Finding the Right GED Preparation Program for Your Teen

Deciding to receive a General Education Development Certificate or GED, is one of the most important decisions a teenager who may not be able to complete High School can make. No matter what reason your teen did not or will not complete High School, is irrelevant; what is important is that steps are being made to correct the situation of not graduating. The GED is a great way to show that your teen has the knowledge it takes to get along in the adult world. To help with the test many programs have been developed and can be taken free or for a charge, online or in a classroom setting.

The General Education Development program was started and is in effect in all 50 states so that adults and those who did not graduate from High School can prove that they have the knowledge that is expected of a High School graduate. To receive a GED certificate it is required by law to pass a series of five tests with scores of 450 out of 800 on each test. The tests are given in the subjects of Writing, Reading, Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics with Math usually being the most difficult as viewed by testers. To be eligible to take the test, you must be 16 in some states and 18 years of age in others. You also cannot be a current student in High School.

There are benefits and drawbacks to a GED. While the GED is considered High School equivalency, it does hold a heard stigma when compared to a regular diploma, especially for teenagers. Whenever possible, your teen should try to go back to school to receive a regular diploma. If circumstances dictate that this is an impossibility or if time is an issue, then a GED preparation program is usually called for.

There are a variety of programs to consider when looking for a GED preparation course. There are regular classroom courses that range in weeks of study. These are generally best, unless your teen can handle self study, or online study with or without your help. Going to an actual classroom is often easier because it forces them to learn and gear their mind toward learning. A list of programs available in your area can be found at America's Literacy Directory www.literacydirectory.org/ or at your state's official GED website, which can be located here.

If the situation does not warrant or makes actual class work difficult, then there are a number of online alternatives. I have found that the free GED preparation site, GEDforFREE is one of the best and can more than adequately prepare anyone to pass the GED test. Other programs you may want to consider carry a cost and provide a high level of knowledge and preparation. GED Academy and GED Online are both good paid programs.

If neither the in-person classes, nor the online classes will work, your only other choice is to either hire a personal tutor or to use one of the many GED study guides available. A good list of study guides can be found here or by visiting your local library.

The GED is a serious examination and must be done at an accredited testing center. There are some websites that claim the test can be taken online, but these will not be accepted by the state. They are, however good preparation for the actual test, but usually not worth paying for in and of themselves. A few good, free, sample tests can be found at the Steck Vaughn website and at 4Tests.

Good luck with helping your teens complete this important step in their lives. Hopefully, you have already gotten them to accept the vital need for either a diploma or an equivalency diploma and they are ready to put in the effort required. This is probably the most important preparation of them all.