Test Preparation

When it comes to taking the GED (General Education Development), some test-taking skills will do you more good than others. Here are our picks for the top 10 ways to raise your score.

1. Get to the test center early.
   Make sure you give yourself plenty of extra time to get there.
2. Listen to the test monitors and follow their instructions carefully.
3. Read every word of the instructions. Read every word of every question.
4. Mark your answers by completely darkening the answer space of your choice.
5. Mark only ONE answer for each question, even if you think that more than one answer is correct. You must choose only one. If you mark more than one answer, the scoring machine will consider you wrong.
6. If you change your mind, completely erase your initial choice.
   Leave no doubt as to which answer you intend.
7. Check often to be sure that the question number matches the answer space, that you haven’t skipped a space by mistake.
8. Stay alert.
   Be careful not to mark a wrong answer just because you weren’t concentrating.
9. Don’t panic.
   If you cannot finish a part before time is up, don’t worry. Do not let your performance on any part affect your performance on any other part.
10. Check and recheck, time permitting.
    If you finish a part before time is up, use the remaining time to check that each question is answered in the right space and that there is only one answer for each question. Return to the questions you found difficult and rethink them.