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Back to Orientation

Act 1 - The GED

Importance of the GED Tests

Obtaining a GED diploma is extremely important for adults who have not had the opportunity to obtain their high school credential. The GED Tests are designed to measure the skills that are associated with completing four years of high school instruction. However, the GED Tests also emphasize real world skills, those found in the workplace, the community, the home, and of course, those neededfor higher education.

Listen to a student at Indian River Community College talk about the importance of the GED to her life. Click on the video clip below.

In Her Own Words

Statistics are often important to people when talking about a test like the GED. What are the stats?

• More than 1,000,000 adults took the GED Tests in 2001. (GED Testing Service 2002)
• More than 90% of all U.S. employers consider individuals with a GED the same as traditional graduates with regard to hiring, salary, & opportunity for advancement. (Society for Human Resource Management 2002)
• 97% of colleges and universities accept the GED credential as equivalent to a traditional high school diploma. (College Board 2001)
• Individuals with a high school diploma or GED realize a 35% increase ($7,400 differential) in median annual earnings over non-high school grads (Occupational Outlook Quarterly: Spring 2002)

Is passing the GED Tests important? Of course it is! That is why you need to know what kinds of skills your students need in order to be successful, not only in passing the GED Tests, but also in functioning successfully in the real world.

This program was developed by Dr. Lucy M. Guglielmino, Florida Atlantic University, through an Adult Education State Leadership Grant from the Florida Department of Education, Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Education.   Content Developed by Susan Pittman and Bonnie Vondracek. Web development by Dr. Debra L. Hargrove. Videography by Steve Foley, Foley Video Productions.

Disclaimer:  While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this web-based training component, it is not an official publication of the Florida Department of Education.