• Get plenty of rest the night before the exam. Get to the test site at least 30 minutes before your scheduled time. (don't be late!) so you have time to settle in and relax.

• Be sure to have all the paperwork you need: registration forms and a valid, acceptable, photo-bearing ID with signature.

• Wear comfortable clothes.

• Stay relaxed. If you feel your anxiety level rising, take several long, slow, deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose, exhale through your mouth.

• Listen carefully to instructions.

• Read the test directions slowly and carefully.

A Positive Approach

To do your best on the GED, use this positive approach:

1. First, look for the questions that you can answer and should get right.

2. Next, skip the ones that give you a lot of trouble. (But take a guess.)

3. Remember, don't get stuck on any one of the questions.

Here's a closer look at this system:

1. Answer the easy questions as soon as you see them.

2. When you come to a question that gives you trouble, don't get stuck.

3. Before you go to the next question, see if you can eliminate some of the incorrect choices to that question. Then take a guess from the choices left!

4. If you can't eliminate some choices, take a guess anyway. Never leave a question unanswered.

5. Put a check mark on your answer sheet next to the number of a problem for which you did not know the answer and simply guessed.

6. After you answer all of the questions, go back and work on the ones that you checked (the ones that you guessed on the first time through).

Remember, erase the check marks from your answer sheet before time is called. If you don't, the marks may be counted by the scoring machine as wrong answers.

Don't ever leave a question without taking a guess. There is no penalty for guessing.

The Elimination Strategy

Sometimes the best way to get the right answer is by eliminating the wrong answers. As you read your answer choices, keep the following in mind:

1. Eliminate poor answer choices right away.

2. On most sections, if you feel you know the right answer, quickly look at the other answers to make sure your selection is best.

3. Try to narrow your choices down to two or three so that you can take a better guess.

Remember, there is no penalty for guessing the answers to questions if you have to. If possible, try to eliminate some of the choices to increase your chances of choosing the right answer.

Helpful Hints

• Don't make any stray marks on your answer sheet — don't rest your pencil on it!

• When changing an answer, be sure to erase the unwanted one completely.

• Don't fill in more than one answer space for a question; otherwise, it'll be scored as incorrect.

• Don't fold, bend, or crease your answer sheet.

Test Options

You may take the GED examinations more than once, but some states may require you to wait a certain amount of time or to complete a course. Contact your local GED Testing Center for specific information. Remember that your plan is to pass on the first try.

The GED Tests are given continually throughout the nation. You can get administration dates and locations by contacting your local GED Testing Centers, high schools, or adult education centers.

In addition to the U.S. version, there is a Canadian version.The GED is also given in Spanish and French. There are also special large-print, Braille, and/or tape-recorded editions for handicapped candidates. Also, many states offer preparation programs to help students. Check with your local high school, adult education center, occupational center, community college, or GED Testing Center for further information.