Murray Shukyn - GED Test For Dummies, Quick Prep Edition

GED Test For Dummies, Quick Prep Edition

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Copyright 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013957977

ISBN 978-1-118-89990-8 (pbk); 9781118899915 (ebk); 9781118899922 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

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Chapter 1

In This Chapter

Reviewing the different GED test sections and their questions

Registering for the exam

Knowing that you can take the GED test when English is your second language

Understanding what your scores mean and how they're determined

T he GED test offers high-school dropouts, people who leave school early, and people who were educated outside the United States an opportunity to earn the equivalent of an American high-school diploma without the need for full-time attendance in either day or night school. The GED test is a recognized standard that makes securing a job or college placement easier.

The 2014 GED test has been completely revamped to bring it in line with Grade 12 standards in the United States. It also now meets the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education. The GED test also covers the Common Core Standards, used by 46 states. These standards are based on the actual expectations stated by employers and postsecondary institutions.

The GED tests measure whether you understand what high-school seniors across the country are supposed to have learned before they graduate. Employers need better-educated employees. In addition, some colleges may be uncertain of the quality of foreign credentials. The GED diploma provides those assurances. When you pass these tests, you earn a high-school equivalency diploma. That can open many doors for you perhaps doors that you don't even know exist at this point.

You may wonder why you should even bother taking the GED test and getting your GED diploma. People with high-school diplomas earn more and spend less time unemployed than people without. Some 59 percent of people with a GED were employed full-time or part-time, compared to only 49 percent without a high-school diploma. That result is virtually the same as people with a regular high-school diploma. Incomes were about 30 percent higher for GED graduates than people without high-school diplomas.

Ready to get started? This chapter gives you the basics of the GED test: how the test is now administered, what the test sections look like, how to schedule the test, including whether you're eligible, and how the scores are calculated (so you know what you need to pass).

A computer now administers the GED test. That means that all the questions appear on a computer screen, and you enter all your answers into a computer. You read, calculate, evaluate, analyze, and write everything on the computer. Even for work like rough math calculations or draft essay writing, you don't use paper. Instead, the test centers provide you with an erasable tablet. If you know how to use a computer and are comfortable with a keyboard and a mouse, you're ahead of the game. If not, practice your keyboarding. You at least need to get more comfortable with computers, even if that means taking a short course at a local learning emporium. In the case of the GED test, familiarity breeds comfort.

Under certain circumstances, as a special accommodation, the sections are available in booklet format. Check with the GED Testing Service to see what exceptions are acceptable.

The computer-based GED test allows for speedy detailed feedback on your performance. When you pass (yes, we said when and not if, because we believe in you), the GED Testing Service provides both a diploma and a detailed transcript of your scores, similar to what high-school graduates receive. They're now available online at www.gedtestingservice.com within a day of completing the test. You can then send your transcript and diploma to an employer or college. Doing so allows employers and colleges access to a detailed outline of your scores, achievement, and demonstrated skills and abilities. This outline is also a useful tool for you to review your progress. It highlights those areas where you did well and areas where you need further work. If you want to (or have to) retake the test, these results will provide a detailed guide to what you should work on to improve your scores. Requests for additional copies of transcripts are handled online and also are available within a day.