There are many disadvantages to not having a high school diploma. People who do not graduate from high school typically make less money and have access to fewer opportunities than people that did. If you are ready to advance in your life and career, then you should consider taking the General Educational Development (GED) exam
Louisiana GED Test Format
The Louisiana Department of Education regulates the GED program in the state. The test’s 240 questions are spread out amongst five topics: social studies, math, reading, writing, and science. High school students are required to study these subjects to obtain their diplomas. Since the GED certificate is the high school diploma equivalent, it is only fitting that GED test takers should know the same information.
Except for the essay question on the writing test, all of the questions are multiple choice with 5 possible answers. You will have a little over 7 hours to complete the exam.
Passing the Louisiana GED Exam
Each test is worth up to 800 points. You must earn a cumulative score of 2,250 to pass the GED exam. This is an average of 450 points per test. Any test scoring below 410 will be given a failing grade. However, you aren’t required to retake the entire exam. You can retake the individual parts of the test you didn’t pass. Louisiana requires a waiting period of 30 days between retests and you can only take the exam up to 3 times in one year.
Eligibility Requirements for the Louisiana GED Test
The following are the eligibility requirements for taking the Louisiana GED exam:
- You must be at least 19 years old
- You cannot have already earned a high school diploma or GED
- You cannot be enrolled in school or an equivalent accredited program
- There are currently no residency requirements
If you are 17 or 18, you can still take the test as long as you sign up for an adult education class or pass the official practice test. You must also provide documentation showing you have officially withdrawn from school. Legally, sixteen year olds are not able to withdraw from the K-12 school system unless they are experiencing certain hardships. It is best to contact the GED testing center in your area for more information about how you can qualify to take the GED test.
Registration Information
You must register for the GED test in person at an official testing site, a list of which you can find on the Louisiana Department of Education website. You will need to bring photo identification and the other required forms pertaining to your eligibility with you. The fee for the exam must be paid at that time as well. It costs $40 for the battery of GED tests and $5 per test for retakes. (visit www.doe.state.la.us)
Preparing for the GED
You should not take the Louisiana GED test before studying the materials; otherwise it will simply be a waste of time and money because you are more likely to fail when you are unprepared. One way to go about preparing for the exam is to take a GED prep course at a community college, online, or an adult learning center. If the class times don’t fit into your schedule, you can study at your own pace using GED study guides and practice tests online.