In striving to provide more adult learners throughout the state with a high school credential, the Cleveland State Community College Testing Center is partnering with GED Testing Service to offer the GED test on computer. Registration and scheduling will be available to candidates in February of 2013.

Registering, scheduling and testing on computer will provide a new experience and new benefits for GED test-takers.  These new features will improve the GED testing program which is a gateway for adults to find jobs or better paying jobs, enter the workforce or college training programs, and better support themselves and their families.

Cleveland State Community College recently hosted Adult Education Center Directors from its five-county service area including Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Polk and Monroe Counties to discuss the upcoming computer version of the GED test.

Randy Trask, GED Testing Service’s president and CEO said, “Adult learners are often times juggling jobs, families, study time and transportation issues. GED testing on computer will be a significant step to make the scheduling and testing experience easier, more flexible and faster for adult learners across the state and eventually the country. We are so pleased that Cleveland State is our partner in this important endeavor.”

The GED test on computer is the same test content currently offered on paper. Its accompanying systems will provide an array of new benefits for both the testing center and GED test-takers. Some of the initial benefits include:

·       One-stop online registration and scheduling available 24/7

·       Flexible testing appointments for test-takers

·       Instant test scores on 4 of 5 content areas

·       An introduction of basic keyboarding and computer skills

·       Enhanced test security 

According to Judy Nye, Director of Testing Services at Cleveland State, a very important thing everyone must remember is the GED will be available on the computer in an approved testing center. The official GED test is not available online over the internet. There are many websites promoting online GED Diplomas or High School Diplomas but they are not accredited or accepted as official high school credentials. There is no other official high school credential in Tennessee at this time other than the official GED test. There is discussion of another possible test that may be accepted and accredited as an official high school credential, but like the GED, it would only be available in an official testing center. “We expect to learn more about this in the next few months. Higher Education institutions are usually the first to learn about fake diplomas or unaccredited degrees but employers who require a high school credential or offer higher pay incentives for advanced degrees should probably take notice as well. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is the accreditation that we look for both in public and private institutions.”

Offering GED testing on computer also has an important role to increasing accessibility and flexibility for test-takers, since a double-digit increase in the number of GED test-takers is expected by 2013. A new GED assessment is scheduled to be released in Jan. 2014, and a significant number of adults who haven’t taken or passed all five content areas will want to test before their scores expire at the end of 2013.

While testing and scheduling on computer is a significant new benefit for test-takers, GED Testing Service warns consumers there are those who will attempt to bilk unsuspecting adults out of precious dollars by creating confusion online. “The GED test – whether on paper or computer – must be taken in-person at an official GED testing center,” said Trask. “Potential test-takers should not respond to individuals or so-called ‘institutions’ offering an online GED test.”