Students in high school are required to take a test or series of tests in order to qualify for a high school diploma. The tests vary according to the department of education in each state; however, there are some general guidelines about what these tests entail. Most students will take a high school graduation test starting in the eleventh grade. These tests will test students' knowledge in four content areas, including social studies, science, math and English/language arts. The test is taken in conjunction with a high school writing assessment. Students usually take it in the 11th grade and must achieve a score determined by the state. If they don't pass, they are able to take the test again several times in the course of a year and a half.
Students who do not finish high school have the option of obtaining their high school diploma equivalent, also known as the General Education Development (GED). The GED is developed and administered by the American Council on Education. The GED consists of a battery of five tests, including Language Arts (Reading), Language Arts (Writing), Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Each test is worth a score between 200 and 800 points. Most jurisdictions require students to achieve at least a 410 on each of the five tests, with an average of 450 to pass the GED battery and to obtain a GED diploma.
The Language Arts writing test consists of two parts: a 50-question test on sentence structure, usage and mechanics and a 45-minute essay on an assigned topic. Students have 75 minutes to complete the first part and 45 minutes to complete the second part. The Language Arts reading test consists of 40 questions that must be completed in 65 minutes and seven word passages that must be answered. The Math test consists of two parts: the first part can use calculators and the second portion is without calculators. Test takers answer questions on multiple choice and grid-based questions about geometry, statistics, algebra and others. The science test consist of 50 multiple choice questions that must be completed in 80 minutes, and the social studies portion consists of 50 questions that must be completed in 70 minutes.
Students must take the GED test at an official GED testing center; they cannot take it online. There are many websites promising to provide GEDs in a short amount of time; however, only the American Council of Education is able to provide official GED tests and diplomas. Some websites have set up accrediting agencies to make them appear accredited, but they are usually accrediting themselves. There are over 3,000 locations in the United States where students can take the official GED.