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So you decided to take the GED® (General Educational Development Test)— now what? There's a lot of advice online, especially from companies that want you to pay for their prep courses. You don't need to spend a lot of money to get your GED, and the process is quite simple!

Sign up at www.ged.com

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There is only one way to get your GED: sign up on the official GED website.

No other organization is authorized to offer the GED test.

You can take the test in person at an official GED test center or take it online from home. The online test is proctored, meaning someone watches you on a webcam while you take the exam.

Pick the In-Person or Online Test

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Should I take the test in person?

Pros:

  • The test center provides all the materials you need — pencils, scratch paper, equation charts, and equation charts.

  • If you fail the test, there's usually a discounted fee to retake it.

Things to consider:

  • Most test centers only hold the tests on weekdays.

  • Limited number of seats are available.

  • You must travel to the test center — if traffic is bad or it's hard to find parking, you might be late or get stressed out before the test.

Want to take the test in person?

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Should I take the test online?

Pros:

  • Test times are available on weekends and nights.

  • No travel time or parking is required.

Things to consider:

  • You need a reliable internet service, a recent model Windows or Mac computer (no Chromebooks or tablets), a microphone, and a webcam. Run a system test on your computer to check if your setup is okay.

  • You must be in a private, walled room with a closed door.

  • The online test is proctored (someone watches you on the webcam to make sure you're not cheating) using an app that must be downloaded onto your computer.

  • If you break any rules during the test (including touching your webcam, talking out loud, eating or smoking, or standing up), your test will be invalidated and you'll be banned from taking the test ever again.

  • You have to pass the GED Ready practice test before you can schedule your GED test.

  • You can't use scratch paper or a calculator, only the provided online scratch pad, whiteboard, and calculator.

  • If you fail the test, you'll have to pay the full fee to retake the test.

Want to take the test online?

How Much Does the GED Test Cost?

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The cost is different in every state. Some states charge less for taking the test online. Some states offer their residents the GED Test for free! Prices range widely from $4 to $81 per subject (there are four subjects in the GED) but most states charge around $30-$40 per subject.

Check the price in your state.

Some companies offer their employees GEDWorksTM, a program that provides free GED prep courses and pays for GED testing.

How Do I Study for the GED?

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Most people take about three months to study. You can:

Take a GED prep course:

Practice:

Quiz: GED on a Budget

Sam didn't graduate from high school and is currently working. They would like to get their GED to qualify for a promotion and better pay. To reduce the cost of getting their GED, Sam could:

A. Take the GED test in another state that charges lower fees.

B. Check if their home state partially or fully subsidizes test fees for residents.

C. Find out if the local public library offers free GED prep courses.

D. Ask their employer if they offer a free GED prep course and pay for the test.

Quiz

Select all correct answers:

Take Action

Made up your mind? Get started!

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