WHAT IS THE GED?Anyone 18 years or older who has not obtained a high school diploma may apply to take the GED (General Education Development) test. Passing the 7-1/2 hour exam earns an internationally recognized high school equivalent credential that may be used to further education, help obtain employment, or achieve other personal goals.

GED FEES

The fee is $150 for the GED exam. Candidates who provide written documentation from a local adult school or other community educational resource that they have taken and passed the official GED practice tests will receive a $10 discount on the fee. The re-test fee is $45 per section. Fees are good for a period of one year, after which refunds will not be granted. Examinees may re-test a maximum of 3 times in a calendar year, but there is no overall limit to the number of times a candidate may take the exam.

IDENTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

GED candidates must present current photo identification issued by the government. The following are acceptable forms of ID:

DMV driver’s license or DMV ID cardTribal ID cardMilitary ID card
Passport

Candidates must include a clear copy of their identification at the time they register and they must bring the original on each test date. Since space is limited at all test sessions, candidates should plan to register and pay the fee at least one week before the scheduled exam. Exams with low enrollment may be postponed/rescheduled. You will be notified in advance should this occur.Candidates may mail their completed application form, copy of ID, and check or money order payment, or bring those materials in person, to:

Eureka Main Campus (cashier’s office in Admin. Bldg)
Eureka Downtown Instructional Site (605 K. St., corner of 6th & K Sts.)

AGE REQUIREMENTS

The minimum age for testing is 18, as determined by the California Department of Education.There are some exceptions; please contact College of the Redwoods for information on taking the GED exams at 17 years of age by leaving a message at 707.269.4014 or calling 707.269.4000 during business hours (M-F 8:30 -4:30.)

GED DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS

Candidates who have a documented disability and are unable to take the GED in a standard test administration may apply to the State of California for special testing accommodations. Please contact College of the Redwoods at 707.269.4014 with questions or to obtain the required application form. The process of approving GED test accommodations may take up to two months to complete.

PREPARATION AND PRE-TESTING

Research shows that GED candidates have a better chance of passing the exam if they are well-prepared for it. Some people prepare by taking classes, or studying GED preparation books, or online materials. Others may simply brush up on a few subject areas where they feel they need to practice. Candidates can get help studying for the GED and may be able to take official practice tests through the following resources:

COMMUNITY EDUCATION PREPARATION

Eureka Adult School: 441-2461

Employment Training Dept, Skills Lab: 441-4623

FREE ONLINE PREPARATION

www.gedtest.org

The American Council on Education GED Testing Service official website.www.gedpractice.com

The Steck-Vaughn Adult Education website.Humboldt County Library *(Note: you must have a library card to access this preparation site.) Log on to www.co.humboldt.ca.us/library. At the left of the screen, click on Articles & Databases. Then click on Testing & Educational Reference Center. You will need to enter your library card # at this point. Then click on High School Tools and then on GED PRINTED PREPARATION MATERIALS

Textbooks by Kaplans, Barrons, ARCO, among others, are often available at local bookstores, new and used. Official GED Practice Tests are comparable in content, level of difficulty, and format to the GED Tests.

THE GED EXAMS

At College of the Redwoods Eureka campus the GED exam is given in two days, as follows:

DAY 1
Language Arts Writing, part 1	50 multiple choice questions	75 minutes
Language Arts Writing, part 2	essay	45 minutes
Mathematics, part 1	25 questions / with calculator	45 minutes
Mathematics, part 2	25 questions / no calculator	45 minutes
DAY 2
Science	50 multiple choice questions	80 minutes
Social Studies	50 multiple choice questions	70 minutes
Reading comprehension	40 multiple choice questions	65 minutes

GED Testing Dates

PLEASE NOTE: The GED Exam is held on Friday AND Saturday - you must attend BOTH days to complete the exam.

DATE                                           TIME
January 20 & 21                            9 am – 2 pm approx.
February 17 & 18                          9 am – 2 pm approx.
March 16 & 17                              9 am – 2 pm approx.
April 20 & 21                                9 am – 2 pm approx.
May 18 & 19                                 9 am – 2 pm approx.
June 22 & 23                                 9 am – 2 pm approx.
July 20 & 21                                  9 am – 2 pm approx.
August 17 & 18                             9 am – 2 pm approx.
September 21 & 22                       9 am – 2 pm approx.
October 19 & 20                           9 am – 2 pm approx.
November 16 & 17                       9 am – 2 pm approx.
December 14 & 15                       9 am – 2 pm approx.

Current photo ID is required to take the GED test, and must be presented at the time of registration for the test and at each test session. ID may be your driver license, state or tribal identification card, military ID card or current passport.

GENERAL HINTS FOR TESTING

BEFORE THE TEST

Know the location of the Downtown Instructional Site before test day (605 K. St., Eureka, corner of 6th and K.)Get a good night’s sleep and eat a good meal before testing.
Plan to arrive a little early (10-15 min.) to allow for any last-minute changes or delays.

Be sure to bring your photo ID with you both days of the exam

During the exam the following items may not be held at your seat: purses, backpacks, tote bags, cell phones, pagers, portable music players, hand-held electronic games, calculator watches, food items, textbooks, notebooks or other written materials, jackets, coats or hats, and any other non-essential items

TAKING THE TESTS

Read all directions and questions carefully and completely to make sure you understand what you are expected to do. Also listen carefully to the directions the GED Examiner gives. All multiple-choice questions have five answer choices. There are no trick questions. Eliminate the answer choices that you know are wrong and choose the single best remaining answer. Mark only one answer for each question; multiple marks will be scored as incorrect. If you change your mind about an answer, erase completely and make your new mark clear and dark.Don’t spend too much time on a question if you’re not sure of the answer; move on and then come back to the questions you skipped. If you still don’t know the answer after looking at the question again, mark an answer choice anyway – your score is based on the number of right answers you have; there is no penalty for a guess. Therefore, it is to your advantage to mark an answer choice for every question.

Be aware of the time limit for the test section you are taking – each test has a different time limit. The examiner will announce when there are 10 minutes left to work on a test section so that you may pace yourself.

If you have questions or need further information about the GED exam, please contact College of the Redwoods Downtown Instructional Site by leaving a message at 707.269.4014 or calling 707.269.4000 during business hours (M-F 8:30-4:30.)

Congratulations on taking this important step for yourself – good luck!