolled in high school and must be at least 16 years old. If you meet these qualifications, you are eligible to take the test. 

How Do You Take the GED Exam?

The GED exams are administered in-person at an official GED testing center, but online testing could also be available. Each state has multiple certified locations where you can go and take your tests. You will need to schedule a testing time online at GED.com before you can take the exam. In preparation for your tests, you can take local GED classes, live online classes, and see practice tests, questions, and test previews.

Earn Your GED Today

Earning your GED is possible—more than 20 million people have received theirs and you can too! The doors and opportunities it will open for you will be life-changing. Click here for more information about preparing to get your GED.

 

 

87 Comments

    1. Hi Reginald! We offer a variety of study materials for the RLA test. GED Flash offers practice questions specifically for the RLA test. We also provide GED Live RLA online classes if you don’t have time to attend classes in person. Lastly, the GED Ready practice test will tell you exactly how likely you are to pass the real thing. These will all help you get across the finish line!

      Reply

  3. My son is struggling in high school… he is not getting the higher math and the school district does not offer any other choices… he is 16 and the principal at the school sounds like he is OK with my son taking the GED… so what do I need to do to get him signed up to take the GED… I do not want him to drop out and this would be the best thing for him to be done with high school. Thanks!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Worried Parent! For more information on how to get started please email help@ged.com or call 1-877-EXAM-GED (877-392-6433). They can provide you with all the information you need on how to get your son started toward his GED.

      Reply

  4. Hello!

    I am a fairly new teacher for GED and I love data/statistics. I see when a student signs up to take the GED, there are many questions about why they want to take the GED, what helped best, etc. Is there a place to access that aggregate data? My main questions are – why do students want a GED, what obstacles do they have to get it, and what percentage of people without a high school diploma are seeking a GED?

    Thanks!

    Reply

  6. Hi.
    I am a South African parent. My daughter passed the three ged subjects. She is struggling with Math ged which she wrote 4 times, obtaining 143 in the last 2 tests. I ran out of options. She is missing by 2 marks. This happened twice.
    How can you be of assistance. Any south african learning centre best to help her?

    Joyce
    South African parent

    Reply

    1. Hi Sediapelo! Thank you for reaching out. One of our best practice tools is GED Flash, where your daughter would have access to hundreds of math questions. For more information please click here.

      Additionally, there is a GED testing center in Johannesburg. To find a testing center near your city please click here. Reach out to help@ged.com with any further questions!

      Reply

    1. Hi Dan, thanks for reaching out! The social studies test covers a variety of topics including: Reading for Meaning in Social Studies, Analyzing Historical Events and Arguments in Social Studies and Using Numbers and Graphs in Social Studies.

      For more information please click here.

      Reply

    1. Hi Vanessa, thanks for reaching out! The age limit changes for each state. For more information about your state rules click here. Additionally, you cannot take the actual GED tests online. Those must be taken at a certified testing center in your state.

      Reply

  9. I received a GED certificate last month (651 points) but my college requires a total score of 660 points (more than 165+ for each subject). How to do next? Please help me.

    Reply

  10. Keep up the superb work, I read few posts on this site and I think that
    your web site is real interesting and holds sets of superb information.

    Reply

  15. Hi! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would
    be okay. I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dental, we do have a Twitter account. Please follow us @GEDTesting! Reach out with any other questions!

      Reply

    1. Hi Deepak! Please call this number: (toll) +44 (0) 161-855-7440 and they should be able to assist you further. Thank you!

      Reply

  19. Hi
    My son now very close to graduat but he is unable to go school . He want to do GED.
    is it possible for him.
    Thanks

    Reply

    1. Hi Khawaja! It definitely could be an option. Email help@ged.com and they can provide you with all of the information you may need to get your son started.

      Reply

    1. Hi Taneisha! Unfortunately most in-person classes our closed due to current conditions with Covid-19. We’ll keep you updated on when classes are able to open again. In the meantime we do offer online classes. For more info click here.

      Reply
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  23. Hi Dear!
    I’m from Myanmar (Burma), am interested to take GED test and I definitely will, but don’t know where’s the nearest testing centers? or can I take it in my country?

    Reply
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  27. Hi i’m currently enrolled on independent studies, I am looking into getting my GED because i am struggling and I really believe this would help me. How would I start?

    Reply

    1. Hi! You can start by creating a free account at GED.com. From there you will find out more about the GED tests, pricing and scheduling.

      Reply

  30. Can I still be in high school and still test for my GED? My grandparent says I can’t take the GED unless I’m still attending high school classes. What can I do?

    Reply

  31. Hi,

    I contacted the Santa Monica College to ask about the GED and if it was mandatory to apply for studies. They told me that it wasn’t mandatory if I was 18 or older. I insisted saying that I haven’t any diploma but they replied the same answer. So my question is, what the GED is for? I know it is an equivalency of high school diploma but what can I do with it? Are some school requiring GED to be accepted in their school to study? I don’t really know what it is for and find it hard to believe that I can study in SMC without any grade.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dan! The GED can help you get into colleges you wish to attend or help get a job. If you’ve contacted Santa Monica College and they say they do not require the GED you won’t need to take it but most colleges do.

      Reply
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  34. Hello,

    My name is Afnan Kabir. I am a business development intern in a reputed IT Institute in Bangladesh which is Creative IT Institute. We have 4 campus 2 in Dhaka, 1 in Chittagong and 1 in Khulna. We have many class room, teachers and IT facilities for the students. I gave our website link in the option mentioned below. We are very delighted to know you that we want to get affiliated with GED. Kindly tell us what is the procedure of doing this agreement. Please free feel to give me your feedback. Thank you very much.

    Yours sincerely,
    Afnan Kabir
    email id: afnank.cit.bd@gmail.com

    Reply

  37. Hi my name is promise, am from Nigeria, a GED was required from me to be able to work remotely in the US, how do I get a GED from nigeria, and is there a training center in nigeria

    Reply

    2. Is GED test availanle in Vietnam? If not, is it available in any country in south east Asia like Thailan or Malaysia?

      Reply

  41. Hello I’m Ruth from Ethiopian, is GDE available in our country i really want to take GDE because my high school diploma were not good enough for me to get into a college please help i really want to get into college.

    Reply

  43. Hi, I have question. can we study in our own home for getting the GED exam? if so, please tell me what material or books I have to study?

    Reply

  44. I had someone tell me that if you score high enough on your GED test, you can receive a high school diploma instead of a GED certificate. Is that true?

    Reply

  47. Rebecca says:
    Hi!
    I am Rebecca chery.l am 42 years old.l am taking GED Exam already week ago.Exam was easy and I want congratulation and to be a certificate and pass GED Exam to be find higher score.

    Reply

  48. Hi, my daughter scheduled to have her GED math test on Jan, 18th, but I don’t know why the system took her email address as her user name, and when she got to the exam, she wasn´t allowed to take it.

    She was told that she needed to open another account and pay for the test again. I don’t think that it’s fair, because it wasn’t her fault and she attended the day of the exam.

    Her name was already changed by the GED pesonal but they didn’t reschedule her test. Or give the money back.

    Please help us with this. She needs to pay for the 3 other tests.

    Her name is Pilar González Hernández

    Reply

  53. Michael says:
    Please if you are not a citizen from the USA can you also take part in the online studies

    Reply

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