To be eligible for the Pennsylvania GED exam, individuals must meet certain requirements. Participants must be at least 18 years of age or older. Age requirements may vary: Check with your local testing center or visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education website for more details (see Resources). You must be a Pennsylvania resident that has been withdrawn from a regular high school program for at least six months. High school graduates and those currently enrolled in a secondary school are not eligible.
Registration for the GED exam may be completed at any of the testing centers in Pennsylvania. There are more than 150 certified testing centers throughout the state. Call the Pennsylvania Department of Education to find the location nearest you. The average cost is from $40 to $60. The fee covers the entire five-test GED exam. Check with your local testing center for exact cost and other details. A state-issued photo ID, Social Security card and proof of Pennsylvania residency are required at time of registration.
The Pennsylvania GED exam is a seven-and-a-half-hour test, composed of five different subject categories: mathematics (calculators are available for use on Part 1 of the math section), reading, writing, social studies, science. Each test section is time-limited and most questions are multiple choice, however, the writing section consists of a 45-minute essay. Additional information about the GED tests are available at the American Council on Education website (see Resources).
The maximum achievable score is 800 per subject section. However, the minimum required passing score on each section of the test is 410. The total minimum requirement for all subject sections is 2,050, which places the average score on each test at 450 in order to pass the exam and receive a GED diploma. Candidates may retest on any part of the exam until a passing score is achieved, up to three times per year.