About the GED

The GED Tests offer you an opportunity to PROVE YOURSELF.

The General Educational Development Tests were originally developed in 1942 to determine the skill levels of returning WWII servicemen. Now the GED Tests measure the major and lasting outcomes and concepts associated with a traditional four-year high school education.

The GED Tests consist of following five subtests: Social Studies, Language Arts/Writing (2 parts), Language Arts/Reading, Science, and Mathematics (2 parts).

The Language Arts/Writing test consists of a multiple choice part and an essay.

The Mathematics test consists of a part where a calculator may be used and a part where a calculator is not permitted.

An examinee may take the GED in Utah only three (3) times in English or Spanish.

GED Scoring

A GED Certificate is awarded in Utah upon passing the five subtests with 410 on EACH subtest and with 450 overall average -- the averaging of all 5 tests.

Language Arts/Writing is one of the 5 GED subtests. There are two parts to the subtest, namely multiple choice portion and the essay portion. See the essay scoring guidelines.

Typically, in Utah, we have a speedy scoring service -- GEDSCORING.COM -- that will normally process your test results in one day and email your results to you if you register online and give them your email address. Also, your GED results will be always available online, accessible to you with the usage of a password.

Arranging to take the GED

To make an appointment to take the GED test in UTAH, or if you have questions about testing times, please contact a local testing center.

Alternatively, you are welcome to register online at GED123 (also known as GEDSCORING.COM). You must still pay your fees at the testing site you choose as your testing location.

Test Length

The GED Test takes approximately 7 3/4 hours to complete.

You do not have to take the 5 subtests that make up the GED all at one time. However, you must take all 5 subtests before you are permitted to re-take any subtest that you may have failed.

GED Test Cost

For UTAH examinees, the actual costs to take the GED 2002 Tests in Utah will be the following:
1. Full Battery of 5 subtests = $55
2. Retake Writing skills subtest = $15
3. Retake of any other subtest = $11 each

If an examinee registers for GED testing and does not show up for the test, the GED testing site is permitted to charge a "no-show" fee effective November 15, 2002. Testing sites are permitted to charge up to $15 to any GED examinee who books and does not appear for his/her testing times. Each testing site is allowed to determine how many days in advance of the testing time constitutes "no show." If examinees have questions, they may contact the local testing sites.

Note: Scores from previous versions (1988...) of the GED Tests cannot be combined with the new 2002 version of the GED. This means that on January 1, 2002, anyone who had not completed the former version of GED Tests had begin all over again with all 5 new subtests.

Testing in a Different Language

Spanish GED Testing can be typically scheduled at Davis ATC, Delta Technical Center, Dixie College, Jordan School District , Salt Lake Community College - Skills Center, Utah State University, Utah Valley State College, and Weber State University. Please phone for appointments. From year to year, this list may change.

Calculators

Usage of calculators (fx-260 Solar) will comprise about half of the math subtest. Calculators that will be used in the actual GED 2002 math subtests may be purchased by:

Calculators will be provided for you at GED Testing Centers for the actual GED Tests -- so don't take a calculator to the testing situation. Brief instructions on how to use the calculators will also be provided at the testing time. However, it is advisable to learn how calculators work before you take the math portion of the GED tests. If you wish, you may take the math subtest completely without a calculator, but you most likely will not complete as many questions in the math portion of the GED 2002 Tests as you would if you effectively use the calculator.

GED Testing centers will have a short video for you to watch regarding (1) how the Casio fx-260 works and (2) the alternate ways you will answer some math questions.

Calculators cost $7.00 each for the fx-260 Solar calculators (50% retail discount) and $35 each for instructors' teaching calculators (OH-260, used on overhead projectors). Shipping and handling is 7% of your purchase price to a maximum of $14.00 per order. Prices may change.

Requirements for Retesting

Pay retesting fees.

Show current government-issued identification each time you retest.

Retesting may be accomplished on all tests or selected tests for an unlimited number of times until minimum scores are obtained provided that a period of three weeks has elapsed since the second and subsequent testing, and new forms of the test are available. Typically, in any calendar year, the maximum number of times any one of the 5 GED sub-tests may be retaken is three. Scores will carry over from year to year.

The policy immediately above may be partially waived and next-day retesting may be allowed for examinees who score within 30 points of their targeted goal. Hence, as an example, any examinee who scores 380+ on any single test will be permitted to test on another version of that test the next time that test is offered by a GED testing site. If the examinee scores less than 380, the examinee is required to wait 3 weeks to encourage additional GED preparation before the examinee re-takes a GED test.

Passing scores may be upgraded by retesting based on evidence of need.

What's GED?
GED stand for General Education Development. You may have heard the GED test referred to as the High-School Equivalency Test. Yes, the test measures your ability against that of graduating high-school students and gives you a chance to earn a certificate that is the equivalent of a high-school diploma. And, you do not have to go back to schoo to get it. That's quite an opportunity!

Why take GED?
Every state in the union, as well as many Canadian provinces use GED test as the bsisis for giving high-school equivalency credentials. These credentials are accepted as the equipvalent of a high-school deploma for purposes of employment, promotion, and licensing. And, many colleges and universities now accept satisfactory GED test scores in place of completed high-school grae transcripts for admissions purposes.

What's on the test?
The five areas in the GED test have been created to test whether an adult has tht knowledge and skills that the average high-school graduate does in these five areas:
Test 1: Writing Skills
Test 2: Social Skills
Test 3: Science
Test 4: Interpreting Literature and the Arts
Test 5: Mathematics

How is the test administered?
It will take you about 7 1/2 hours to complete all five areas of GED test. Every state has its own plicy regarding the GED test. Soem prefere that you take the entire five tests in one day. Some will allow you t ovreak your GED test into two parts; tehy might let you take two tests on one day and the other three on another.
In most states, you must get a total minimum standard score of 225 points to pass the GED test. This means that you need an average standard score of 45 on each of the suject tests. Minimum passing scores vary from state to state.
If you don't pass one or more the test, or even all five of them, you can retake any you didn't pass. Each time you take a test, you will have a different set of questions.

Techniques and tips for taking the test

Always read directions at the beginning of each section. Directions are not the same for every section.

Be sure to answer every question on the test. Your scores will be based on the number of ansers you get right; you do not get any points taken off for marking wrong answers.

Read the questions carefully. Don't come to a choice in a rush.

Try to eliminate the choice(s) that obviously wrong first. You job becomes a lot easier if you just have to decide the more logical-looking options.

Be sure to mark your answer sheets correctly. You know why...

When you write your GED essay, make sure your handwriting is neat and legible. It doesn't have to look perfect, and you can cross out words and phrases, bu the scorers can't read your essay, they have to give a score of "0".

Studies show that it is safer to stick to your first impressions.

If you finish early, don't turn in you test, yet. Use every minute you have to go back and check your answers. Clean up your answer sheent and erase distracting marks. Review your essay one more time. You've worked hard to get to this point, so make your final munutes count!

And more... Maybe you can contribute some during our program!

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