The GED was introduced in 1942 by the American Council on Education (ACE) to accommodate veterans of World War II. The GED allowed them to get a qualification equivalent to a high school degree so they could get into college without going back to high school.
According to ACE, about 60 percent of high school seniors would get a passing score on their first try, if they took the GED.
The GED consists of five tests on the following subjects: writing, social studies, science, reading and math. Depending on your state of residence, you may take all five tests at the same time or one at a time.
Each state has its own minimum score for earning a GED certificate. For example, the state of Missouri requires a score of 410 on each individual test and a combined score above 2,250 on all five tests.
According to ACE, 635,182 people took all five tests in 2007; 71 percent of them earned a passing score.