The General Educational Development® (GED®) test is used in the United States and Canada to determine whether a candidate's skills are equivalent to those of a high school graduate. It includes five tests that focus on science, mathematics, social studies, writing and reading. If the candidate passes all of the tests, he or she will receive a GED® diploma that many colleges and employers recognize as equal to a high school diploma. To prepare for the real exam, the candidate can take a GED® practice test that is available in books, on the Internet and directly from the American Council on Education (ACE®).
Study guides and workbooks often feature a GED® practice test that covers all test topics or a specific area. When a book covers all topics, it usually contains sections of reading material for each subject and includes a practice test at the end of the section. This allows one to work through the study material and take a practice test while the material is still fresh. Books that specialize in a topic usually include a large portion of material to study and might include multiple practice tests at the end of the book.
Depending on the type of GED® practice test book, the book will include either a simple answer key or an answer key that explains the answer to each question. The latter is useful for learning more about difficult areas for the candidate because the answer key usually references pages that contain more information on the topic. This can be a more efficient way of studying for the GED® test and can help narrow down the content that needs to be reviewed or practiced.
Many websites have an online GED® practice test that is timed and provides instant feedback after it has been submitted. Online tests are an inexpensive method for GED® test preparation because many basic practice exams are free. Some websites do offer subscription-based courses that include practice tests along with multimedia content. If the candidate has been out of school for a while, he or she might want to take online GED® courses that have instructors to contact and that give feedback on assignments.
The ACE® offers official practice tests that the candidate can purchase before taking the actual GED® test. The test booklets are similar to the real exam and include time limits that can be used to simulate a real exam. In addition, an answer key and scoring guide are included to help the candidate determine how he or she would score on the test.
