By Michael Ormsby
In a September 2009 report, the Community Service Society notes that 1,000,00 New York adults, one in five workers, lack a high school or GED® diploma. The state ranks 48th in the U.S. in GED pass rate, and only 60% of test-takers are passing the GED Test. Compare this to Iowa, where in 2001, 95% of test-takers passed the GED exam. Iowa’s statistics show that it’s possible to get a GED diploma. GED test-takers can pass. So, why do people fail the GED exam? Why does a state like New York have such low pass rates?
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The key to passing the GED test is preparation. The GED exam is a more than seven-hour test that checks important basic skills. Passing the GED test shows that you have thinking, reading, writing, and math skills that are the key foundation for jobs and higher education. That’s it’s worthwhile to get a GED diploma. It shows employers and colleges that you’ve passed a milestone in acquiring the skills you need to advance.
The difference between a state like New York and one like Iowa has to do with the approach to the GED exam. Passing the GED test isn’t just about walking into one of the GED centers and taking a test. It starts with checking your skills, to see what gaps you need to fill in, usually through a GED practice test. Then, you need preparation, to get the skills that you’re missing. You need to know what’s expected on the GED exam and build up your abilities. Then, when you’re ready, you take the GED test. GED success is a process that includes preparation as a key element.
GED preparation is a serious problem for many people. Adults who dropped out of high school have adult responsibilities, including jobs and children. They have financial responsibilities to care for their families, time constraints, and difficulties with transportation. Even a well-run state program can be discouraging for adults who have trouble finding the time, childcare, and resources to attend a local low-cost or even free GED class.
Technology is a promising way around these problems. Innovative online GED classes can be inexpensive and accessible for learners with restrictions on their time and resources. Online GED programs can be done at home or anywhere a computer and Internet connection is available. More importantly, the best online GED classes are directed toward an individual student’s needs. Adult learners are all starting at different levels and filling different gaps in their learning. Managing an adult education class, filled with students with a wide variety of needs, is challenging. A truly personalized, engaging online GED class can help adults learn faster and easier, encouraging them to stay on track to get a GED diploma.
The benefits of the GED diploma for both an individual adult and for the community are great, especially when the GED credential is viewed as a milestone in a journey toward a career or a higher education. Adults without a high school diploma or GED test credential are the most likely to be unemployed. The Community Service Society estimates that adults without a high school diploma cost New York City $135,000 more than they pay in taxes over the course of their lifetime. The GED diploma is an investment in the future, one that can pay off for individuals, businesses, and government.
The Community Service Society report on the New York GED exam can be found here.
Michael Ormsby is the president of the GED Academy and oversees software and curriculum for adult learners and people with educational challenges. For more information, visit passGED.com. Michael can be contacted by telephone at 800-460-8150.
