GED

GED stands for General Educational Development Test. The GED is a certificate that serves as an alternative to a high school diploma.

The exam is administered in the United States (except for Iowa and Maine). You will need to pass all 4 sections of the exam to receive your GED certificate.

Sections on the GED

There are 4 total sections on the GED exam:

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

Note: You do not need to take all 4 sections at once. You can space them out (hours, days, weeks, etc..).

Math (46 Questions, 115 Minutes)

The math section consists of 46 questions and 115 minutes. There will be 2 parts to this exam. Part 1 you will not be able to use a calculator. Part 2 you will be able to use a calculator.

The specific topics tested on the math section include:

• Basic Math (26%)
• Geometry (20%)
• Basic Algebra (30%)
• Graphs and Functions (24%)

You will not need to memorize any formulas, these will be given to you when you take the exam.

Science (40 Questions, 90 Minutes)

The science section consists of 40 questions and 90 minutes. There will only be 1 part to this exam. This exam should be treated more like a reading comprehension exam versus a traditional science exam. You will be given various reading passages and be asked to answer questions about the passage.

The specific topics tested on the science section include:

• Reading for Meaning in Science (30%)
• Designing and Interpreting Science Experiments (40%)
• Using Numbers and Graphics in Science (30%)

Social Studies (35 Questions, 70 Minutes)

The social studies section consists of 35 questions and 70 minutes. There will only be 1 part to this exam. This exam should also be treated more like a reading comprehension exam versus a traditional social studies exam. You will be given various reading passages and be asked to answer questions about the passage.

The specific topics tested on the social studies section include:

• Reading for Meaning in Social Studies (31%)
• Analyzing Historical Events and Arguments in Social Studies (40%)
• Using Numbers and Graphs in Social Studies (29%)

Reasoning Through Language Arts (46 Questions + 1 Essay, 150 Minutes)

The reasoning through language arts section consists of 46 total questions + 1 essay question. The exam will be split up into 3 parts. Parts 1 and 3 will have normal questions and part 2 will be the essay. You will be given reading passages and asked to answer questions based on the reading passages.

The specific topics tested on the reasoning through language arts section include:

• Reading for Meaning (35%)
• Identifying and Creating Arguments (45%)
• Grammar and Language (20%)

Scoring

The GED is scored on a scale between 100 and 200.

To pass the exam and receive your GED certificate, you will need to score 145+ on ALL 4 sections of the exam. There are 3 tiers of scores on the GED:

• Passing: A score between 145-164. Receiving a score in this range allows you to pass the exam and receive your GED certificate.
• College-Ready: A score between 165-174. Receiving a score in this range allows you to pass the exam, receive your GED certificate, and shows you are ready for college-level courses.
• GED College Ready + Credit: A score between 175-200. Receiving a score in this range allows you to pass the exam, receive your GED certificate, and gives you 10 credit hours to use once you enter college.

You can expect to receive your scores back within 24 hours. You can access them in your GED portal.

If you did not pass a section, you can retake it. The retake policy varies by state, but you can typically retake the exam up to 3 times without having to wait between retakes.

Registering

You can register to take the exam on the official GED website. You will need to meet some requirements before registering:

• Not Currently Enrolled in High School
• Not a High School Graduate
• Must be 16+ (Varies by State)
• Must Meet State Requirements for Age, Residency, Length of Time Since Leaving High School, Etc..

The above requirements are the minimum requirements set by GED. The last bullet point varies from state to state, so it is important to check with your specific state.

When you register for the GED, you can pick the dates and times you want to take your subject exams. Remember, you do not have to take all 4 subjects exams together. We recommend that you space them out so you can spend time preparing for them.

Preparing

Preparing for the GED can be a stressful process. We recommend starting off with a GED practice exam. Our diagnostic exam will give you a gauge for where you stand and which subjects you need the most help with.

If you want some additional help, we recommend using our GED prep course. Our course includes the following:

• 900+ Practice Questions
• 16 Full-Length Exams (4 Per Subject)
• 650+ Flashcards
• 100+ Learning Modules
• 100% Pass Guarantee