Administered By

GED Testing Service (a joint venture of the American Council on Education and Pearson VUE)

Purpose

The GED test is a battery of four subject tests that, when passed, certify the test-taker has high school-level academic skills. The official GED certificate is widely accepted as the equivalent of a U.S. high school diploma.

Subjects

The test is divided into four separate sections: Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA), Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies.

Format

The tests are computer-based and include a variety of question types, such as multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, hot-spot, fill-in-the-blank, and an extended response (essay) in the RLA section.

Scoring

Each of the four tests is scored on a scale of 100–200. To pass, a candidate must achieve a minimum score of 145 on each subject test. Higher scores (165+ and 175+) can qualify the test-taker for college credit or college-ready status.

Target Audience

Adults who did not complete their high school education and need an official credential for employment, further education, or military enlistment.

Prerequisites

Candidates must be at least 16 years old (with restrictions for minors varying by jurisdiction) and must not have already earned a high school diploma or equivalent.