Test Content

The GED Testing Service consists of a battery of five tests designed to measure the intellectual and learning skills a candidate may have acquired since leaving Senior Years. It is generally recognized that many adults, who did not complete a formal senior years education, may have acquired through years of varied experience, an educational maturity equivalent to that of a Senior Years graduate. The GED Testing Program, through a series of five comprehensive examinations, is designed to help determine that equivalency.

The five examinations are:

• Language Arts Writing
• Social Studies
• Science
• Language Arts Reading
• Mathematics

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What do the GED Tests Measure?

The Tests of General Educational Development (GED Tests) consist of five tests, which measure achievement in subject areas associated with a high school program of study. The five tests, and their relative content emphasis are:

1. SOCIAL STUDIES: National History (25%); Economics (20%); Civics and Government (25%); World History (15%); Geography (15%).
2. SCIENCE: Life Sciences (45%); Earth and Space (20%); Physics and Chemistry (35%).
3. MATHEMATICS: Part 1 and 2: Numbers, Number sense and Operations (25%); Measurement and Geometry (25%); Data, Statistics, and Probability (25%) Algebra, Functions, and Patterns (25%).
4. LANGUAGE ARTS - READING: Literary Test (75%); Nonfiction Prose (25%)
5. LANGUAGE ARTS - WRITING: Part 1: Sentence Structure (30%); Usage (30%); Mechanics (25%); Part 2: Essay

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Eligibility Requirements

The Minister of Advanced Education and Training may issue a Manitoba High School Senior Years Equivalency Diploma to adult residents who have not completed high school, and who have been successful on the GED Tests, provided they meet the following eligibility requirements

• Minimum age—candidates must be at least nineteen (19) years of age
• Candidates must have been out of school at least one (1) full academic year and out of school long enough for the class of which they were last a member to have graduated from high school
• Exceptions may be allowed to the above policy by contacting the GED Administrator

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• The application form (42 KB) should be completed carefully ensuring that all information requested is accurately given, signed by the applicant, and forwarded to the GED Testing Office (Social Insurance Numbers are used for identification purposes only).
• A cheque, money order, Visa or Mastercard information, covering the $65 registration fee should be included with the application and forwarded to the GED Testing Office. Cheques and money orders should be made payable to the Minister of Finance. Post-dated cheques are not accepted.
• Applications close three (3) weeks before the scheduled testing periods. Applications received after the closing date or if the testing choice is no longer available, will automatically be registered in the next available sitting.

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Reporting of Marks

Approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks after completion of the tests, all candidates will receive an official report on each of the five tests written. Candidates who receive a minimum standard score of 450 on each of the five tests will receive a diploma.

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Standard Scores & Percentile Ranks

The GED is a comparative test. It demonstrates how well the examinee has done compared to recent high school graduates. Test results are reported as “standard scores” ranging from a low of 200 to a high of 800 and as “percentile ranks” ranging from 1 to 99. A passing Standard Score for the GED Testing Service in Manitoba is 450. Candidates must attain a score of 450, or better on each of the five tests to be eligible to receive their Grade 12 equivalency standing.

Standard Scores are calculated by a mathematical formula to compare GED test results to those attained by recent high school graduates on similar tests. Standard Scores above 500 are typical of recent high school graduates.

The percentile rank shows the percentage of graduating high school seniors who earned a certain standard score. For example, a GED examinee whose standard score on one of the tests has a percentile rank of 55 has done as well as, or better than 55% of the graduating seniors in that subject.

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Retesting

Candidates who fail to secure a Grade 12 equivalency standing may rewrite the tests which they have failed. An application form (42 KB) and an additional fee of $65 are required to cover the cost of rewriting any or all of the tests.

If you are unsuccessful in achieving the passing Standard Score (450) the first time, you may write a second time within the GED testing year (January to December). If you need to write a third time, you must wait until the following GED testing year.

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Duplicate Transcripts

Additional transcripts of GED scores are available at a cost of $25.20 (includes $1.20 GST) each by writing to the GED Testing Office. Duplicate Transcript Application Form (36 KB)

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Counselling

Persons wishing additional information regarding the Manitoba GED Testing Service may contact the GED Administrator at the GED Testing Office.

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Testing Dates and Centres

GED Tests are written in centres across the province. For more information on locations and test dates, please contact the GED Testing Office.

2009 GED Test Schedule (23 KB)
2010 GED Test Schedule (22 KB) (French and English)

Examens de francais: Veuillez appeler Monsieur Christian Violy au Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface au 204 233-0210, poste 446, pour convenir d’un rendez-vous.

Testing may be arranged at other sites through special arrangements with the GED Testing Office for individuals with physical, emotional, or learning disabilities only.

Identification at Testing Centres

All GED candidates requesting to take the GED Tests must provide valid identification when they appear at the test centre. Acceptable forms of identification include government-issued identification, provided that the identification includes date of birth, photograph, address and signature. Examples of acceptable identification include drivers’ licenses, passports, firearms licenses, liquor commission identification and military and other government-identification cards.

In addition, current postsecondary school identification that includes the candidate’s name, date of birth, photograph, address, and signature are acceptable. Examples of post-secondary institutions include but are not limited to community colleges, universities, vocational-technical (trade) schools, or private occupational schools.

The need to revise the requirements for identification comes with the increased number of reported impersonations using fraudulent identification and with the availability of personal computers that are capable of producing quality identification. It is important for security reasons that each examiner knows that the candidate who appears for testing is in fact the candidate of record.

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Preparation

Study material for GED test preparation is available from larger book stores.

Preparatory classes for GED are available through school divisions, adult education centres, and the Manitoba colleges.

There is no refund for persons who have not written the tests as scheduled. Applicants must resubmit their applications for the next test sitting with the required fee of $65.

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Rescheduling

Applicants wishing to reschedule or cancel their requested test dates must do so in writing. This communication must be received in the GED Office no later than two weeks prior to the originally scheduled writing date.

Applicants are not eligible for rescheduling unless written medical or bereavement reasons are provided to the GED Administrator.

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GED Testing Office

For further information, contact

Manitoba Advanced Education and Training
Adult Learning and Literacy
GED Testing Office
Room 362, 340-9th Street
Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 6C2
Telephone: 1-800-853-7402 (Toll free)
Fax: (204) 726-6339 - (204) 726-6338