Home Government Relations & Public Policy HENA Online News

ACE Issues Warning About Fake GED Testing Services

Jan. 11, 2008

The General Educational Development Testing Service (GEDTS)^TM, a program of the American Council on Education (ACE) and architect of the Tests of General Educational Development (GED_®Tests), is advising people that the GED credential cannot be earned via the Internet or through correspondence programs.

State GED administrators nationwide have reported receiving increasing numbers of complaints from individuals who paid steep fees to take what they thought were the official GED Tests and, upon passing, thought they had earned the highly recognized GED credential issued by their respective state GED testing agency. 

The GED Tests measure the academic skills and knowledge expected of high school graduates in the United States or Canada.

“GEDTS is deeply concerned with a recent increase in the number of websites purporting to offer GED testing online or through the mail,” said Sylvia Robinson, ACE assistant vice president and executive director of the GED Testing Service. “We would like everyone to know—and share with others—that the GED Tests are not currently offered online and can only be taken in person at an official GED Testing Center. Any services that purport to offer a GED credential through any other means are not affiliated with GEDTS or ACE, may be of dubious value, and may deliver a product that is not accepted by employers, colleges and universities, or the military."

Robinson indicated that GEDTS is increasing its efforts to alert the public and education community to websites that infringe on the GED trademark and brand and offer diplomas and certificates that may have dubious value. 

Individuals who wish to locate their nearest testing center should use the GED center locator on the ACE web site.

Hiring personnel, college admissions officers, and military enlistment personnel who wish to verify the authenticity of an individual’s GED credential should contact the appropriate jurisdictional agency that administered the GED Tests. A complete listing of these agencies can be found at http://www.gedtest.org by clicking on “Contact your Jurisdiction’s GED Testing Program."