The General Education Development (GED) exams are a set of four subject tests, rather than a single exam. These exams are annually undertaken by individuals throughout North America who seek an alternative to the US High School diploma.
Besides serving as an alternative to the HiSET and TASC exams, the GED is eligible for individuals with a high school level of education. Despite the four-section division of the test, it’s not mandatory to take all four at once. As a matter of fact, aspirants have the flexibility to schedule each segment of the test at their convenience.
Originally, the GED was designed to demonstrate that successful candidates have equivalent proficiency in science, mathematics, reading, writing, and social studies typical of a high school graduate.
In the absence of a high school diploma, obtaining a GED provides a credential equivalent to high school. This credential can also be referred to as a high school equivalency development or a general equivalency diploma.
How You Will Take the GED
The GED examination is exclusively administered via a computer, with a paper-based version being unavailable except for individuals requiring special provisions due to disabilities. It’s important to note that the test isn’t provided through an online platform on the internet. Rather, candidates are required to appear for the examination at one of the numerous test centers available nationwide.
Those intent on taking a GED need to be vigilant, as the recent surge in deceptive websites promising GED credentials through an online test has increased. These fraudulent schemes mainly focus on offering the GED online. It’s crucial to remember that the test can only be taken in-person at a designated testing center.
A Brief Review of What’s on the Exam
For anyone thinking about taking the GED test for the first time, the topic can be daunting. Most people are unsure of what the test will consist of. The test is broken up into four major sections. These sections include
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Reasoning Through Language Arts
- Social Studies
- Science
Each of these four sections is broken up into several sub-topics. To be successful at the GED, test takers will need to be prepared for each major section and those individual topics. The format for each major section will also vary from one to the other.
Mathematical Reasoning
The Mathematical Reasoning segment of the GED exam comprises four key topics: Basic Mathematics, Geometry, Elementary Algebra, and proficiency in handling graphs and functions. There’ll be no necessity for the candidate to indulge in advanced mathematics subjects such as Trigonometry or Calculus.
This Mathematical Reasoning part is bifurcated into two sections. The first is the Quantitative Reasoning section. For preparation, students should focus on four major mathematical aspects:
- Positive and negative integers, decimals, and fractions
- Ratios, proportions, and percentages
- Data interpretation and statistics
- Geometric measurements
The list above provides a broad overview of the topics to review. However, the Quantitative Reasoning only forms 45% of the subject test. The remaining 55% is constituted by the Algebraic Reasoning section. The study areas for this segment are as follows:
- Expressions and polynomials
- Equations and inequalities
- Linear and quadratic equations
- Patterns and functions
The question formats on this section are varied, covering multiple choice, fill in the blanks, area selection, and drop-down questions. During this section, you may use the on-screen calculator or specifically a TI-30XS MultiView calculator.
Certain formulas will be accessible via a digital formula sheet on-screen, aimed at simplifying the test completion process. Lastly, a total of 115 minutes will be dedicated to this test, with a brief intermission between segments.
Reasoning Through Language Arts
The second section of the GED, entitled ‘Reasoning Through Language Arts,’ requires students to demonstrate reading comprehension, argument identification and creation, and a high school level understanding of grammar and language. It’s not necessary to be proficient in an extensive vocabulary list, but exhibitive knowledge of grammar at the high school level is expected.
The Reasoning Through Language Arts section does not have as clear a division into subsections as the Mathematical Reasoning section. Yet, candidates will encounter questions presented in three distinctive forms. Firstly, candidates may be given a single passage, or a set of paired passages, to read and answer questions based on them. This tests a candidate’s reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.
The second type of question involves choosing words or phrases to complete a given text. After filling in the blanks, the resultant sentence should be grammatically correct. This tests the candidate’s language skills.
Finally, the candidate will be required to provide extended written responses. A writing prompt is provided, and the candidate is required to review one or two passages and possibly a graphic before engaging with the prompt.
The intention of this part is to assess the candidate’s writing skills. Just like in the Mathematics section, questions come in various formats including multiple choice, select an area, and drop-down questions. A total of 150 minutes will be allotted for this section. The test is divided into three parts with a break between the second and third part.
Social Studies
The ‘Social Studies’ section of the GED encompasses four key content areas. ‘Civics and Government’ claims 50% of the total section; ‘U.S. History’ equates to 20%; ‘Economics’ covers another 15%, and ‘Geography and the World’ fills the remaining 15%. Hence, areas of priority for studying should ideally include ‘Civics and Government’ and ‘U.S. History’.
The ‘Civics and Government’ part comprises the understanding of a constitutional government, specifically the various levels and branches of the U.S. governing system. A fair familiarity with different governmental forms throughout history and in contemporary times is expected, including comprehension of the electoral system within the U.S and citizens’ roles within the country.
The ‘U.S. History’ topic brings up questions spanning from the era of the original 13 colonies to present times—covering a vast timeline including significant events like the Revolutionary War, the World Wars, the Civil Rights Movement, and immigration issues.
‘Economics,’ though a smaller subcategory, is often the least familiar to students. Grasping the relationship between the government and economy, understanding how capitalism regulates the economy, comprehending the relevance of labor and unions, and basic economic concepts like the definitions of economics, supply and demand, and opportunity costs, are paramount.
The final part, ‘Geography and the World,’ necessitates knowledge of world history and key historical events—an understanding of societal interactions over time, like the tussle between the United States and Russia during the Cold War, and the impact of geographic events on countries.
In this section, students may encounter basic math problems related to Social Studies, for which both the on-screen calculator and the TI-30XS MultiView calculator can be used for assistance. Question formats will typically be drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank, select an area, and drop-down. A total of 70 minutes, without any breaks, is allocated for this test.
Science
The last section of the GED that candidates should prepare for is ‘Science’, which evaluates proficiency in three main areas: ‘Life Science’, ‘Earth and Space Science’, and ‘Physical Science’.
These sections aren’t balanced in their share of the total assessment. Both ‘Life Science’ and ‘Physical Science’ sections constitute 40% of the exam each, with ‘Earth and Space Science’ making up the remaining 20% of the exam.
‘Life Science’ involves questions pertaining to the human body and its systems, health and nutrition, cellular structure and processes, DNA, genetics, heredity, evolution, natural selection, and the ecosystem.
‘Earth and Space Science’, despite being the smallest section, tests knowledge about the earth and its systems, including the movement of earth’s plates (plate tectonics), geological cycles, distinction between renewable and nonrenewable resources, weather and climate systems, our solar system, and the broader universe.
‘Physical Science’ assesses understanding of fundamental constituents of the matter in the universe and their interrelations. Topics include but are not limited to atoms and molecules, different states of matter, chemical reactions, energy (including kinetic energy and electricity), and understanding of motion, force generation, and various forces like magnetism.
For this section, candidates are allocated 90 minutes to complete the exam. Similar to the prior sections, candidates have access to the on-screen calculator or a TI-30XS MultiView calculator. Responding to the questions may involve fill-in-the-blank, drag-and-drop, select an area, or drop-down format.
General Tips
Preparing for any section of the GED effectively requires a holistic strategy, and practice tests are a crucial component of that strategy. The GED Testing Service provides free practice tests on their website, which can be incredibly helpful for your preparation. These tests allow for familiarization with the overall structure and types of questions you can expect, although they may not perfectly mirror the actual test questions.
For a more intensive practice experience, you could reach out to a testing center to take an official practice test or even engage in preparatory classes.
The breadth of topics covered in the GED is extensive, making independent study a challenge. However, it’s possible to effectively self-study by securing books that specialize in each subject area. A sound strategy is to initially take the practice tests to gauge your strengths and weaknesses, then acquire subject-specific books that address your areas of weakness instead of investing in books for every topic.
It’s also crucial to look after logistical details. Choose a test date that fits your schedule well to avoid cramming or last-minute studying. Remember to bring your picture ID on the test day.
Common test-taking guidelines still apply: ensure good nutrition and adequate sleep prior to the test day. Only the math and language arts tests have breaks, so be prepared for prolonged periods of uninterrupted testing for the science and social studies sections. Your readiness, psychologically and physically, is essential to performing your best on test day.