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Big Changes Coming in GED Testing

Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) wants all nonprofit agencies to know about the big changes that are coming in the GED or high school equivalency test.

Anyone who has begun taking the five sections of the test but who has not finished all of them by December 31 of this year will lose all the scores for the sections taken. This is because the test is being completely rewritten. Test-takers will have to start over from scratch next year and will pay the fee again to take the test. The fee is expected to increase next year to $120.

Starting in January, the test will no longer be a paper-and-pencil exam. It will be given on a computer. Familiarity with the computer will be necessary to complete the test. The test includes essay-writing as well as multiple-choice questions.

The 2014 version of the test is expected to be more difficult than the current exam, because it is being tied to the Common Core Standards, a set of high school standards adopted by most states in the U.S. More content knowledge will be needed for the math, science, and social studies sections of the test. This will require most people to take classes before going to the exam.

GPLC urges all youth and adults who are thinking about getting a GED to study now and take the old version of the test before the changes take place. GED preparation classes are available at GPLC’s Downtown Center at 411 Seventh Avenue (phone 412-393-7600). GPLC also administers the GED test at the same location twice a month. For more information, go to www.gplc.org.

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