GED Stories

Name: Emily
Age: 15
City and State: flo/mo

What motivated you to get your GED? I am so sick of being in school, and the teachers I have make me feel stupid. No matter how much I study or how hard I try, I just cannot live up to their expectations. I am not failing anything. I am passing all my classes with rather high grades. One honor class is difficult but I am not the only one struggling. I know I will have to wait a little more but that’s why I am beginning the preparations now. I just want to get my life started because I feel like I am falling behind.

How have your friends and family helped you? My mom did not graduate. My father did but there is a complicated story behind that. I don’t want to end up like them.

What problems have you faced? I need to know all the requirements for Missouri for getting a GED at my age.

What do you hope to gain from getting your GED? I hope to have more time to think over what I want to do and to work. I want to become a nurse and a part time hairstylist. I also want to own businesses on the side. Am I thinking too large?

I have a question. Do you have to be a drop out in order to receive your GED?

Emily,

To answer your questions first, to get your GED in Missouri, you must be 16 years old and not be enrolled in school. That means, if you’re 16, you must have dropped out. You’ll need to score an average of 450 on each test (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies), and a minimum of 410 on any one test, to pass. To get more information about the GED in Missouri, visit the Missouri Department of Education GED website: http://dese.mo.gov/divcareered/ged_about.htm

While the GED is an option at 16, we encourage young people, especially someone like you who is doing well in school, to stick with it, even if it’s difficult. Not every teacher is going to be a negative influence on your learning… so try to work through it if you can. Try to gain confidence enough in yourself to know that you can get through, and try to find ways that you can change your own education, in talking to teachers and counselors, in petitioning for changes at your school, in finding creative ways to get together with other students and help each other. Your school preparation will help you out with the classes you’ll need to become an RN and the learning you’ll want to become a successful businessperson.

By the way, don’t ever stop thinking big! All the goals you’ve set for yourself are things you can really accomplish. Our advice is to start looking into nursing school now, and find out the best route to become a nurse as the first step to your dreams. Talk to your school counselor about the problems you’re having, the possibility of earning a GED, and your career goals. Another good place to look is the community colleges near you. This website has links to all the community colleges in Missouri: http://www.missouricommunitycollegeassociation.com/ … Community colleges are a great place to get started on a nursing career.

Good luck! We see great things in your future.

The GED Academy