Tactics and Strategies for The GED

Once you’ve have studied and prepared yourself for the GED test, here are a few tactics and strategies that you can use on test day to help you be successful.

Allow plenty of time to get to the test site. Taking a test is pressure enough. You don’t need the extra tension that comes from worrying about whether you will get there on time.

Read all directions and questions carefully. Answer the question given, not one you expected. Look for key words, such as except, exactly, and not. Carefully examine tables, graphs, and diagrams so you don’t miss important information.

Don’t expect trick questions. A straightforward presentation is used in all GED test sections.

When you have difficulty finding and answer, eliminate choices that are definitely wrong. Then consider the remaining choices.

Don’t let one or two challenging questions upset you. Some questions are definitely harder than others. Remember you do not have to get 100 percent on this examination. No one does.

Don’t get bogged down on any one question. If a question is taking too much time, circle it and make a guess. Then, if you have time at the end of the examination, go back and review the circled questions.

Change answers only if you have a good reason for doing so. Don’t change your answer on a hunch or a whim. Most often the first judgment that you make is correct.

Check answer order frequently. Make sure you are putting your answers in the right spaces.

Use your time wisely. After taking a few practice tests, you will be familiar with the proper pace needed to complete each test.

Be careful not to make stray pencil marks on the answer sheet. These may interfere with the rating of your performance. If you wish to change an answer, be sure to erase your first mark completely. The rating machine will automatically mark an answer wrong if more than one choice is made. Also, do not fold or crease the answer sheet.

Answer all questions, even if you have to guess. Your score will be determined by the number of correct answers; no points are deducted for wrong answers. For this reason it is better to guess at an answer than to not respond at all. Of course, wherever possible, eliminate as many wrong answers as you can before guessing. Every answer you eliminate improves your chance of guessing correctly.

Remain as calm as possible. If you consider yourself a person who “goes to pieces” on tests, cheer up! Psychologists claim that more than 90 percent of us think we don’t perform well on test of any kind. Nobody likes tests. But more than 80 percent of the people who have taken the High School Equivalency test in the New York area, for example, have passed them. They must be doing something right. And so can you – with the right attitude and careful preparation.

As long as you have prepared properly, sing some of these tactics should give you an edge and help you be successful with your GED experience.