Public Service Feature– GED

HARRISBURG — Don’t allow the lack of a high school diploma to stop you from meeting your educational or career potential.

The Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma could help you reach your goals.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education issues the diploma to certify that the holder meets high school graduation requirements set by the State Board of Education.

A candidate for the diploma must pass the General Educational Development (GED) test. The exam consists of five separate tests that measure the person’s knowledge of social studies, science, writing skills, literature and the arts, and mathematics.

Anyone who is 18 years of age or older and not enrolled in an approved or licensed secondary school is eligible for testing. In certain instances, individuals 16 to 18 years of age may take the test.

A free list of testing centers is available from the Department of Education GED Administrator at 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, 17126-0333. The telephone number is (717) 787-6747. The list is also on the World Wide Web at www.pde.psu.edu/able/gedctrs.html .

Applicants are responsible for contacting the test center of their choice to complete an application to arrange for testing. Test fees, established by each center, range from $25 to $45.

Special editions of the GED test and accommodations for candidates with physical or learning disabilities are available by contacting the local GED Chief Examiner.