GED/HiSET Information

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Eligibility Requirements

Age:

You must be 16 years of age or older to be eligible to take the High School Equivalency tests in Massachusetts.

However, if you are 16 or 17 years of age, you cannot schedule any exams until an official Letter of Withdrawal from your last school attended has been approved by the Massachusetts High School Equivalency Team. For more information, go to; Under-18 requirements.

School Enrollment Status:

You are not eligible to take the HSE tests in Massachusetts

  • If you are currently enrolled in any secondary school program; or
  • If you have previously earned a high school diploma; or
  • If you have ever received a high school equivalency credential.

Residency:

You must be a resident of Massachusetts, living at a Massachusetts address. Your test center may ask you to verify Massachusetts residency by filling out this form:

Download PDF Document
Verification of Eligibility

Identification:

You must present proper identification at the test center for each test session. Outdated or expired identification will not be accepted. Failure to provide documentation will prohibit you from taking the test. The name on your ID must match the name on your registration exactly.

The approved identification documents include:

  • A valid Passport
  • A valid driver's license from any state
  • A state-issued ID card
  • National ID card
  • Military ID card


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HiSET ® / GED© Comparisons

HiSET ®
(5 Subtests/Battery)
Both computer-delivered and paper-based testing
GED©
(4 Modules/Battery)
Computer-delivered testing only (except for accommodations)
Language Arts-Reading (65 minutes)
  • 50 multiple Choice Questions
Reasoning through Language Arts (150 minutes)
(51 Questions)
  • Section 1 — (27 minutes*)
  • Section 2 — Extended Response (45 minutes)
  • Student Break (10 minutes)
  • Section 3 — (60 minutes)
*The time allotted for Sections 1 and 3 may vary slightly, but the total test time will always be 150 minutes.
Language Arts-Writing (120 minutes)
  • 61 Questions
    • 60 multiple choice questions
    • 1 Essay
Mathematics (90 minutes)
  • 55 Multiple Choice Questions
Calculator: TI-30XS scientific calculator
Mathematical Reasoning (115 minutes)
(46 Questions)
  • Part 1 (first 5 questions) calculator not allowed
  • Part 2 (remaining 41 questions) calculator allowed
  • Possible Item Types:
    • Multiple choice
    • Drag-and-drop
    • Hot spot
    • Fill in the blank
Calculator: TI-30XS scientific calculator
Science (80 minutes)
  • 60 multiple choice questions
Calculator: TI-30XS scientific calculator
Science (90 minutes)
(34 Questions)
  • Possible Item Types:
    • Multiple choice
    • Short answer
    • Drag-and-drop
    • Hot spot
    • Fill in the blank
Calculator: TI-30XS scientific calculator
Social Studies (70 minutes)
  • 60 Multiple Choice Questions
Social Studies (70 minutes)
(35 questions)
  • Possible Item Types:
    • Multiple choice
    • Drag-and-drop
    • Hot spot
    • Fill in the blank
Calculator: TI-30XS scientific calculator
Scoring:
scaled-score range per subtest: 0–20
To pass: no subtest score lower than 8 and a battery total of 45 or above.
Scoring:
scaled-score range per module: 100–200
To pass: a score on each module of 145 or above.
For more detailed information on the content and structure of the HiSET ®, go to HiSET ®Test at a Glance (TAAG) Information Brief — 2019. For more detailed information on the content and structure of the GED© test, go to GED®: Get Your GED.
Fee Structure: (Effective Jan.1, 2019)
Computer Based Test:
$103.75/battery ($24.75 for the 1st subtest, $19.75 for the remaining 4 subtests in the initial battery)
$9/retest (up to two per subtest, within one year of initial test)
$10.75/subtest (after one year from initial test)

Paper Based Test:
$125/ battery
($29 for the 1st subtest, $24 for the remaining 4 subtests in the initial battery)
$9/retest (up to two per subtest, within one year of initial test)
$15/subtest (after one year from initial test)
Fee Structure:
$125/battery ($31.25/module)
$10/retest (up to two per module, within one year of initial test)
$31.25/retest (after one year from initial test)






















Links:


ESE/ACLS High School Equivalency (HSE) Information:   http://www.doe.mass.edu/hse/

HiSET:  https://hiset.ets.org/test-takers

GED:      https://ged.com/

BCC Testing Center:  https://www.berkshirecc.edu/academics/academic-support/testing-center/

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