Who takes this test?
Students who wish to earn a High School Equivalency Diploma take the GED exam. Test takers in New York City must be:
- At least 17 years old and turn 18 by June 30 and
- Meet one of the following requirements:
- Student is enrolled in a State approved prep program (all District 79 programs are approved) or
- One year has passed since the student was discharged from school; or
- Student’s high school class has graduated.
When is this test given?
The GED exam is given 12 months a year.
What is on the test?
The GED exam has five sections:
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Reasoning Through Language, RLA
The GED exam takes about eight hours to complete and is usually given in one or two days. If you don't pass one or more of the four subject area sub-tests, you can retake those parts after 60 days. In most cases you can take the GED exam up to three times in a calendar year.
How are the results scored?
The minimum passing score for each test subject is 145.
How are the results used?
The results of the exam are used to see if a student qualifies for a High School Equivalency diploma.
For more information, you can also read up about Adult Education or visit the state's High School Equivalency website.