What is a High School GED?

The GED exam is a series of tests on five subjects which someone who has not graduated from high school can pass to certify that they have gained the knowledge comparable to that of a high school graduate. The acronym GED actually stands for General Educational Development although it's also referred to as the General Equivalency Diploma or High School Equivalency Exam. The GED was developed by and is administered solely by the American Council on Education (ACE).

High School GED Requirements

• In general, you need to be at least 18 years of age, though there are exceptions for 16 and 17 year olds which vary by state.
• Cannot be enrolled in or have graduated from a high school

Students are not required to take any test preparation classes however many students do enroll in High School GED Preparation courses or use GED test study guides.

Where can the high school GED exam be taken?

The GED exam cannot be taken online. However, there are over 3400 ACE testing locations worldwide. Please see this list of locations by state where the exam can be taken.

What is on the test?

There are 5 Sections of the GED test:

• Language Arts, Writing: 2 Parts - Multiple choice (75 minutes). Essay (45 minutes).
• Language Arts, Reading: consists of 40 questions (65 minutes)
• Social Studies: Consists of 50 questions (70 minutes)
• Science: Consists of 50 multiple choice questions (80 minutes)
• Mathematics: Consists of 50 questions (90 minutes)

So, in its entirety, this test lasts 7 hours and 5 minutes. Depending on where you take the test this can all be done in one day or split up over 2 or more days. Click here for more detail

GED Exam Costs

The cost of the GED Exam varies from state to state and test center to test center. Please see our test page for a complete listing.

Which is better, a high school diploma or a GED?

Both the high school diploma and the GED test are 'proof' to prospective employers or post secondary schools that the credential holder has a similar body of academic knowledge. However, high school offers many advanced learning opportunities through elective classes, hands on study programs, extracurricular programs and through socialization with other students which the taker of the GED exam may not receive. Taking the GED test is a good option for people who are no longer high school age or who would like to quickly enter the work force.

Acceptance of GED vs. High School Diploma

The main 2 reasons that one would want a GED certification or a high school diploma is that they are often required to apply for a job or to apply to post secondary schools (college, university, vocational school):

Getting a job:

For the vast majority of jobs which require that a student has at least a high school diploma there is an alternate requirement for a high school GED. According to ACE approximately 96% of employers have this sort of equivalency. Furthermore, since most employers are only interested in the highest level of education applicants have, once a student goes on to attain a post secondary degree the difference between a GED and high school diploma is further diminished.

Getting into school:

According to the ACE site, over 95% of all universities and colleges accept the high school GED as an equivalent to the high school diploma and over 98% of the 2-year colleges and vocational programs accept the GED.