How to Get Your GED

Facts About the General Education Development Test

People from all walks of life have quit high school for reasons beyond their control or for personal reasons such as the need for employment, learning disabilities, failing grades, an inability to cope with teachers, illness, and pregnancy. Many of these people believe that they will eventually continue their education by getting their GED or General Educational Development certificate in the future when their life returns to some form of normalcy, and allows for them to once again concentrate on furthering their education. The GED is accessible to anyone aged 16 or older, and it is fairly inexpensive, or to those that qualify, it is free. For a person that is uncomfortable in a classroom setting, the GED can be obtained online at various sites. You cannot apply for a GED if you are still attending high school or have received a high school diploma.

Where Did the GED�Get it's Start?
In 1942, the head of household usually had an education of nothing higher then the 8th grade. Men worked in mines and held industrial jobs that required manual labor, and minimal educations. World War II declared that most males would be sent overseas to fight which meant leaving school early. While many had jobs to return to, some wanted to expand their knowledge and get higher paying jobs. Thus, the GED was designed in 1942 with this in mind. It contained all of the basics that were learned in traditional high schools, and colleges accepted them as equivalent to the diploma. The GED was revised in 1972 as a sign of the times was clearly a higher education with a larger expansion of academic subjects with more concise, critical thinking.

Preparing for the GED Battery Test
It all starts with a firm commitment from the student. Family members and friends can offer encouragement and help with studying for the examination. Your local library has books for preparing for the GED test. Once you are confident that you are ready to take the exam, look in the yellow pages of your phone book under �schools' or community colleges for adult education programs or you can contact the GED Testing Service by calling 1-800-626-9433.