Make sure you are eligible. In Illinois, you may take the GED exams if you:
a) are at least 17 years of age (16 if you were previously in alternative education as defined by the state, or in an Illinois National Guard Youth Education Program)
b) do not already have a high school diploma or GED certificate
c) have formally withdrawn from a traditional school or home-schooling program, and
d) have lived in Illinois for at least 30 days.
Study for the exams. You can prepare on your own, using study materials available on line or at your local library or bookstore, or you can enroll in preparation classes given by the Illinois Adult Education and Family Literacy program. To find your nearest GED preparation classes, call the Illinois Adult Learning Hotline at 1-800-321-9511 (number is correct as of April 2010) or use the online Illinois Adult Learner Gateway to find a provider by ZIP code.
Register for the exam with the ICCB. Specific instructions are at their website (iccb.state.il.us), or contact:
Illinois Community College Board
401 E. Capitol Ave.
Springfield, IL 62701
217-785-0171
You must submit a GED Application Form, a $50 testing fee, and identification. If you have withdrawn from school or a home-schooling program in the last 12 months, you must also submit a letter of withdrawal.
Take and pass the GED exams. There are five separate tests: two in English Language Arts (one in Reading and one in Writing), and one each in Math, Science, and Social Studies. You must take the exams at a local testing center, not on line. To pass, Illinois requires that you achieve scores of at least 410 on each section, and a minimum total score of 2,250.
Take and pass the Illinois State Constitution Exam. This is a special test required by the State of Illinois. It includes questions about the Constitutions of both the United States and Illinois State. The test is given on a pass/fail basis. To pass, you must answer at least 60 percent of the questions correctly.