The key to passing the GED is preparation. The GED is a seven-hour test that checks important basic skills. Passing the GED shows that you have thinking, reading, writing, and math skills that are the key foundation for jobs and higher education. That’s why the GED is valuable. 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. Passing the GED isn’t just about walking in to a test center and taking a test. It starts with checking your skills, to see what gaps you need to fill in. Then, you need preparation, to get the skills that you’re missing. You need to know what’s expected on the GED 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 GED classes.

Technology is a promising way around these problems. Innovative online learning solutions can be inexpensive and accessible for learners with restrictions on their time and resources. Online learning can be done at home or anywhere a computer and internet connection is available. More importantly, the best online learning is 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. Truly personalized, engaging online learning can help adults learn faster and easier, encouraging them to stay on track to get a GED.

The benefits of the GED for both an individual adult and for the community are great, especially when the GED is viewed as a milestone in a journey toward a career or a higher education. Adults without a high school diploma or GED 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 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 can be found here: http://www.cssny.org/userimages/downloads/From%20Basic%20Skills%20to%20Better%20Futures%20Sept.%202009%20Final%20Report.pdf

Practice tests are desirable for GED learners. A good GED practice test will give a learner an overview of what the GED is really like, and what areas to study. A practice test also lets you know how prepared you really are for the GED test.

More than that, practice tests give learners a valuable edge in preparing for the GED. In a 2009 GED Testing Service study, “Preparation for and Performance on the GED Test,” the passing rates for students who used all types of GED preparation–public school adult education classes, community college adult education classes, independent study, and even no preparation–increased among students who took a GED practice test. Among learners preparing with independent study and adult education, a practice test increased passing rates by 11% to 15%. Taking a practice test was associated with generally higher GED Test scores, and the rise in test scores was highest in math, a subject that many GED learners struggle with.

GED practice tests prepare you for the GED test-taking experience. They give you practice in answering real GED-type questions and understand what you need to focus on in your studying. No matter what type of preparation you’re using to get ready for your GED test, be sure to include GED practice tests as part of your preparation.

The alternative GED program that Precious enters gives her something that has been lacking in her school, personalized attention and a route to self-determination. Although many students pursuing a GED are older than Precious, adult learners will find many points of empathy with Precious. Her difficulties at home and at school speak to both educators and learners in adult programs, and this has opened a dialogue among film viewers in GED and literacy programs.

Ben Merrion writes about viewing the film with adult education students and staff. Precious’s achievement in the film is raising her literacy from a second grade level to a seventh grade level, and adult learners realize the significance of this huge achievement. The film is laudable for recognizing how great an advance this is. Read Ben Merrion’s article at http://dclearns.org/?tag=adult-learners

Newsweek criticized the film for focusing on teaching Precious to write, instead of encouraging her natural talents for math, and a response appeared in the blog qualities-communities-literacies supporting promoting literacy in all adult learners. Read the response here: http://wendell-communitylit.blogspot.com/2009/11/why-ask-learners-like-precious-to-write.html

The film Precious is a good one to view for any adult in a literacy or GED program, or for adults who need their GED. Precious struggles with many of the problems adult learners face every day: an abusive home life, embarrassment, and criticisms from those around her. Though the film is fiction, it inspires discussion of these important issues.

Why would a medical doctor go back to earn a high school equivalency diploma? When Adams went to college early in the 1940s, he wasn’t required to graduate high school. He skipped forward again into medical school, at a time when the requirements weren’t as formalized as they are today. In more recent years, Adams has been active in water issues in his community of West Linn, Oregon, and he wanted to earn certification as a water plant operator. That’s when he ran into a problem. The certification requires a high school diploma.

Adams’s problem is similar to the situation many adults today are facing. In the past, many jobs and opportunities were open to those without a high school diploma. In many cases, quitting high school early didn’t seem like a major issue, since it was easy to enter the job market without a diploma. That’s changed. If a person without a high school diploma or GED loses their job, it’s much harder to get a new job now, without a diploma. Promotions, higher education, and changes in career can be closed off, even to a seasoned professional, without a diploma.

The good news is that the GED gives adults the opportunity to catch up with a world that demands a high school diploma. Adams took a GED practice test and discovered that he was ready to earn a GED right away, and many adults will have the same experience. For many others, just a few weeks of brush-up is enough to catch up on high school skills and be ready for the GED. Even for those who left school many years ago or didn’t do well in school, a good study program can provide quick and easy preparation.

A high school diploma is quickly becoming a necessity in today’s world, even for someone like William Adams, with many accomplishments and a long-standing career. For the 39 million American adults with no high school diploma, the GED is the answer, and it’s never too late to start moving forward with a GED diploma.

The GED Academy guides hundreds of test-takers through the GED program. Learners tell the same stories over and over. The first questions everyone asks are: What can I expect? What will it be like? What do I need to know?

The GED is a sophisticated test that measures the most important skills that people should learn in high school. The test is divided into five sections: mathematics, social studies, science, reading, and writing. Most of the sections are in a multiple choice format, and the writing section includes a timed essay. The questions are formulated to test essential real-life skills: problem solving, critical thinking, evaluation, information processing, and making inferences. The GED is a thinking test. The GED Academy calls it a thinking marathon because the GED takes eight hours of almost non-stop thinking.

The analogy is not a bad one. A person who planned to run a marathon would need to train his or her body, and in much the same way, GED test-takers need to train their minds to think in specific ways. Training for a marathon takes time, and runners spend time building up their muscles and lungs every day. In much the same way, The GED Academy recommends that GED test-takers should set aside some time each day to practice. The amount of time adult learners spend in test preparation depends on their current level of learning.

GED test preparation is for a specific purpose. You’re learning a well-defined set of skills, not facts and figures, but skills, like how to think through a problem to come to the right conclusion. It may take a few weeks or a couple of months, but with the right preparation, adult learners are amazingly successful at the GED.

Just like running a marathon requires specific strategies to go all the way, passing the GED also requires strategies for pacing yourself and test-taking skills as well as specific thinking skills. The emphasis of the GED is on measuring test-takers’ ability to reason, observe, and think clearly… skills that adults can learn using the right tools.

The benefits of the GED are difficult to deny. GED graduates can qualify for better jobs and higher education. With a GED, an adult will on average earn $350,000 more throughout a lifelong career. Adults who go on to higher education earn even more. Ormsby credits this, in part, to the real-life skills that students learn to pass the GED. It’s more than just a paper. The GED represents essential knowledge and understanding.

Most people think of physical disabilities, when they think of test-taking accommodations. The GED provides accommodations for people with many types of disabilities, though, including physical disabilities, emotional and mental health disabilities, learning disabilities, and ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). The GED testing center can provide extended time, an audiocassette version, a braille test version, a calculator for the second math test, a talking calculator for the entire math test, a private room, supervised frequent breaks, or other accommodations specific to the disability. A qualified professional, such as your doctor, will need to provide documentation of your diagnosis and needs.

One of the most common disabilities is ADHD, or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD can often go undiagnosed, and cause people to perform poorly in school. People suffering from ADHD may drop out because school is so difficult when you can’t concentrate, focus, or sit still. To get accommodations for ADHD, you’ll need information from a psychiatrist, medical doctor, or psychologist who specializes in ADHD, along with information about your history and symptoms. You’ll need to take a test of attention, like the TOVA Gordon Diagnostic Battery. The GED test accommodations you can receive (such as frequent breaks or extra time) will be based on your symptoms, and how they’ll limit you during the test.

Accommodations may also be given for learning disabilities, such as dyslexia (reading disabilities), dysgraphia (writing disabilities), or dyscalculia (math disabilities). For these types of disabilities, you’ll also need a diagnosis from a doctor, who will need to report your scores on tests for learning and cognitive disabilities.

Talk to your doctor if you feel you need accommodations. Discuss what tests you may need to take, and whether you need to see a specialist.

Even with accommodations, the GED may be difficult for people with disabilities. Studying can also be a problem. The GED Academy strives to make its program as accessible as possible for students with disabilities. Go to the GED Academy website at http://www.passGED.com to learn more about our program, and how it’s designed to help everyone learn.

For more information and GED test-taking accommodation forms, visit the ACE GED Testing Service website: http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/test/Take/Accommodations_Disab.htm

The biggest stumbling blocks to earning a GED are usually the same things that stopped potential GED test-takers from graduating high school. Some had problems at home. Some had to get jobs. Many had trouble learning in a traditional school environment.

A recent study supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (http://www.essentialed.org/thesilentepidemic3-06.pdf ) found the most high school dropouts leave school because they found school uninteresting, boring, and not relevant to their lives. Most of these students had grade point averages of C or better and could have graduated. The students had the skills, but life and the school system got in the way.

Many adults expect studying for the GED to be like school, and often adult learners have even more responsibilities now than in high school: paying rent, supporting a family, and making ends meet. The good news is that the GED isn’t like school, and studying for the GED isn’t like going back to high school.

Often, students are overwhelmed by the idea of having to relearn high school, but GED test-takers don’t need to learn a whole high school curriculum to prepare for the GED. The GED exams test whether you have essential thinking skills, not a lot of facts and figures in your brain. Instead of memorizing the history of Europe or complex math equations, adult learners need to understand basic, fundamental concepts of math, science, social studies, language, and communication. And most importantly, test-takers have to think critically and solve problems. These aren’t just “school skills.” These are skills that everyone should have. And everyone can learn them.

Another problem is that, often, adults who never graduated high school didn’t learn how to learn. Studying on your own or going to adult education classes might not be right for many adult learners. Test prep books may be frustrating, and going to classes after a long day’s work may seem impossible. Fortunately, modern technology provides options. Computers and the Internet have changed our lives, and they’re also changing the way we learn. Innovative GED study programs are available online that can help students learn at their own pace. Effective programs usually focus on real-life issues and skills, and they engage learners through an entertaining and simple educational experience.

Be wary, though. Websites that offer a “GED” or “high school” diploma in 10 days or a week through an online test are usually scams. These worthless “diploma mills” charge $200 to $1,000 for a piece of paper that has no value. The real GED must be taken in person, at a test center.

Here are tips to make a study plan:

1. Take a practice test to see what skills you need to work on.

2. Find a study program that lets you focus on areas you need to improve and fits into your lifestyle and learning style.

3. Set aside an hour a day to study, starting with the areas that need the least studying.

4. When you’re ready to pass a couple of the GED test areas, schedule a test day… you’ll feel great to have passed some of the tests already.

Soon, you’ll be on your way to a GED credential, more options, and greater earning potential. The most important step in earning a GED is the first one: making a commitment to yourself and getting started on your studying. Can you pass the GED? The answer is yes, if you make the commitment.

Adults of all ages receive their GEDs each year. In 2007, Evie Eaves of Amarillo, Texas earned her GED at 97 years old, becoming the oldest GED recipient. Evie, who was born in 1910, grew up on a farm in Oklahoma where the nearest high school was a seven mile walk. Her great-granddaughter urged her to get her GED. Family, friends, and the staff at her retirement community helped Evie earn her GED, an accomplishment that made her feel she could do anything.

Let Evie’s accomplishment be an inspiration to you, too. Each week, there are new stories of people of all ages who have earned their GEDs. Twenty-two years after coming to the U.S., Vietnamese immigrant Linh Wight, after a long struggle to learn English, earned her GED in Newnan, Georgia in 2009, and days later was accepted at the University of West Georgia. It wasn’t too late for her.

Learners who achieve their GED earn pride in their accomplishment. Sherry, a GED Academy student, writes: “I passed my GED! Thanks for all of your help. Now I’ll be able to pursue my dreams of nursing”. Zaher, also a GED Academy student, writes: “I am proud that I got my GED and very happy with it, especially after I learned that no one from my country has attempted that before!”

The GED is an important achievement for most learners. It represents a triumph that they can be proud of, as well as a road to future success with a new career or a college education. Only a few years after dropping out of high school, some learners begin doubting if they’re too old to go back. They think of a GED as “high school,” for 18 or 20-year-olds… but thousands of people in their fifties, sixties, and even older get their GEDs. It’s never too late to earn a GED diploma.

If you’re ready for a fresh start, for more education, or for a better career, it’s not too late for the GED. There are many resources to help you prepare, including programs at local community colleges, adult schools, and libraries, as well as online preparation programs like the GED Academy. The learners who make a commitment to get their GEDs never regret their achievement.

Over 39 million Americans lack a high school diploma or GED, and without that accomplishment, better jobs and higher education aren’t available. The GED is an important options for people who want to better their situations. But they are left with the question: Can I pass?

The benefits of earning a GED are clear. Adults with a GED diploma earn on average $350,000 more during their lifetime than those who never got a high school degree. For those who use the GED as a stepping stone to higher education at a college, university, trade, or technical school, that amount could rise steeply–and they could earn up to a million dollars more in their careers.

The biggest stumbling blocks to earning a GED are usually the same factors that stopped potential GED test-takers from graduating high school. Some had problems at home. Some had to get jobs. Many experienced frustration trying to learn in a traditional school environment. A recent study supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation found the most high school dropouts leave school because they found school uninteresting, boring, and not relevant to their lives. Most of these students had grade point averages of C or better and could have succeeded in school had they continued. (http://www.essentialed.org/thesilentepidemic3-06.pdf)

Many adults expect the same frustrating conditions as high school when studying for the GED test, and often adult learners have even more responsibilities now than in high school: paying rent, supporting a family, and making ends meet.

“The good news,” says Michael Ormsby, president of The GED Academy, “is that, no matter what your situation, you probably can pass the GED with the right preparation.”

One of the most common obstacles students face is being overwhelmed by the idea of having to relearn high school. However, GED test-takers don’t need to learn everything taught in high school to prepare for the GED. The GED tests essential skills. Instead of memorizing the history of Europe or complex math equations, adult learners need to understand basic, fundamental concepts of math, science, social studies, language, and communication. Perhaps most importantly, GED test-takers need the ability to think critically and solve problems. “These aren’t just ’school skills,’” says Ormsby. “These are skills that everyone should have. And everyone can learn them.”

Another crucial obstacle to the GED is that, often, adults who never graduated high school didn’t learn how to learn. Studying alone or attending adult education classes might not be right for many adult learners. Test prep books may be frustrating, and going to classes after a long day’s work may seem impossible. Fortunately, modern technology provides options. Computers and the Internet have changed our lives, and they’re also changing the way we learn. Innovative GED study programs are available online that can help students learn at their own pace. Effective programs usually focus on real-life issues and skills, and they engage learners through an entertaining and simple educational experience.

However, websites that offer a “GED” or “high school” diploma in 10 days or a week through an online test are usually scams. These “diploma mills” charge $200 to $1,000 for a piece of paper that has no value.

The real GED must be taken in person, at a test center. Ormsby recommends that every test-taker make a study plan to prepare. First, interested adults should take a GED practice test to see what skills they need to work on. Then, GED test-takers need to find a study program that allows them to focus on areas they need to improve and fits into their lifestyle and learning style. “Soon, you’ll be on your way to a GED credential, more options, and greater earning potential,” Ormsby says. “Earning your GED does take commitment, but if you want to earn your GED, you can.”

For more information about GED online study programs, visit: www.passged.com