Many community colleges and adult education centers offer GED preparation courses sponsored by the American Council on Education (ACE), the organization that prepares and administers the GED test. These preparation centers provide practice tests to help you determine your strengths and weaknesses. They can also provide you with instructors to help you study for the entire test or for a specific subject you are struggling with. Contact your local community college or visit the ACE website to find the nearest preparation center.
Many web sites allow you to take practice GED tests. These tests can be either downloaded or taken online. If you take the test online, the web site will grade your test and provide results. Downloadable tests include an answer key. You can take a complete GED test or tests that focus on the individual parts of the GED: literature, social studies, science, language arts and mathematics. Many of these web sites also provide hints and tips to help you study and prepare for the official test, including what you can do on your own, and when you may need to seek outside help.
Many books have been written to help people prepare for the GED. Some books provide complete practice tests and answer keys - sometimes on an included CD-ROM. Other books offer detailed instructions and tips for taking the test, from planning your essay in the language section to reviewing decimals and fractions in the mathematics section. Books are available that cover the entire test or you can purchase a book focusing on a specific section of the test. Flashcards are also available. The flashcards cover the entire GED and each card features a test question and an explanation of the answer.
Beware of scams involved with taking the GED. Many practice tests are available online; however, you cannot take the official GED test online. It is a paper-and-pencil test that you take in-person at a certified testing facility. Also, be careful with services or web sites that offer to help you prepare for a fee. These fees can be expensive, and you may not get the help you need. The ACE web site lists approved GED preparation organizations. If you don't have much money to spend on preparation, a simple Google search will reveal many free resources to help you.