Many people who did not finish high school have knowledge and skills comparable to people who did graduate. The GED (General Educational Development) test is a battery of five multiple-choice tests that ask questions about subjects covered in high school. The exam covers reading, mathematics, social studies, science and writing skills. The writing skills portion includes a 200-word essay. The exam takes about 7 hours to complete. 

Most colleges and employers accept a GED certificate as being equivalent to a high school diploma. Each year more than 10,000 Missouri residents earn their GED.

Only those who are at least 16 years old and are no longer enrolled in high school are eligible to take the GED test.

Please be advised that the Missouri GED^® Certificate can be neither earned or obtained via the Internet or through correspondence programs.  The Tests of General Educational Development (GED Tests), developed by the General Educational Development Testing Service of the American Council on Education (GED Testing Service), requires extensive preparation and the demonstration of a high level of high school knowledge and academic skills.  The GED Tests are administered in Missouri only at Official GED Testing Centers under the direction of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, GED Testing section.  Any other high school equivalency certificate not issued by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or another jurisdictional GED testing authority may be of dubious value and may not be accepted by employers, colleges and universities, or the military.

GED Testing Facts

• One out of every seven people who receive high school diplomas each year earns that diploma by passing the GED tests.
• Ninety percent of colleges and universities recognize the GED.  Passing the GED tests puts a person in the top 60% of an estimated class rank of U.S. graduating high school seniors and lets colleges know the person has the skills and knowledge equivalent to applicants from traditional high schools.
• More than 95 percent of employers nationwide employ  GED graduates on the same basis as high school graduates in terms of hiring, salary, and opportunity for advancement.
• Sixty-five percent of GED test-takers plan to enter college, a university, trade or technical school, or business school during the next year.
• The average age of persons taking the GED tests is 24.7 years old.