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GED & continuing education
You might be wondering, What if I dropped out of high school? For people who didn’t graduate high school but are over the age of 16, you can earn your GED at any time.
Generally, you’ll have to take four tests in different subject areas in order to earn your GED. These four subjects are:
Do I have to pay for it, though?
In Illinois, each subject test costs $30 (check out state-specific information here), but you can space out the tests and take them over a longer period of time if you need to save up money to pay for each test. Most GED discussion boards suggest that there isn’t financial assistance available to take the test, but if you’re working with a social service organization (for example, a job training program or drop-in center) to take the test, they may be able to offer some help in paying for the test.
What about taking classes to study beforehand?
Some states require you to take classes before you take your GED test, but in Illinois, you can take the test whenever you feel you are ready. We DO recommend, however, finding a GED class and taking the practice test before signing up to take the real thing. This is important to make sure you pass the first time and don’t have to pay to retake the exam.
Many community centers and high schools offer free GED classes to students. BestGEDclasses.org has a list of major cities in Illinois, where you can click through to find organizations and schools offering free classes in your area. Also, your local library should be able to connect you to more information and resources for the GED and quite possibly a preparation course too!
There is an Illinois-specific GED website with commonly asked questions, and for any information not available there, you can call your Regional Office of Education at 217-558-5668. If you live outside of Illinois or if you want more general information about getting your GED, check out their website!