What is the GED®?

GED® stands for General Education Development, and is a battery of five tests that when passed stand as equivalent to a high school diploma. It is often referred to as the General Education Diploma, or the General Education Degree, as in the sentence, “I got my GED.” This is inaccurate. The GED® is not only testing but a program that offers teaching and preparation for those who did not finish high school. The GED® program was first started for members of the military who after serving during WWII, had not obtained a high school diploma, making it more challenging to find work. The American Council on Education (ACE) started to offer the tests and education to civilians in 1947, and now most people who take the GED® tests are civilians. Preparation for the GED® is usually done through adult education classes that are freely offered. There are some private programs that offer GED® prep, but taking classes prior to the test is usually not a prerequisite. Some testing locations require ...  more