General Education Development Test
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 diploma or GED. The state ranks 48th in the US in GED pass rate, and only 60% of test-takers pass the GED. Compare this to Iowa, where in 2001, 95% of test-takers passed the GED. Iowa’s statistics show that the GED is doable. GED test takers can pass. So, why do people fail the GED? Why does a state like New York have such low pass rates?
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
If you want to prepare for your General Education Development Test, then a GED class will prove to be of great help as it will provide valuable educational information regarding all of the five major topic areas which include Math, Language Arts (Reading), Language Arts (Writing), Social Studies and Science. GED classes were designed and conceptualized to provide solid preparation in the most important topics, including handy tips and strategies. The GED class is specifically designed for aspiring students to raise their faculties to understand, analyze and assimilate information. The students essentially go through the GED class in order to receive the appropriate guidance and help that is required to pass all five GED Tests. There are several universities and colleges that offer GED classes to help deserving candidates build the necessary academic proficiency, so that they can seek higher education properly. Moreover, the GED class that a student attends increases the chances to pass the GED exam in the language that he/she has chosen. The online class is offered to aspiring candidates who can seriously allot time to prepare for the GED test. The online GED class is basically an Internet based classroom, which is ideal among those who prefer to study in the comfort of their home. This GED class is specifically designed for individuals who intend to pursue a career, to eventually venture into college, a home school student, or just someone interested in an online course or practice exams. An online GED class is particularly useful in evaluating the students’ skills and abilities at his own pace. If you are interested to go for an online class, you just have to fill up an enrollment form and you will be given a username and password to register for the GED class. There are universities that also offer video tutorials. Such video tutorials contain GED class books which will help the student to facilitate their learning experience. Attending GED classes would definitely increase one’s chances to ace the GED test. The test isn’t really that difficult especially if you attend your GED classes religiously. However, it could take some time and preparation since your purpose would be to re-learn concepts that you haven’t heard since high school. But that is actually the beauty of going through an extensive GED class; it gives you the opportunity to enter college without having to go back to high school. (check out www.studygedonline.com) In the event that you decide to take on a GED class and then pass the exam later, you would surely realize that your small investment in enrolling in a GED class and taking the GED exam can lead to a much more secure future and give you the competitive edge if you need to search for a job. Earning a GED credential is a viable ‘diploma.’ It provides access to work choice as well as access to higher educational opportunities as it opens up a lot of doors for advanced training. Finally, you’ll most likely feel much better about yourself with a GED since you’ve accomplished a feat that only sixty percent of high school graduates can do. www.studygedonline.com has more information on this.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically each day to your feed reader.
