What is a GED?

What is a GED? A GED, also known as the General Educational Development or General Education Diploma, is an alternative to a high school diploma. However, before deciding to take it in place of earning your diploma, there are some things you need to know.

What Exactly Is The GED?

A GED is for people who didn’t finish high school and get their diploma upon graduating. Some students have life-altering events that require them to drop out. Others feel that a GED would be much more beneficial for their current situation. It is a 7-hour test designed to test your aptitude in a multitude of subjects including Science, Math, Social Studies, Reading, and Writing. These will measure your skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication. GEDs are also available in large print, Braille, audio, French, and Spanish.

Who Can Take the GED?

All students who are over the age of 16 who are not attending high school are free to take the GED. Participants can also not have graduated from high school. This makes it a great solution for adults who wish to earn their diploma but are too old for school.

How Is It Graded?

The GED is not graded like normal tests. Every few years, high school students are selected to complete the exam. When a participant takes the GED, they must do 60% or better than the high school students, which means the grades required to pass can change from year to year. This requirement can sometimes make it difficult to pass and about four in ten high school graduates actually fail the exam.

Who Accepts GEDs?

Once a candidate passes the GED test, the candidate receives a State High School Diploma. 95% of schools, colleges, universities, and employers accept the GED in place of a high school diploma.

Why Is a GED Important?

If you don’t graduate from high school, it’s especially important to earn your GED. In fact, one out of seven diplomas that are awarded every year are GEDs. It is not at all uncommon. However, they are essential to finding employment or furthering your education if you decide to do so later in life and the time for returning to high school has passed.

If you still have the option of receiving your high school diploma, it is recommended. Most employers or community colleges accept the GED on the same scale. However, some four-year colleges and universities have stricter requirements. It could have a negative effect on your application. If returning to high school or getting your diploma isn’t a solution and you want to apply to a four-year school, you should consider spending a year or two at a community college to demonstrate your ambition and also your academic skills.

A GED is an important tool to have if you do not have a high school diploma. But if you can still earn the diploma, it is recommended. If you are interested in taking the exam, there are over 3,500 testing sites around the United States. There are no study requirements for the GED. However, it’s highly recommended that you set aside time for study and even sign up for prep courses to ensure you pass.

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