What is the GED Test and How to Get Your GED?

You have made the decision to take the GED and get the certificate equivalent to a high school diploma. What is the next step? The next step and the most important one, of course, is preparation. Since the new GED tests came out, people are struggling more than before to pass it and earn the certificate because there is no chance of combining the scores from multiple attempts. This makes the test harder and more challenging, but it is certainly not impossible to ace it. All you need is good organization, time, dedication and strong will to pass it.

Preparing for the GED Exam

There are several steps you need to take to start preparing yourself properly for the GED test. Here are the most important of them:

1. Get to Know the Requirements for Your State

There are different GED exam requirements depending on the state you live in. Find out what are the requirements you need to meet for your country and double check the information you’ve found. Get all the information you can at the official GED website and online in general or ask someone who has already been through the GED locally and can help you. They can tell you where to find all the information needed and what to start with. It is important you do this step first, so you don’t study something that is not needed, and vice versa. Being exact with the subjects that you have to study will be of great help: you will focus on what is important and make sure you nail it on the exam when you take it.

2. Get Informed

The second step is to know what you have to study. Search the internet and visit the official GED website and get informed about the test. What sections are there? How many different areas are there in every section?  What are the types of questions, etc. Gather all the information you can and get to know what the GED test looks like. Find an example of the test online and check it out. There are many useful websites and comments on the internet so don’t be lazy and read them through. We guarantee you it will be much easier getting prepared and again, later on when taking the exam to know exactly how it will look and the question types that you will see.

3. The Book Hunt

After you understand what you need to know and how the test is laid out, it’s time to find the right study material. GED exams are quite common in the US, and you can find prep books in any library or bookshop, all you need to do is start the hunt and find the best ones. Check the official site and see what they recommend. Ask the librarian if he or she has any other manuals to help you out and take them too. It’s important you find the right sources for studying with up to date information and correct answers.

4. Make a GED Study Schedule

If you are busy (like most of GED exam attendants are), it is crucial you find enough time for your GED preparations. You know how important this test is to you, so you should re-schedule your days and make enough time for studying. Divide the sections and study one section per day so you don’t get confused or overwhelmed and mess up the information you’re trying to memorize. Use all the time you can efficiently. There are amazing apps for your Smartphone you can download and take with you wherever you go. Check them out and use the time while traveling to work to revisit what you learned last night.

5. Study Space

Make sure you have your study space at home, where you can sit in silence and study the various sections of the GED. Concentration is the No.1 thing when it comes to memorizing the material you’re studying. Psychological studies show if you have poor concentration, you can study for hours, and you still won’t remember much, so don’t waste your precious time. Have enough time to prepare for studying, make sure you are alone or, at least, no one is disturbing you. Learn about studying tips, such as the dynamic of the studying (study 20-30 minutes and make a 10 minute break to rest your brain). Turn off your cell phone and other electronics that may disturb you during your studying. Let me repeat that – Turn*Off*Your*Phone!

6. “GED Classes Near Me”?

Find all the help you can. Search the internet for GED classes near your location and start with the classes as soon as possible. GED prep classes will help you relieve the stress and make you feel more confident about the exam. You won’t be studying at home all alone and stressing out how you won’t make it. In the class, you will meet other people who are trying just like you, and you will meet a teacher or a professional instructor who will help you with your studying. The teacher will always be there to explain you anything you are not sure about and to give you extra information if you need any. Classes can be fun, and you will feel better after taking them, rather than studying on your own.

7. GED Online Classes

Use the internet as much as you can to help you with the GED exam. The online community of GED attendants is vast, and there are many online classes you can take in the comfort of your home. It is a great idea because you don’t have to lose time on going to or from a class in your area and you can feel more comfortable at home than with unknown people around you.

8. Private Tutoring for GED
   

If you learn better or feel more comfortable with someone one on on, you  might want to consider this option. When hiring a private tutor, you are organizing your study schedule the way it suits you best plus you get a professional who will guide you through the material and be there to answer any question you have. You can’t re-schedule a class just because you have to stay late working, nor you can ask them to re-schedule an online class. Find private tutors and invest in your studying and success, you won’t regret it. Your tutor will motivate you and keep you going when you lose interest and concentration; he will be there just for you and you get the support  and assistance needed in insure that you Ace the exam!

9. Take GED Practice Tests Online

There are GED practice tests online that you can and should take. Whether you have a private GED tutor or are studying on your own, these practice tests will help.  You will get familiar with the type of the questions, and you will see what your weak spots are. Doing tests online will also show you the final score once you finish, so you will see where you stand.

Since math is one of the most problematic areas, doing math GED practice tests is the best thing you can do if you want to be sure you won’t panic when the real GED comes. Preparing for the GED math test is much easier when you see the real questions rather than just studying and solving problems. A math GED practice test will show you how it will look on the real exam, and you will feel more comfortable once you start doing the real math GED exam.

10. Be Positive!

When enrolling in any GED prep classes or with GED tutors, don’t have a negative attitude from the very beginning. It is important you stay positive because you will have more will power and concentration while studying. Don’t look at the GED exam as something scary and impossible to pass. Look at it as a way to widen your knowledge and secure a better future for yourself. Approach it with a positive attitude and be excited about all the new information you will get to know! GED prep classes are there to help you study better and learn everything that has to be learned, but they are also there to decrease the pressure you feel and the fear you have. Enjoy the process of learning and don’t think you can’t make it, because anyone who does GED prep classes with dedication can ace the exam, just like you will!

Let us know which of these suggestions you used in your GED test prep in the comments section!