GED® Testing
The ASU-Beebe Adult Education Centers offer Official GED® Testing on all three campuses. The Searcy center has weekly testing, and the Beebe and Heber Springs centers offer the test once per month during the regular school year. Summer testing is available on the Searcy campus only.
The Official GED® Test consists of five subject areas: Language Arts, Writing, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Reading, and Mathematics. A test taker must earn an average score across the five tests of at least 450, with no individual test score below 410. These score requirements ensure that GED® test takers are able to read, compute, interpret information, and express themselves in writing.
A student must be at least 16 years of age in order to be eligible to take the test. Students ages 16 and 17 must provide the required paperwork from their local school district before they may schedule to test.
Preliminary testing is required before a student may take the Official GED® exam. Students must provide a current Arkansas I.D. or Driver's License at the time of Official testing. The GED® tests cannot be taken online. GED® study guides are available at most local libraries and bookstores.
If you have taken the official GED® Tests in Arkansas and wish to have an official copy of your scores mailed to a college/institution, employer, agency, or yourself, you must submit a written/signed request to the GED® Testing Office. The transcript request form can be accessed here.
2014 GED® Test Changes
The GED® 21st Century Initiative will transform the GED® test into a comprehensive program that will prepare more adult learners for postsecondary education, training and careers. The new assessment system will now give adults the opportunity to demonstrate career and college readiness through a new endorsement. The new test is:
- Aligned with Common Core State Standards
- Delivered through Computer Based Testing requiring basic computer skills
- Designed to demonstrate career and college readiness
The four subject-level assessments in 2014 are: Literacy (Reading and Writing), Math, Science, and Social Studies.
All states must move to computer based testing by the end of 2013 to continue to administer the GED® exam. The new test will launch in January 2014.
If an individual has not completed their GED® exam before January 2014, they will be required to adhere to the new standards and any partially completed testing will be void.