Eligibility for the GED Exam

• Persons 17 years of age and older.
• Must be a resident of the State of Colorado.
• May not be enrolled in High School. They must have withdrawn.

Sixteen-year-old candidates who need to complete GED for admission to another Post-Secondary program or Vocational Training may request permission in writing to the State Department of Education to test. The form needed to request this permission is available in the Testing Center Office or through the State Department of Education, 303.866.6613. Age waiver application requires two items:

1. The Age Waiver Application form, and
2. Documentation on official school letterhead that the candidate is applying to a post-secondary or vocational program that requires documentation of a high school diploma or the equivalent for admission. This letter is available from most four-year colleges.

Cost:

The fee for the GED test is $90.00 after February 1, 2010. Retest fee is $20.00 for each section retested. Retesting is only allowed three times per year.

ID Requirements:

You must have a current government-issued photo ID (driver's license or ID) that shows date of birth and signature. A military or military dependent ID or a Passport* is also acceptable. A recreation center ID is not acceptable. A Social Security Number is required, but your Social Security card is not acceptable as ID.

*Proof of Colorado residency is needed with a passport ID. Bring a letter that was sent and addressed to student at a Colorado address as proof of residency.

Scoring:

To qualify for a Colorado High School Equivalency Diploma the candidate must achieve a minimum score of not less than 410 on each of the five tests of the English Language Test battery and an average standard score of 450 (2250 total points) based on all five tests of the battery. (Please note, a minimum of 410 on all five tests will not earn a GED - the candidate must have a total of 2250 points). All scores will be accessed by the student at a website they will be given.

Study guides with practice tests are available at most libraries or are for sale at most bookstores. The Adult Education program through Arapahoe Community College may offer assistance in preparing to take the GED. Their phone number is 303.797.5722.

Content:

With the exception of the essay on the Writing Skills Test, all questions on the GED Tests are multiple choice with five possible answers given. The questions range in difficulty from easy to hard and cover a wide range of subjects. The contents of the tests are as follows:

Writing Skills

Part I - Language Arts Writing (120 minutes; 15% Organization; 30% Sentence Structure; 30% Usage; 25% Mechanics)

Part I: Multiple Choice (50 questions, time limit 75 minutes)

Part II: Essay (45 minutes) Examinees write an essay about a specified topic.

Social Studies

(50 questions, time limit 70 minutes) Questions require examinee to demonstrate an understanding of basic principles and ideas in each of the areas by interpreting meanings, drawing conclusions, and identifying causes and effects. 25% History, 20% Economics, 20% Political Science, 15% Geography, 20% Behavioral Sciences.

Science

(50 questions, time limit 80 minutes) Reading passages and answering individual questions tests an examinee's understanding of basic principles and ideas of science. Requires using the information presented in the reading passages or questions to analyze and solve problems, explain results, or interpret given information. 50% Life Science, 50% Physical Science.

Interpreting Literature and the Arts

(50 questions, time limit 65 minutes) Involves reading a passage then answering questions about that passage. Questions measure understanding of what was read and ability to analyze the content of the passage. 50% Popular Literature, 25% Classical Literature, 25% Commentary on Literature and the Arts.

Mathematics

(50 questions, time limit 90 minutes) Questions involve some computation and most use a real-life situation for the problem or ask the examinee to interpret information presented in graphs, charts, tables, or diagrams. 50% Arithmetic, 30% Algebra, 20% Geometry. NO calculators are permitted other than the ones provided to you by the testing center.

 More Information

• All GED Testing is done by appointment only, no walk in students. Since the five parts of the test can take up to a total of 7 hours 5 minutes, you may wish to take it over several days; however, you may elect to take the test in one day. If you choose one day testing, please make an appointment and arrive no later than 8:15 a.m. You need to allow time to check-in. All paperwork, payment and registration must be done by 5:00 p.m. the previous day or you will not be allow to test. 
• Essays are sent to a scoring center, and it can take 24 to 48 hours to receive that score.
• Five to ten business days following the issuance of the Official Report from the ACC office, the "High School Equivalency Diploma" will be mailed to you from the Department of Education of the State of Colorado. Please be certain that we have your current and accurate address to receive both of the documents.
• "Large print" editions are available for anyone testing who feels this would be more comfortable and an advantage to their success. Before testing, please ask for this service if it is your need.
• Anyone needing accommodations because of a disability, please check with the office so that we may serve your needs.
• There is no waiting period between retests; however, there are only three test forms available each year. That limits an examinee to three (3) tests in each subject during each 12-month period.

CANDIDATES MAY TAKE EACH FORM OF THE GED TEST BATTERY ONLY ONCE.

• If you change testing centers, you must present the administrator at the new center with an official score transcript of what you have done before you can complete the test or be retested.
• To obtain an official score transcript, you may call the State Department of Education, GED Testing Office, at 303.866.6613, or write to them at 201 East Colfax, Room 100, Denver, CO 80203.
• Any GED Test not completed within 90 days is reported as incomplete to the Colorado Department of Education.
• If you have not completed the entire battery of five tests in 90 days, there is an additional fee of $10.00 per test for each incomplete portion of the battery. The exception to this requirement concerns persons who are enrolled in GED prep programs. You must be able to identify that you are enrolled in prep classes to be exempt from the additional fee.

Testing Location:

Address: Room M2280, Arapahoe Community College
5900 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, CO 80160
Telephone: 303.797.5993 by appointment only