GED - General Educational Development
What is the GED?
GED stands for General Educational Development Test and serves as the high school equivalency exam for students in Idaho who did not receive their high school diploma
What services are offered to help prepare students to receive their GED?
The College and Career Readiness program assists students in getting prepared to successfully pass and complete the official GED exam. We offer classes in reading, writing, math, English, social studies and more. These classes help support students in effectively preparing to pass all four sections of the official GED exam.
What are the requirements for participating in the program?
- Students must be at least 16 years old AND unenrolled from a K-12 program
- Each student must complete the necessary paperwork AND participate in a mandatory orientation meeting, before beginning services
- Each student must complete an assessment, before beginning classes, to determine their course of study
What options are available for taking classes to prepare for taking the official GED exam?
Day and evening class options are available. Day classes are optimal and the recommended route for most students due to the low student-to teacher ratio and the amount of time provided for helping prepare you to be successful in completing your GED. For those with extremely busy work schedules, evening options are available but are more limited and less structured than day classes
A final option that is available to some students is our online “fast track” program through Essential Education. In this program, students can access course study materials online and in a shorter amount of time, become ready to take the GED exam. This option is dependent on placement exam scores and the preparation level of each student
How long will it take me to earn my GED?
The time that it takes to earn your GED is different for everyone and we are here to help you through the entire process. Below is an estimated timeline of how long it may take you to earn your GED, based on the score of your placement exam.
Approximate timeline to earn a GED
| If you Score: | Aproximate time to Complete |
|---|---|
| 5 - 6 | 1 to 6 months |
| 3 - 4 | 6 to 12 months |
| 1 - 2 | 12 to 18 months |
What does the GED exam consist of and how much does it cost?
There are 4 sections of the GED that each student must take to obtain their GED. Those sections are as follows:
- Language Arts Reading/Language - 45-minute extended response
- Science
- Social Studies
- Math has two (2) parts
The cost of the official GED exam is $36 per section, for a total of $144 to complete all four sections of the GED. Students are required to cover the cost of the official GED exam unless a legitimate financial barrier exists. Limited financial assistance may be available on a case-by-case basis to those students who qualify for financial help in paying for the GED exam. For all enrolled students, the ISU Adult Education program will pay for the cost of up to (4) GED Ready Practice exams, based on students meeting the attendance and participation requirements.
When I’m ready to take the official GED exam, where will I go to take the test?
Testing for the GED® exam is done at Graveley Hall on the campus of Idaho State University through University Counseling and Testing Service . Our office staff can assist you in making the appointment to schedule your exam, when you’re ready, or you can reach out to Counseling and Testing at your convenience at (208) 282-2130.
What happens if I don’t pass the official GED exam when I take it?
You are able to retake the official GED exam as many times as you’d like. There is a cost to retake the exam, but our instructors and staff will help you identify the areas you need continued study time in and will help prepare you to be successful in retaking the exam, if that is necessary.
How do I get started in preparing to take the official GED exam?
Start today by contacting our front office staff at (208) 282-2468 or by email at adulted@isu.edu
Help to speed up your process by going to GED.com
- Go to ged.com
- Click on Sign Up (if you don’t have an account); otherwise Login.
- Fill out email address and set up a password.
- Complete the student Contact Information page. Then click continue.
- Continue through any remaining pages to finish setting up your account.
- Choose testing location and GED classes (even if not interested in free classes). Choose either ISU Adult Success Center: Pocatello, American Falls, or Blackfoot location.