GED Fact Sheet

The General Educational Development (GED) test allows people without a high school education to get an equivalent certification. It is a paper-based test with a total time limit of just over seven hours.

History

The GED was introduced in 1942 by the American Council on Education (ACE) to accommodate veterans of World War II. The GED allowed them to get a qualification equivalent to a high school degree so they could get into college without going back to high school.

Difficulty

According to ACE, about 60 percent of high school seniors would get a passing score on their first try, if they took the GED.

The Tests

The GED consists of five tests on the following subjects: writing, social studies, science, reading and math. Depending on your state of residence, you may take all five tests at the same time or one at a time.

Minimum Score

Each state has its own minimum score for earning a GED certificate. For example, the state of Missouri requires a score of 410 on each individual test and a combined score above 2,250 on all five tests.

Statistics

According to ACE, 635,182 people took all five tests in 2007; 71 percent of them earned a passing score.

References

• Missouri GED Fact Sheet
• GEDonline