General Educational Development (GED) Testing

What is the GED? The GED test is a four-subject high school equivalency test that measures skills required by high schools and requested by colleges and employers.

Subject areas of the GED Certificate include:

Preparation is an essential part of any important examination. Those who study are more likely to pass. You probably have gained some knowledge and skills throughout life experience, reading, and informal training, but remember that the GED test is a rigorous four part test that takes seven hours to complete. Regardless of your ability, you'll be more certain to perform your best on the tests if you know what to expect before the testing day arrives.

Test Facts

  • The GED test has played an important role in America's educational landscape for 70 years.
  • The first GED test was created in 1942 and is updated every 10-15 years.
  • The GED test takes a little more than seven hours to complete.
  • The GED test is administered year-round at Lewis-Clark State College.
  • People with a high school credential earn $568,000 more in a lifetime than people without a high school credential.

Practice Tests

Frequently Asked Questions...

Visit MyGED at www.GED.com or call 1-877-392-6433 to sign up and create your MyGED account.  You can also learn about the 2014 GED program, see success stories, and try a sample test question.

All scheduling is done through www.GED.com or by calling 1-877-392-6433.  You will see a yellow "Start scheduling" button on your dashboard Study tile.  Click "Start scheduling" to answer the scheduling questions, select your test subject, your day and time, and pay for your test.  Special note:  You must have an email address, photo identification at time of testing, and a credit/debit card to pay for your tests.

You must be 18 or older to take the GED tests. If you are 16 or 17, you may take the tests if you do the following:

  • Complete the GED Youth Waiver Form and return to our office for approval. The top section is completed by the high school principal or counselor and the bottom section is completed by the parent or guardian and student.
  • Provide identification (i.e. driver's license, state, passport, military or government-issued identification).  Identification name must match registration name.  A social security card, a student identification card, and/or a birth certificate will not be accepted as identification.

The best news of all is that it's FREE to prepare for the GED.  There is no charge for instruction, use of books, or other supplies.  The GED is made up of 4 tests, each costing $36 ($144 total).  Payment is made during the scheduling process and must be paid with a credit or debit card.  You can pay as you go for one subject at a time.

You will be given an erasable noteboard and marker to take into the testing room.

You will not be allowed to eat, drink, smoke or use your cell phone during your test.  Family members, friends or anyone accompanying you to testing will not be allowed to stay in the testing center during your test.

When you schedule more than one subject in the same day, you will automatically be given a ten minute break between tests.  Unscheduled breaks are not allowed and your test will not be scored if you leave the room during an unscheduled break.  During scheduled breaks, you may access your personal items.  If you need to leave the room, have questions about the test, or are experiencing problems with your computer, raise your hand and notify the test administrator.

Cell phones are strictly forbidden in the testing room.  If you are found with a cell phone during testing, you will be escorted out and your test will not be scored.  You will also need to reschedule and pay for another test.

You will be given an erasable noteboard and access to an on-screen calculator for certain subjects.  As mentioned, cell phones are strictly forbidden in the testing room.  You must have photo identification with you.  TIP:  Make sure you know where the testing center is and arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled GED test appointment.  You will need to check in when you get there.  If you arrive more than 15 minutes after your scheduled appointment time, you may not be admitted and may lose your test fee.

Other personal items (such as handbags, backpacks, wallets, keys, etc.) are not allowed in the testing room.  Storage is available, but limited.

View available accommodations

If you would like to request modified testing conditions and have not done so in registration, view your account profile to make a request.  If you are approved for accommodations, you will receive an email along with instructions for scheduling by phone.  You cannot schedule for an accommodated test online.

The GED test has a passing score of 145 on each test module.  You will need to reach a score of at least 145 on each module and a total score of 580 across the four-part battery in order to receive your GED test credential.

  • Below Passing: 100 - 144
  • GED Passing High School Equivalency Score:  145 - 164
  • GED College Ready:  165 - 174
  • GED College Ready + Credit:  175 - 200

To earn a GED Score with Honors, your passing score is at or higher than the minimum passing score needed to demonstrate career-and-college-readiness.

GED graduates can request an official transcript by logging in here. 

You can take a test module, and two subsequent module retests, with no restrictions between retakes.  If you fail the second or any subsequent retest, you must wait 60 days for each successive attempt.  If you are lacking more than a few points, we recommend that you take the GED prep class at the Lewis-Clark State College Adult Learning Center.  Before retesting, give yourself sufficient time to adequately prepare.

Roughly 98 percent of U.S. colleges and universities accept GED graduates in the same manner as high school graduates.  Be sure to check with the institution in which you are applying to see if they accept GED graduates.  The colleges to which you apply may also require you to take placement or achievement tests so that they can determine whether you need additional coursework.