Current version of GED Test near expiration, VGCC officials warn


Vance-Granville Community College is reminding area adults who have started but not completed the GED that the current version of the test, known as the 2002 Series GED Test, will expire at the end of the year. The national GED Testing Service will replace that series with a new version on Jan. 2, 2014.

Students who have completed at least one part of the GED test, but not passed all five content areas, have until the end of 2013 to pass all of the test components. Otherwise, the students’ previous scores will expire and they will need to start over again with the new 2014 GED test in order to receive their high school equivalency credential. The five content areas include writing, reading, social studies, science, and math.

“It’s not too late to complete the 2002 series,” said VGCC Adult Basic Skills department chair Cathy Barham. “Time is running out, but our department is ready to assist adults who need to complete their GED, which will allow them to qualify for better job opportunities and to enroll in an academic program at VGCC or another institution of higher learning.”

Barham said that in order to help all students be successful, VGCC has scheduled additional evening classes for students who need extra assistance preparing for one or more of the content areas. VGCC provides free GED preparation classes at all four college campuses — the Main Campus in Vance County, the South Campus between Butner and Creedmoor, the Franklin County Campus near Louisburg and the Warren County Campus in Warrenton — as well as several other community sites and online. “Support is available to help all students, no matter where they live or how busy their schedules are,” Barham said.

GED completion has opened doors to better jobs and college programs for more than 18 million graduates since 1942. Last year, nearly 800,000 adults sat for the GED test, which is accepted by virtually all U.S. colleges and employers. The GED Testing Service periodically makes changes to the test, ensuring that the program continues to be a reliable and valuable pathway to a better life for the millions of adults without a high school diploma. The 2014 GED test will consist of four content areas: Reasoning through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies.

For more information, contact VGCC Adult Basic Skills at (252) 738-3315 or barham@vgcc.edu.