Can You Go to College with a GED in 2022

This is a question that several students are asking. Fortunately, yes, you can go to college with a GED certificate. This post provides you with the information you need to go to college with as a GED student. The information we provide you ranges from the GED testing service itself to “how to get a GED.”

If the news of gaining college admission with GED excites you, you’ll surely want to know:

How to take the GED test
How GED differs from a High School Diploma
What colleges accept GED
If the Application process in college differs for GED scholars
If you are eligible for Scholarships and Aids with GED
Whether employers will treat you differently for getting into college with GED.

Hang on while we answer all your questions as well as other useful information you need.

What is GED?

The American Council on Education (ACE) owns GED, and the test measures proficiency in four subject area – mathematics reasoning, reasoning through Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science.

GED, short for General Education Development test, is a test that provides students certificate to gain admission to college. The certification offered by GED proves that the student has the US or Canadian high-school-level academic skills.

The implication of passing the GED test is that students who are unable to complete high school education gain high school equivalency credential.

Therefore, this is an alternative to US high-school diploma, HiSET, and TASC tets.

What are the Benefits of GED?

You may be asking yourself this question, “Why GED instead of High School Diploma?”

Students are more comfortable with the GED program because it is available and recognized in over 85 countries.

Also, almost all universities in the US as well as in Asia and Australia accepts it and it provides an alternative for students who can’t complete High School.

Additionally, GED allows students to take tests anywhere and anytime throughout the year, allowing you to get your scores and transcript on the same day as the exam.

Finally, several other students are in universities of their choice with GED certificates.

GED vs. High School Diploma

It may not appear clear to you yet how GED differs from High School Diplomat, so, here is how:

While the high school diploma takes four years to achieve, you can get a GED certificate after a seven and half hour test.

Consequently, A high school student cannot take the GED tests unless they quit school.

Many students worry about this time differential in obtaining both certificates. They have fears that colleges filter applications based on these criteria.

Their fears may be valid!

Some schools may give higher preference to high school graduates, believing they are better groomed for classroom education.

However, in reality, many universities have to sort through thousands of applications yearly. They may not have the leisure of sorting applications based on high school certification.

However, to boost your chances of selection, you should endeavor to score high – say, 170 to 200 – on all sections of the GED tets.

You should also get a steady job or be consistent in partaking in volunteer works. This explains to those responsible for admissions that you have discipline and are responsible and committed.

Furthermore, capitalize on the opportunity to write a college application essay if your school demands one. Tell a captivating story of your passion to study despite the challenges.

List of Colleges that Accept GED

Your chances of going to college in the US and other parts of the world with GED still isn’t slim. You can go to college with a GED testing certificate in almost all colleges and universities in the world. Meanwhile, many other universities in the world also accept GED graduates.

Despite the above assurance that you can get admitted to a large number of the university around the world, it’s not that easy.

With a GED Testing certificate, admission won’t come easy. The more competitive the school is, the harder your chances of getting admission with a GED certificate.

You will have to apply to several schools to remedy this. Also, you should bear in mind that a GED may not be all you’ll need to gain admission into college.

If your chosen college is a four-year one, you’ll have to take either the SAT or ACT in addition to GED.

The following subheadings categorize colleges you can apply to with GED, based on their level of success.

GED Community Colleges

Community Colleges in the US have an open enrollment status. Most community colleges, junior college, or technical college don’t require a GED or diploma certificate.

However, community colleges don’t get you a bachelor’s degree – which is probably what you want.

Meanwhile, a two-year degree from an accredited community college or technical school can fast-forward your application in the future.

Some community colleges you can apply to are:

US Universities or College

There are a number of universities in the US that accept GED certificates, despite everything. Remember that the difficulty was mostly for competitive colleges?

Therefore, whether you wish to attend a public or private university in the states, you are still covered.

Also, some universities will require you to have a GED in the state of the school to be eligible. Thus, you’ll have to decide the school you’re applying for before taking the GED test.

However, because you don’t want to get rejected on the first trial, you’ll have to check to school you’re applying to. There are schools that explicitly mention that they accept students with GED testing certificates, look out for them.

Here is a list of some US Universities or Colleges that accepts GED:

Online College that Accepts GED

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It could be painful work looking for an online college that accepts GED unless you know what to look for. “Accreditation” is what makes the difference.

Many online institutions will promise to offer you a degree with your GED test certificate. However, you have to confirm that the online university is accredited before applying.

If you have a problem studying in a classroom, then this is your best option to get an undergraduate degree. It is also suitable for you if you have other commitments that require your physical presence.

Here are some of the best online universities you can get an online degree from using a GED:

Universities that Accepts GED in Asia and Australia

GED isn’t only accepted in the US. There are also a couple of Universities abroad that will accept your GED test certificate. Hence, if getting admission in the States gets difficult, you can try other colleges abroad.

Asia and Australia are the other major places in the world that accept a GED. You can easily complete a degree in any of these places taking advantage of abroad scholarships.

Here is a list of other colleges you can apply to with a GED test certificate:

How Can I Get a GED?

The process of taking the GED test is simple and straightforward. All you have to do is visit the official site, sign up, and follow the steps there.

However, there are requirements to consider before doing any of these.

You must be at least 16 years old and not a student of any high school for a period of time, to be eligible for a GED test.

Also, you must not have acquired a high school degree before scheduling for the test.

In addition, you may need to take the test in the same state of the university you’re applying to.

Preparing for GED Test

At that moment when you conceive the thought of taking the test, visit the GED official site.

Once there, create a free account. This gives you access to resources that’ll help you in your test. You will find study guides, practice tests, and Frequently Asked Questions on the website.

After creating a free account and exploring the site, you can then proceed to schedule a test online in advance. This will give you enough time to prepare for the tests as well as explore other resources.

Getting a Good GED Score

There are four subjects areas in the GED test and each area has a maximum score of 200.

You should score at least 145 points in each subject, which makes a total of 580 out of 800.

However, following our discussion above, a minimum score of 170 in each topic is safer. Thus, you will need a total of 680 GED score to compete favorably for admission against a high school graduate.

This looks like a hurdle, right? No need for panic, Study.com have some test prep courses that will assist you in making an excellent GED score.

Here are the test prep materials:

GED Social Studies: History, Geography, Economics & Civics
The GED Science: Help and Review
GED Language Arts Part 1: Reading
The GED Language Arts Part 2: Writing
Math GED: Help and Review

Is the Admission Process for GED Different?

There is not much difference between the application of a high school graduate and you with a GED. The only difference is that the GED score doesn’t translate to a GPA Score.

However, that doesn’t concern you. All you have to do is ensure to score an excellent GED grade.

Meanwhile, some schools may require you to fill a different form from those of diploma certificate holders.

Also, you may need to submit your high school transcript up to the point when you stopped attending. A SAT and ACT score, as well as other extra college requirements, may be demanded in addition.

Can You Get Financial Aid with GED?

Yes, you can. Going to college with a GED test certificate doesn’t make you any less a student. In fact, there could even be special scholarships tailored to you and your kind.

However, you’ll have to consult your school’s financial aid department to find out.

Nonetheless, you are eligible for the same kinds of scholarships just like other students. Therefore, you’ll need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid if you’re interested.

In all, your demonstration of financial need should move you to apply for scholarships. Feel free to check your school’s scholarship board for funding opportunities just like other students.

Do Employers Look Down on GED?

There are better things for employers to access you for than this. When employers assess an applicant for a position, they are more interested in the skills, knowledge, and experience required for the position.

You should also know that you’re not alone on this and this knowledge should motivate you. Several workers with a university degree actually entered the school with a GED.

Some employers though may be biased. Therefore, it is advisable to walk into interview rooms prepared for anything – even the worse.

Conclusion

General Education Test (GED) is an alternative way to gain admission into college. It offers a universally accepted certificate and helps students without completing high school education further their studies. Although there may be a preference for giving a diploma graduate admission before a GED graduate, many US colleges accept GED.

However, you may need to apply for more than one school at a time to guarantee your admission. Also, a high GED score of 170 per subject, or a 680 total score, will boost your chances. You can get a wonderful job after graduating even though you got into college with a GED. All you need do is graduate with a wonderful degree and expect anything from job interviews.