The GED examination is a national program of the American Council on Education which certifies that the examinne's basic skills are equivalent to those of the average U.S. high school graduate. The exam consists of these 5 tests:
| Week 1 | Social Studies | 12:00 p.m. | 70 Minutes |
| | Reading | 1:40 p.m. | 65 Minutes |
| | Mathematics | 3:05 p.m. | 90 Minutes |
| Week 2 | Science | 12:00 p.m | 80 Minutes |
| | Language Arts
(2 parts: Writings Skills & Essay) | 1:40 p.m. | 120 Minutes |
The Adult Learning Center (ALC) hosts the regional GED Testing Center for the Duluth area. Exams are offered weekly on Tuesday afternoon, between 12:00 and 5:00 and require pre-registration. Tests alternate each testing date. (See schedule above.) As of July 2012, the full GED battery of tests cost $110.00; the state of Minnesota will pay $40.00 of that fee for residents. Retests costs $20.00 per test, or $100.00 if all five need to be retaken. No state support is available for the cost of re-tests.
Registration: Thursday 1:00 p.m. (or by arrangement for out-of-town examinees)
Required Information at Registration (failure to have all the following will prevent an applicant from registering):
(1) Applicant must know his/her Social Security Number
(2) Applicant must have government-issued identification (driver's license, passport, state ID card, tribal ID
with name, birth date, and photo)
(3) Applicant needs to have payment or payment authorization
from the agency he/she is working with. Checks are made
payable to I.S.D. 709.
(4) Applicant must have proof of Minnesota residency
(5) Applicant must have proof of age (19 or older) or have an
approved age waiver from the State of Minnesota
Eligibility
Persons ages 19 and above who have not completed a high school diploma program and are not currently enrolled in classes leading to a high school diploma may be eligible to take the GED tests in Minnesota. Persons age 16 - 18 may also qualify to take the exam if they obtain an Age Waiver from the State of Minnesota.
Requirements for an Age Waiver:
Minimum age requirement may be waived under certain circumstances when supporting evidence is submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education. Circumstances which may warrant waiver of the requirement include:
* Applicant has been dropped from high school attendance rolls for at least one calendar year
* Applicant's high school class has graduated
* Employer has indicated that successful completion of the GED Test Battery is required for employment or occupational advancement (documentation required).
* Applicant has applied for postsecondary educational institution/financial aid and has been accepted pending the successful completion of the GED Test Battery (documentation required)
* Military has indicated that applicant must successfully complete the GED Test Battery in order to enlist in the United States Armed Forces (documentation required)
* An Adult Basic Education program or other recognized educational, social service, or correctional agency has indicated that successful completion of the GED Test Battery is a written part of the applicant's individual learning plan and that the applicant has passed a minimum of three of the five official GED practice tests with a standard score of 500 or above (documentation required)
Minimum Score Requirements:
Minimum standard score of 410 on each of the five tests with an average standard score of 450 for a minimum standard score of 2250. Examinees may take all the tests on one day or spread the tests over several dates.
Information and Exam Registration:
Tom DeSutter or Kelley Conley (218) 336-8790
