The GED® tests measure the academic skills and knowledge expected of high school graduates. Recognized throughout North America, the GED® testing program has served as a bridge to education and employment. The GED® tests provide a reliable vehicle through which adults can certify that they possess the major and lasting outcomes of a traditional high school education.

The tests are designed to measure the general knowledge, ideas and thinking skills that are normally acquired through four years of high school but which are gained in a different manner. Many acquire knowledge and skills through work experience, reading, social interaction and communication, and informal training.

The GED® tests consist of content area tests in reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies. The tests also measure communication, information-processing, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. A rigorous exam, passing scores for the GED® tests are set at a level sufficient to ensure that just six in ten graduating high school students will pass.

The GED® testing program is jointly administered by three separate entities: the GED Testing Service of the American Council on Education; each participating state, provincial, or territorial government; and each of the 3,400 Official GED Testing Centers that serve as the main point of contact for GED® candidates in communities across North America and overseas.

GED® candidates are a richly diverse group. Some have recently left school. Others have been out of school for several years. Most take the tests to qualify for further education, or to qualify for a new job or promotion; others do it to encourage younger family members to stay in school. Many who take the GED® tests are preparing to enter a college, technical institute or university. GED® graduates have gone on to become successful doctors, public servants, office workers, mechanics, technicians, college professors, business people, writers and artists.

The GED® test provides individuals with the opportunity to earn a high school diploma, a credential recognized as a key to employment opportunities, advancement, further education and financial rewards.

The GED® tests allow people to prove what they know. Every Canadian province and territory recognizes that passing the GED® tests demonstrates the knowledge and skills of a high school graduate.