GED Tests Free at Gateway through July 31

The Kentucky Adult Education Department is offering free GED testing to Kentuckians at adult education centers statewide through July 31.

The GED test provides adults who did not finish high school with the opportunity to certify their attainment of high school-level academic knowledge and skills. Normally, the entire GED test taken the conventional way on paper costs the test taker $60; the fee for taking the entire computer-based GED test is $120, a cost set by the national GED Testing Service. Free GED classes are available through local adult education programs in all 120 Kentucky counties.

Its particularly important for those without a high school diploma to pass all five parts of the GED test this year, because the GED test will change January 1, 2014, said Peg Russell, director of adult education for Gateway Community & Technical College, which manages adult education centers in Boone, Grant, Kenton, and Owen counties.

In Kentucky, there are about 16,000 people who have taken part of the test but have not completed it, Russell said. Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, all previous scores will expire, and anyone who has started but not completed all five parts will have to start over. The last test date in Kentucky this year will be Dec. 18, 2013.

Russell noted that adult education centers offer free GED test preparation and a variety of other free education services. Northern Kentucky adult education centers are located at Gateway's Urban Center in Covington, its Boone Campus in Florence, and at KAE outreach centers in Dry Ridge and Owenton. A complete list of Kentucky adult education centers can be found at http://www.kyvae.org/countycontacts.aspx.

There is no better time than right now to take the GED test, Russell said. Test takers have an opportunity to take or complete the test at no cost through July 31, and between now and the end of the year people with partial scores can complete the test and not have to start over. We urge any Kentucky resident interested in more information to visit the KAE website at http://www.kyvae.org. Northern Kentucky residents can call (859) 442-1166 for details.