If you didn’t finish high school and would like to attend college or train for a better job, it’s not too late. You can earn a General Educational Development (GED) diploma.
More than 17 million people have earned their GED credential since the national program began in 1942, according to the GED Testing Service, a program of the American Council on Education.
In Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia co-administers the program with the GED Testing Service.
“There are GED testing centers all over the state at technical colleges and county school systems, and the test-preparation classes are free. Adult education is one of the best-kept secrets in Georgia,” said Albert Leyva, director of adult education at Gwinnett Technical College.
Gwinnett Tech led the state with 1,832 GED test-takers last year.
“Our professionalism and our college setting draw many people to us, even from surrounding counties,” Leyva said. “We run our test-preparation classes like college classes, and students seem to like the structure. They come here to learn, and we are preparing them to continue on with their education after they pass the tests.”
About 200 to 250 students a year enroll in certificate, diploma or degree programs at Gwinnett Tech after they earn the GED.
“Contrary to what some people think, getting the GED is not easy, and it is high-school equivalent work,” Leyva said.
The GED diploma is recognized nationwide and accepted by more than 95 percent of employers, colleges and universities. The GED measures many workplace skills valued by businesses.
“Employers require people to have more education and training these days,” he said. “Our students come to us because they want to apply to college, keep a job or get a better job. It’s amazing what a change it can make in their lives.”
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a person with a high school diploma or GED will earn $7,658 more per year, on average, than a worker who didn’t graduate from high school.
The GED consists of five standardized exams that test a student for knowledge in language arts/writing, language arts/reading, social studies, science and math. The tests cost $19 each or $95 for all five.
To register, students must be a legal U.S. resident, at least 16 years old, not currently enrolled in a high school/home school program and not be a high school graduate.
“Once students have the proper forms and paperwork filled out, the first thing we do is assess what they know already through computer testing,” Leyva said. “If they are ready to take one or more tests, we advise them to sign up and take them. If they need help with any of the areas, we’ll register them for test-preparation classes in those areas.”
Gwinnett Tech teaches the GED preparation classes on campus and at two local high schools. Students have a choice of days and times; most take classes twice a week.
“The next registration period [at Gwinnett Tech] starts on Aug. 13 and once the classes are full, students will have to wait until the next quarter to start,” Leyva said.
During the winter quarter, the college plans to make registration available online.
Currently, tests are administered in paper form at testing centers, but the GED Testing Service is piloting a project to put them online. Gwinnett Tech is a national pilot site.
“We have no idea when they might switch to online testing, but when they do we’ll be able to accommodate more students and it will be much more convenient for them,” Leyva said.
To learn more about Georgia’s GED program, go to www.tcsg.edu. For the Gwinnett Tech program, go to www.gwinnetttech.edu or call 678-226-6702.
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