Contact the office at your local community college to confirm that you are eligible to take the test. Ask them whether they offer a diagnostic test and a GED prep course.
Register for the exam at your local community college. Ask if you pay the testing fee upon registration or on the day of the test. Pay the fee if you are instructed to do so.
Take a diagnostic test to determine how much preparation you need. You can take the GED exam without taking a diagnostic test first, but the diagnostic helps you prepare adequately for the real thing.
Study for the GED exam. You can take an official course at your local community college, take an official course online, use general study materials available online, or prepare on your own. If you took the diagnostic test, use your results to determine how intensely you need to study.
Take the Official GED Practice Test, or OPT. This test was devised by the GED Testing Service, so it is an accurate gauge of your readiness for the real exam. If you pass the OPT, you are prepared to take the GED.
Pay the testing fee if you have not already done so, and complete all five sections of the GED exam. The entire test takes seven hours. If you want to complete it in more than one sitting, ask the administrators at your local community college whether they provide that option.
Score at least 2,250 on the test overall and at least 410 on each section. In North Carolina, these scores are the minimum to earn your certificate.