Lesson 2: What steps do you need to take to apply for a GED exam?

From KNILT

2.1 Learning Objectives

At the end of this lesson you should be able to

  • fully understand how to assist students in applying for the GED exam
  • fully understand the application process.

2.2 Introduction

After learning about the importance of hooking our students and keeping them engaged in their educational journey and the ways in which they can prepare for the GED exam, we must now understand and learn how to help our students apply to take the GED exam. There are some students who may not want to go through the preparation process and may be able to just sign up to take the exam, therefore educators within the school buildings must be educated enough to assist the students. There may also be extra steps that educators and guidance counselors may be responsible for to ensure that students can successfully sign up for GED exam.

2.3 How to help eligible students sign up to take GED exam

You can apply for your test through the GED Testing Service Site. Each state has different requirements. This a simple task for students who are age eligible. Students who are 19 years of age and above are allowed to automatically make an account and sign up to take the GED exam.

2.4 Attachment B form

Students who are under the age of 19 years old, and are in the age range of 17-18 ,must have a Attachment B age eligibility form filled out by their guidance counselor at their last attended high school. A lot of students who drop out of high school are under the age of 19, so it is important that educators and guidance counselors pay close attention to this section of the lesson. Guidance counselors play a huge roll in ensuring that students under the age of 19 are able to become approved to take the GED exam. Below is the link to a blank attachment B form.

https://www.sunywcc.edu/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/eoc/pdfs/attch-b.pdf

On the attachment B form, there are 3 determiners that will determine when a student can sign up for a test date. We must as educators differentiate between the 3 wisely, so that our students can successfully sign up for the test when needed.

  • Determiner 1 (the student has not attended the current high school you work at for one year or more, it is vital that you put the exact day in which the student stopped attending school)
    • By signing below, I am verifying that *__________________ was the last day of attendance, dismissal or discharge of the above-named individual and that he or she has not been a regularly enrolled student since that time. *This date cannot be prior to June 30th of the school year in which the candidate reached "maximum compulsory school attendance age" (turned 16 or such older maximum age as the board of education of the school district designates for required school attendance pursuant to Section 3205(3) of Education Law)
      • If this is the appropriate check box for student, the student will not be able to sign up take the exam until one year later
  • Determiner 2 (the students high school class has already graduated)
    • By signing below, I am verifying that the above-named individual did not complete requirements for graduation with the class of _______________ (based on his or her ninth-grade enrollment) that will graduate or graduated on
      • If this is the appropriate check box for student, the student will be able to sign up to take the exam immediately
  • Determiner 3 (for home schooled students only)

After this form is completed, the guidance counselor will need to place it in their official school sealed/stamped envelope and mail it to The State EDUCATION DEPT. GED TEST UNIT OFFICE in Albany, New York. Before sending it out, it is imperative that the counselors ensure that the student's GED ID number is placed on the form because that is the only way the workers at the GED Test office will be able to identify the student. When the workers in the office receive the letter, they will virtually let the student know that they've received the letter and will let them know when they can sign up for the exam via email and GED testing site portal.

2.4 activity

  • in this activity, we will practice filling out attachment B forms. We will choose 2 students from our work file or students we know are interested in obtaining their GED who are under 19 and fill out the "mock" form to help us gain familiarity with completing it

2.5 Attachment R form

Students who have successfully passed regent(s) with a 65 or above or have a special appeal such as the

  1. English Regents
  2. Any Math Regents
  3. Global and US history regents
  4. Any Science Regents

will be able to get portions of their GED test waived. For example, if a student has successfully passed their Algebra regents, they are eligible to get the math subject on the GED test waived. To do so, they need a guidance counselor at the high school they passed the regents at to fill out the Attachment R form and mail it to THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GED TESTING OFFICE in Albany, NY along with their high school transcript. Before sending it out, it is imperative that the counselors ensure that the student's GED ID number is placed on the form because that is the only way the workers at the GED Test office will be able to identify the student. If approved, the student will only have to take the remaining three subjects on the GED exam . If a student has passed more than one regents, they can have multiple waived as well e.g. if a student has successfully passed the English & Living Environment Regents and the form is submitted and approved, again they will only have to take the remaining subjects left on the GED exam.

http://www.acces.nysed.gov/common/acces/files/hse/application-r.pdf

2.5 activity

  • in this activity, we will practice filling out attachment R forms. We will choose 2 students from our work file or students we know are interested in obtaining their GED who have passed 1 or more regents or have a special appeal regents and fill out the "mock" form to help us gain familiarity with completing it

2.6 GED Informational Brochure Creation pt. 3

  1. I'd like you to design your third page as followed
    1. How to sign up for GED exam
    2. Give a brief description on what an Attachment B form is (in own words) and provide information on who would need one
    3. Give a brief description on what an Attachment R form is (in own words) and provide information on who would need one

2.7 Unit 2 Lesson 2 Reflection Task

Now that we have learned how to sign up for a GED exam and the different forms that we need to fill out for our prospective students. How can we ensure that the form filling and mailing process via Attachment B & R forms run smoothly? Some examples can be having a pre-printed amount of forms filed, having a file for prospective GED students, etc.

Please write your reflection in this Google Docs File: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zDAqokYEXmsxc3zIN9JdJzdEKgd_bqywGCTbuTWpoHs/edit

Click here Unit 3: What's next? What can they do with a GED? to navigate to the last unit of the course