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Kellee Edmonds
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ACE Issues Warning About Fake GED Testing Services

Washington, DC (Jan. 14, 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.

“GEDTS is deeply concerned with a recent increase in the number of web sites purporting to offer GED testing online or through the mail,” said Sylvia E. 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 web sites that infringe on the GED trademark and brand and offer diplomas and certificates that may have dubious value. 

GED testing is administered locally by each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Canadian provinces and territories, the U.S. insular areas, U.S. military, and federal correctional institutions.

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."

The five tests in the GED test battery are Language Arts, Writing; Language Arts, Reading; Social Studies; Science; and Mathematics. The tests reflect high school curriculum standards developed at the national and jurisdictional levels while including content relevant to the workplace and community. The GED Tests passing standard is rigorous; only 60 percent of traditional graduating high school seniors are expected to pass the battery on their first attempt.

Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations, nationwide. It seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives.

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