Taking the GED High School Equivalency Exam

He's still entitled to use the services the school provides, even though he's homeschooled. Call the local high school and ask to make an appointment with one of the guidance counselors. You can discuss the situation and ask what the various options are. It's possible there are programs that you are not aware of that might be helpful.

hi E., please ignore 'reality chick' who has no clue about the actual reality of homeschooling and what kids 'need' as far as classroom structure.

that being said, studying for the GED IS hard to recreate in a solo study program. both of my boys were homeschooled and got their GEDs, but had been in community college from 15 so were familiar with a testing venue.

i'd suggest both a tutor if he's struggling with the material and it's not being covered in your curriculum, and finding somewhere for him to take sit-down in-house practice tests so he has a familiarity with the feel and pressure of test-taking. your public school or local community college might be able to help with that.

in the meantime, continuing to study and take the online and book practice tests will help, even if progress is slow.

it hasn't come up, but it probably will. there's a negative perception of a GED, which is outdated and rather ridiculous. my kids transferred from community college where they were both in phi theta kappa to universities where they both got degrees with a lot of work but no problems. not one single employer was concerned about whether they graduated with a HS diploma or GED.

i wouldn't let it go for being 'too hard.' that just means you need to keep being creative in how you work with him on it.

you got this!

khairete
S.

A friend's niece got her GED because she was bored with high school and just wanted to go on to college already. She was a pretty smart girl who studied and passed easily.

Have his study the material and get a tutor if he is having trouble with any portion of the study guide. Another option instead of a tutor is using youtube and putting exactly what he wants to learn in the search. There's a ton of excellent resources there that can walk him through any problem. Then have him take the test. If he passes then he's all set for his next step. If he fails it'll be a good lesson that the world doesn't owe him anything and he'll know what he needs to work on to be able to take the test again.

Don't put off having him take the test because he might not pass. And don't let him fail and think that's the end. Not having a high school education isn't an option for him. You need to be his biggest cheerleader and get this done so he can start his next chapter and put high school behind him.

Whether it's hard or easy depends a lot on him, and what kind of student he has been. I think there's a big difference between IQ and test-taking ability, so I wouldn't put too much emphasis on that. A lot depends on whether he has focus issues or any kind of learning disability, and a lot of kids who act out are actually covering for some other issue. Have you ever had him tested beyond an IQ test?

I would think hiring a tutor would be a good step. If he's not up for it, then he may not be as motivated as you are. But a supportive tutor can help identify problem areas, support strong areas, and give encouragement as well as direction. Having you direct his studies and his practice tests isn't always a good move - he's getting older, and assuming he wants a GED so he can get a job, he needs to learn to relate to other adults in some position of authority or seniority. That's the reality of the working world - there are bosses and supervisors, and he needs to be able to engage with them. If he balks at a "tutor" then see if you can find someone who considers himself/herself more of a "life coach" who can also encourage and motivate and help him focus.

How old is your son, and what grade is he in? Just guessing, but is he saying he doesn't want to continue with regular course work, and take a GED test and be done with school?

The GED test can be challenging, because it's a timed test, with just a few brief scheduled breaks. If he finds it difficult to stay seated and stay quiet and stay focused, he might have problems. There are 4 main areas of testing (math, science, social studies and language arts) so if he has problems with those, he might find the GED test intimidating.

Just knowing what's on the test is only half the battle. There are time constraints and costs (especially if you fail a part - you still have to pay).

Is there any way your son could enroll in a free online public school, like K12? My daughter had tremendous difficulties in school due to medical issues, and we took her out of public school in 8th grade. It took her 7 years to graduate from high school, but she did, 1 week before her 21st birthday, which is the cut-off. She took half course-loads, had tutors and a 504 plan for modifications due to her issues, and got that diploma. It was far easier and less stressful than trying to take the GED.

There are professional GED prep tutors and programs, which you can find online in your area. Maybe you could take him to one of those, and have him evaluated? They might be able to assess whether he's anywhere near prepared, or has the self-discipline to remain seated and quiet and focused for the duration of the test.

We have GED classes here at the community college. Some students, for many different reasons, opt to take the GED instead of staying in high school. They come every afternoon 1-4pm Monday - Thursday for 7 weeks. They are tutored, test out of certain sections, and finally take the GED. It is not easy at all and they must study quite a bit, though coached in this class setting. Out of 15 students at the beginning only 5-6 will complete the training. I would suggest a tutor to work with your son before the big test.

A woman I worked with had a son who was home schooled for a time and then needed to get back into school to get his diploma.
His home school work was for the 11th grade but the school did not want to acknowledge that and enrolled him in 9th grade classes.
No one was happy with this.
So he left school and enrolled in the community GED program.
He attended classes, did the homework, took the tests - it was hard work and took a lot of effort.
He ended up getting his GED in about 6 months time.

Getting a GED is not an easy way out.
If your son is having difficulty in school he will have just as much difficulty in a GED program - maybe more if he doesn't have the discipline to keep up with the work without the structure a school can provide.
Talk with his guidance counselor and see what can be done before he ages out of the school system without earning a diploma.

Enroll your son in a GED course and get him a private tutor. He needs to train to take the test.
“Low IQ” should not be an excuse. He can pass the test just needs displine and practice.
If he has been homeschooled then he has been missing the structure of a classroom setting. No wonder he is having difficulty taking the test!

This is critical for learning from others and competition.

I would spend the next 3-6 months preparing him for the GED. Hire a tutor to work with him each week catching him up on math and things he does not know. And sign him up for a GED course. He has to want to put in some work.

Your school counselor and your child's teachers are a far better resource than people online that have no clue what your child learns like. Start by having a meeting with them.