Getting your GED can open up numerous doors of opportunities for you. You’ll have a better chance of getting into the college of your choice as well as being able to not only increase the number of jobs you’ll be qualified for, but also higher salaried jobs.
You’ll also have more self-confidence in yourself knowing that you invested in your future!
So, how do you get your GED?
1.Confirm Your State’s GED Requirements
The requirements to get your GED vary from state to state. Many states require you to be at least 16 years old. If you’re an underage test-taker (ages 16 and 17), you’ll be required to show that you have been officially withdrawn from school and that you have parental consent to test for your GED.
There are general requirements in every state for the GED:
- Age – you will need to confirm your state’s minimum age requirement
- Residency – determine if your state has residency requirements
- Photo ID – determine what photo ID is needed
- Course Requirements – determine if you meet your state’s preparation requirements
- High School Enrollment Status – determine if your state has a high school enrollment status requirement
2. Prepare for the GED Exam by Understanding the Topics
To pass the GED exam, you’ll need to know what the exam entails.
Online GED Course | GED Practice Test
There are four subject areas on the GED exam:
- Reasoning Through Language Arts
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Science
- Social Studies
The Reasoning Through Language Arts section measures your ability to:
- Write and read clearly
- Edit and understand written text
- Understand, interpret, and answer questions based on text
- Understanding of basic English skills at a level that is needed to succeed in college or in a job
- Understand how to use evidence to support an argument
The Mathematical Reasoning section measures:
- Your ability to solve problems in Algebraic and Quantitative areas
The Science section will require you to answer questions about different areas of science including:
- Physical Science
- Life Science
- Earth and Space Science
This section will measure your ability in:
- Reading, understanding, and interpreting science-related texts
- Problem-solving abilities in science-related situations
The final section of the GED is Social Studies. This section will require you to answer questions over:
- History
- Geography
- Civics and Government
- Economics
These questions will measure your ability to:
- Read, understand, and interpret social studies-related texts
- Problem-solving abilities in social studies-related situations
3. Know How Long You Have To Take Each Subject
Reasoning Through Language Arts
150 minutes
10-minute break between parts 2 and 3
45 minutes for the written essay
Mathematical Reasoning
115 minutes with short breaks between parts of the exam
Science
90 minutes and no breaks
Social Studies
70 minutes and no breaks
The total time for the GED exam is roughly 7 hours.
4. Register to Take the GED
When you feel that you’re completely prepared to take the exam, you can register to take the exam. To register to take the GED exam, you’ll need to create an account on the official GED website, GED.com. Once you have created your account, you’ll be able to choose which subject test you want to take as well as which testing center you want to take the exam at.
5. Take the GED Exam
If you decide to take the entire exam in one day, it takes roughly 7 hours to complete. However, you can choose to take as many sections as you would like during the testing time. You can choose to take just one section or all four sections.
6. Earn a Passing Score
The minimum passing score for the GED is 145 on each subject test.
7. Receive Your Certificate!
After you have taken the exam, you can check your scores within 3 hours of completing the exam. You’ll need to login to your GED.com account. You will receive your certificate emailed to you within five days of passing all of your subject tests.
