Student Information

Welcome to GED test prep. I am your teacher, Laurie Tenaza Mattoon.  I have been teaching GED test prep at the School for Adults for 19+ years (I can't remember exactly how many), and I am excited to help you reach your GED completion goals.  

Some of you will be coming to the classroom, while others will be working totally from home. If you have chosen to be a remote learner, it is very important that we have regular communication, so that I can help guide you in your studies.  We will not have daily Zoom "classes," because everyone will be working on something different and everyone has different work and home life schedules. I may occasionally schedule whole class meetings when necessary to cover topics that affect everyone, but the majority of the time, we will be meeting one on one.  You may request a Zoom meeting or phone call with me anytime you need help with something.  I can answer questions, help you navigate programs and websites, and assist in scheduling your GED tests.  In addition to Zoom meetings, we can communicate by email, text, and phone calls.  My contact info is at the bottom of the home page.  

If you are attending class in person, you are still welcome to request Zoom meetings during times you are not in the classroom.  While in class, I will be available to work one on one with you, as time permits. We will not be having traditional direct instruction lessons in class because everyone will be working on something different. However, I will be available to help you with anything you are struggling with. 

Whether you are in class learning or remote learning, you will be working on Aztec, our online GED prep program.  This program is designed to figure out what you already know and what you need to learn.  It will assess your readiness and then present the lessons for the skills you need.  The program also contains free practice tests to give you an idea of how you will score on the real tests.  Though Aztec is the main learning platform, I also recommend supplementing your studies with books, YouTube videos, and other resources.  

I will need to enter attendance hours for you in the school's attendance system.  In order to do that accurately, I need you to report your study hours to me.  There is an attendance button located near the top of the home page (in the purple banner) that you can fill out daily (or at the end of the week, if you forget to do it everyday). 

GED TEST basic info

There are 4 tests that you must pass in order to earn your GED certificate. These tests are Reasoning through Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Math.  A score of 145 or higher is required on each of the 4 tests.  

You may take all of the tests at once (provided the testing window is long enough) or one test at a time. You may retake any of the tests that you don't pass. The first time you take a test, the cost is $41.  If you have to retake that test, it will be $15. If you still don't pass, you pay full price again, followed by 1 discounted retake  After 3 non-passing scores, you will be required to wait 60 days before taking that test again.  On January 1st of each year, that counter resets. 

You can schedule your test from your GED.com account, or by calling 1-877-EXAM-GED (877-392-6433). You may pay with a credit/debit card or with a voucher that you buy with cash from our office. 

In California, you may take all of your tests in one language, or you may take some in English and some in Spanish. In most other states, you must take all of your tests in the same language.

In order to increase the likelihood  that you will pass a test the first time, you may use the Aztec free practice tests to assess your readiness.  Once you take one of these practice tests, you receive a score and online lessons to work on to bring your score up.  Be aware that the Aztec Practice tests are a little harder than the real GED tests.  

The GED Testing Service also has official practice tests called the GED READY.  These tests sell for $6.99 each.  If you are going to take one of these, let me know, as I may have a half off code that you can use.  These tests are one time use, the test is scored for you, and a study guide is produced.  If you use that study guide to work on (and master) the areas that you are weaker in, you should be able to pass the GED test the first time you take it.  

"What am i supposed to be doing?"

Good question!  You have many options, in terms of ways to prepare for your GED test.  Here is a list of some of them: 

1. Working on Aztec 

2. Using GED books

3. The Class Quizlet

4. YouTube Videos

5. Reading of any kind

6. Khan Academy (for math)

7. Other study websites - there are many!  

The current version of the GED test was launched in 2014, so make sure the resources you are using were not created before that. 

The first item on the list is the program that the school has purchased for your use.  I will make you an account for that program once you are enrolled and have filled out the new student survey.   

I recommend beginning with the subject you think will be the easiest for you, which is often Language Arts.  For most people, Math takes the most preparation, so we usually save that for last.  I have found that when people take the easier tests first, they are more likely to complete their GED.  When people start with their most difficult subject, it is easy for them to just give up, because there is very little invested in the process. 

 You may pick up a book from the school to use with your program, if you would like.  Some students prefer to work only from books and not use the programs at all.  I don't recommend this because the real test is on the computer, so it's good to get practice that is most like the real test. There are also many good YouTube videos and study websites for GED Test Prep.  You will find links to some of them on The 4 Subjects page.  I will help you create a study plan that works for you. 

If you are feeling fairly confident in a subject, a good starting place would be a practice test.  The Aztec practice tests are free and give you a good idea of your readiness for the test.   After you take a practice test, the program presents the lessons to you for the skills you missed. A second option is the Official GED Ready practice test.  This test is taken on the GED.com website and is the closest to the real test experience.  The test is scored and they tell you what skills you missed and what pages you can work on those skills in the different books that we have.  This test also aligns with the Aztec program, so we can see which lessons would be most helpful for you. The downside of this test, is that it costs $6.99 per subject.  I may have a coupon code for half off- so let me know if you plan to take it. Lastly, the Kaplan GED book contains pretty good practice tests.  These tests you score yourself by looking up the answers in the back of the book.  You do not receive a score on the same scale as the real GED test, but you can expect to pass if you get 65-70% correct (from my experience). We have several different GED prep books in the classroom for you to choose from, if you need a break from the computer every once in awhile.  

"How much should I be working?"

You may work as much as you want!  The more you work, the sooner you will reach your goals. Pre-COVID, our in person classes met for 15 hours a week - so we would like you to try to work at least that many hours while remote learning. You may do your work at any time of the day or night, including weekends - whatever is most convenient for you. 

If you cannot work at least 15 hours a week- it's OK!  Just do what you can.  I understand that you have other things going on in your life that need your attention. 

There is a place to record your daily attendance at the top of the Home page.  Please try to fill it out every day that you study.  When you fill it out, you will choose the day of the week and number of hours you worked (or plan to work) that day.  You may choose between 1 and 6 hours for each day of the week.  Our system only records full hours, so any part of an hour counts for 1 hour. For days you don't study, just leave those rows blank. Easy Peasy.