To sit for the Iowa GED exam you must be 18 years of age or older, be a resident of Iowa, be out of high school for six months or more and not be a high school graduate. You must register for the exam at an official testing center in Iowa. At the time of registration, you must present acceptable photo identification, which includes a driver's license, post-secondary student ID card, a passport or other government-issued form of photo identification.
The Iowa General Education Development exam was developed by the GED Testing Service of the American Council on Education. The required exam format has several separate sections, including language arts, which consists of a 45-minute essay section and an additional reading section. The math section is divided into two parts, one that allows the use of calculators and the other that does not. Science and social studies are the other required sections.
Each test taker of the Iowa GED has the opportunity to score 200 to 800 points in each section. A minimum score of 410 points is required to pass each separate section. Passing the overall exam requires obtaining a minimum overall combined score of 2,050 points. If you fail to pass a single section or if you fail the overall exam, you can retake the exam until you are able to obtain a passing score.
The Iowa Department of Education has imposed some location requirements for the administration of the Iowa GED exam. The Iowa General Education Development exam cannot be taken on the Internet or through correspondence courses, although it is permissible to take a preparation course online or through distance learning. If you are seeking an Iowa General Education Development Diploma, however, you must take the actual exam at an official GED testing center in the state of Iowa.