GED testing to be stopped at end of year

The Iowa Department of Education has announced that it will stop using the current General Education Development (GED) test at the end of this year.

The current GED test format will expire December 31st.  Northeast Iowa Community College officials are encouraging all students who have started the GED process to complete their tests in reading, writing, science, social studies and math before the expiration date. To allow enough time for study, test-taking and processing, students must enroll in the NICC program by Thanksgiving and must complete all five tests by December 13th to avoid starting over with the new test next year.

The changes being introduced in January are part of Iowa's shift to the High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) format.  The new assessment, the HiSET, is 100 percent computer based. Students who take their test in the new format will be required to register online and have basic computer skills

Iowa is one of seven states that will change to HiSET in 2014.  The new test format does offer additional benefits to students, including a lower cost. The HiSET costs $60 per student, including test and diploma fees, which is a savings from than the current test's total cost of $75. Students will also not be charged for two re-tests per subject occurring within a 12-month period.

For more information on the current GED program and new HSED format at NICC, visit www.nicc.edu/admissions or call (888) 642-2338, extension 105.