General Educational Development

General Educational Development (commonly shortened to GED) is an optional test that can be taken instead of finishing high school in Canada and the United States. The test covers basic understanding of science, mathematics, social studies, reading, and writing. The sole developer of these tests is the publisher Pearson Education. Versions are available in Spanish and French.
Only some people can take the GED, depending on where they live. To take the test, a person usually may not be enrolled in high school and may not have already graduated from high school. The person taking the test must be at least 16 years old.