Christian Home Educators of West Virginia
The GED looms as a kind of necessary evil over parts of the home schooling community. Unlike the SAT or ACT, which are typically necessities when applying for college, you should take the GED only if the college you choose requires it, you need it for the Promise Scholarship, or if you have no clue what you’re going to do and want to keep your options open. Most colleges accept a home schooler without a GED, requiring instead a transcript of your high school grades, ACT/SAT scores, and possibly a portfolio. The only state university systems I know of that require the GED are New York and West Virginia, and the Home School Legal Defense Association is contesting New York’s policy. In fact, HSLDA encourages home schoolers not to take the GED unless they absolutely must, as home schooling is a valid form of education.

At the present time, however, some WV families will need to have their graduates take the GED in order to receive the Promise Scholarship. The GED is often associated by the general public with high school dropouts, but this is certainly not at all the case with those who have home schooled through high school. It is sometimes possible to persuade a college admissions officer to waive the GED requirement by appealing the student’s standardized test scores and academic record. Should you feel that the GED is a must in your particular situation, here is some information you may find helpful.

The GED, which stands for General Education Diploma, is a substitute for a high school diploma. It contains tests for five subject areas: language arts and writing (a two-part test which includes English questions and a 45-minute essay), social studies, science, reading (interpreting passages on literature and the arts), and mathematics (word problems, fractions, decimals, first year algebra and geometry). In the social studies and science tests, you must read and analyze a variety of passages, diagrams, graphs or maps. You are given all the math formulas you need in the front of the test.

Having consistently focused on your daily schoolwork is the best preparation for the GED.  If you are preparing for the SAT or ACT, this will work in your favor, as the GED generally has simpler content. For the social studies section, a review of major events and movements in American history would be useful, and brushing up on word problems in math might prove beneficial. Practicing writing brief essays within a time limit would be fine preparation for the writing section. Kaplan publishes a thorough GED preparation book that includes tips and practice topics for the essay, in addition to a well-presented overview of the knowledge needed for the GED.

The GED is scheduled to begin in the late afternoon and is set up to take about 12 hours, spread over two days. I finished mine in less than four hours, which is more typical. All the materials you will need for the test will be provided, so it is best to bring only a watch. The test won’t be any harder than a high school standardized test and considerably easier than any college admissions test. When you complete one subtest, you can move on to another; and time you have left on one test is added to the time allotted for the next one. You may take a short break after each test or continue with the next subtest. The cost of the test is $50. A helpful website is www.advantageged.org.

If you meet the scoring requirements on the Official Practice Test (OPT), you may be eligible for a “Free GED testing fee” voucher. This is based upon availability of funds. Check with the teacher at the learning center where you take the OPT to see if funds are available. If you receive a voucher, you can pre-register for the next GED test at your local GED testing center, present your voucher and take the test.

Remember, praying for wisdom and understanding is so very important. Be careful to use your time well, whatever your choice.  “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
Understanding the GED

By Vicki Carey
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