You must be a resident of California and 18 years old, or within 60 days of your 18th birthday. If you are younger than 18 but are not enrolled in school, you can take the GED if you are within 60 days of when you would have graduated had you been enrolled. Seventeen-year-olds who have been out of school for more than 60 school days can take the GED with a letter of request from the a post-secondary educational institution, the military or an employer. Incarcerated 17-year-olds can take the GED when it would be unrealistic for them to acquire a high school diploma.
Find GED Testing Centers in almost every city in California. Use the American Council on Education website's GED Testing Service feature to locate the closest GED Testing Center. Tests are offered multiple times a month over a one- to three-day period. Bring valid identification such as a driver's license that shows your name, birth date, address, signature and has a photograph. The GED costs about $100 and takes roughly 7 1/2 hours to complete, as of 2011. The test has questions on language arts, reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, science and two essay compositions.
A standard score of at least 410 in each of the five GED subtests is necessary to pass the GED. You may retake any combination of the subtests to acquire passing scores. Take the test a maximum of three times a year. Certain testing centers may require you to wait a pre-determined amount of time or to complete preparation classes before you re-take the test.
The average standard score of the five GED subtests must be 450 or higher. When you pass, you receive by mail in six to eight weeks an Official Report of Test Results and a California High School Equivalency Certificate.