How to Study for the GED

Learning how to study for the GED is just as important as the test itself. Why? Because in order to win, you have to know how to play the game. The GED tests you on how you use and apply the information you have learned. It doesn’t measure what you learned, it measures how you use it at crunch time. Once you know the way the test works, it will be easier for you to prepare. Knowing this – and a few more tips and tricks that we can share with you – puts you well on your way to passing and getting your GED. Look at this guide as a roadmap. We will show you what’s on the test, how much time you should spend studying, how to build a study plan that works (including a sample plan), and the key info you need to pass the GED!

What’s on the GED?

First of all, the GED is not just one test. You’ll have four subject tests that you can take however you want, one by one on different days, two by two, all at once, or however suits you best. The four tests are:

• Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA)
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Science
• Social Studies

If you decide to take all four at once, you should be ready for about seven hours of testing so you may want to work on your endurance skills too. Taking the tests one at a time gives you the chance to prepare one subject test at a time. You can choose what works best for you.

*The number of questions can vary slightly from test to test, so treat these as approximate.

What You Should Know Before You Study

• Expect a Mix of Question Types. While many questions are multiple-choice, look out for some drag-and-drop, fill-in-the-blank, and drop-down questions too. And don’t forget the essay question in the RLA section. By working on the different formats of the questions, you won’t be caught off-guard.

• Passing Score Set Low. You only need to hit 145 out of 200 on each subject to pass. You can actually get quite a few questions wrong and still get your GED. The test is more about logical thinking and problem-solving than learning by heart. Knowing this takes a lot of the pressure off. But you still have to study!

• Algebra is the Most Important Math Topic. Over half the math questions go to algebra. Make sure you give it a lot of study time.

• Calculator is Available for Most Math Questions. For most questions (but not all!) you will have an on-screen calculator and formula sheet available. The proctor will tell you when you can use them and when you can’t. TIP: It might be best to study as if you don’t get one.

• All Tests on Computer. Both in-person and online GED testing are done on a computer.

• Reading is King. Every section of the GED is about reading. You will read sentences, passages, and question instructions throughout all the tests. Even science and social studies sections are built around reading passages. That means reading comprehension should be a big priority in your studying.

Check out our GED Study Guides for more!

How Long Should You Study for the GED?

The good news is that there is no fixed amount of time for studying for the GED exam. You can take as much or as little time as you need. Although the GED Testing Service says students study for three months on average, they cast a very wide net that may not include you.

If you have time to study and feel pretty confident about the subjects, with a solid study plan you could be ready in six weeks or less. But the most important question is always about you – how much time can you devote to studying in a week? How many of the four subject areas do you feel good about?

No matter your circumstances, a focused and structured study plan will help you use the least amount of time needed for study. Working with a good plan, you won’t waste time reading the map because you already know where you’re going.

A plan is not required, but we recommend using one. Like in many things in life, it’s not how talented you are or how many hours you put in. Success in studying for the GED comes from having a clear plan, the right study materials, and a diagnostic test that shows what you have to focus on.

If you prepare well in advance, you can probably expect to get through the studying in six weeks or less. But it is not a race. If it’s been a while since you last saw your old school, you might give yourself a little more time. Maybe you don’t feel great about your math or science. In these cases, you could think about giving yourself a little more time, like eight to twelve weeks, to rebuild those skills. 

Also, you may be working long hours, have a family to manage, or other responsibilities, you can make a plan that covers everything in the free time that you can find. In this case studying one subject at a time might make it easier.

It doesn’t matter if you beat speed records in studying, it only matters that you pass and obtain your GED credential. No matter how much or how little time you can give over to study, you can have a plan that can carry you to the finish. Even if it is 15 minutes a day, being consistent and following your plan will see you through every time. A well-thought-out plan that you can keep will always be better than waiting until the night before and cramming.

The first thing to do? Take a diagnostic practice test (get one here). The test results will show you which areas need the most work, how much study time is good for you, and what you already know. 

How to Build a GED Study Plan?

There is a cliché you may have heard: “Work smarter, not harder.” This piece of wisdom has been around since 1930 and holds very true for your GED Study Plan. Grueling hours of study do not guarantee you a pass. In fact, the ones who do well on the GED exam are the ones who worked smart – they had good plans and followed them through.

Here is a checklist to help get your GED Study Plan started. Further on, we will provide you with a sample plan.

STEP 1: Commit to a Test Date

Choose a date for your GED exam and mark it in your calendar. You can choose a date six weeks away or three months from today, but once you have decided, you will have created the timeframe for your study.

When you choose your date, log in to your GED account and see which dates are available at your testing center. Each one will be a little different so make sure you pick a good one. Once that is done, you can then work backwards to make your plan.

STEP 2: Take the Diagnostic Practice Test

Before you study anything, and if you haven’t already done it, take a practice test for each subject. When you run the practice tests, try to set up the room as close to the real testing conditions as possible. Choose a quiet room, set the timer as instructed, phone on airplane mode, and allow no unscheduled breaks. As we said, this test is crucial to show you what you need to study and where your weak areas are.

STEP 3: Turn Your Test Results into a Map

After you get your results, examine all the answers, the right ones and the wrong ones. You will see then which areas you struggle with and which ones you’ve already got. Don’t skip the things you got right – check to make sure they weren’t just lucky guesses.

Use this to make a master list of all the topics you need to focus on. These will be the basis of your study schedule. Once you have the final list, you can use the corresponding subject study guide and allot time to study each.

STEP 4: Make Your Study Sessions Count

Your plan will tell you when to study and for how long, but make sure you’re studying right. Just rereading the texts takes time and effort, but it will not get the job done all by itself.

The practice questions will help cement the information into your memories. Work them all – more than once if needed. Another good way to lock in the information is to try to make it real. Use a little algebra when you do your finances. Use it to scale up or down recipes when you’re cooking. Try out new vocabulary words at the supermarket and see what reactions you get. The best reaction is that you will remember.

But be sure to walk before you run. Get the basic principles and information down before trying to get fancy with them. This means basic math and basic grammar before algebra and Shakespeare.

You might feel like it's heavy work, but if you are diligent, it will go faster and easier as you continue your plan.

STEP 5: Sample 6-week GED Study Plan

And there you are! After six weeks you can pass your GED exam. 

Six weeks is realistic with focused study, but if you need or want more time, that’s ok too. The end goal is to make sure you pass all four subjects and get your GED. Don’t worry if some subjects take a little longer, in the end you will get there if you stick to your plan. You can even give yourself a break between exams if you want to take more time. It’s much better to get it done slower and right than get it done faster and wrong.

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