Many people take the GED exam in hopes of opening doors to higher education and better jobs. Approximately 43% of people who pass the GED gain acceptance into postsecondary programs. To reap the benefits, you need to be able to pass the exam, and one of the best ways to do that is by taking a prep course. To help you navigate through the sea of available courses, we compiled a list of the 10 best GED prep courses out there:
- Kaplan — Top Pick
- Study.com — Best Study Guides
- Best GED Classes — Best Online Course
- GED Testing Service — Best Free Trial
- Union Test Prep — Best Product Offerings
- Essential Education — Best-In-Person Experience
- 4Tests — Most Affordable
- Mometrix University — Best Variety of Course Materials
- Test Prep Toolkit — Biggest Practice Exam Library
- UGO Prep — Best for Busy Schedules
Our Ranking Criteria
To devise our list, we examined both the flexibility of each course and if they offered some type of personalized instruction. We did not consider cost to be a significant ranking factor, as a course may be complimentary, but fail to prepare you for the test.
Flexible scheduling and adaptable formats
Most people taking the GED have other commitments, whether it be taking care of family or working full time. You cannot benefit from a rigid GED prep course that interferes with your daily life. We identified courses that offer in-person prep, on-demand online instruction, and live classes so you can choose what fits in your schedule and learning style the best.
Personalized instruction
It’s important for your GED prep course to be personalized to your needs. This could mean roadmaps that are customized to your strengths and weaknesses or something like live tutoring where you can discuss your specific questions and pain points.
The Best GED Prep Courses
Kaplan — Top Pick
Kaplan offers an on-demand, self-paced course designed to help you study for the GED exam at your own leisure. Over the course of three months, participants enjoy an interactive, live learning experience developed in collaboration with the GED Testing Service. Overall, Kaplan has more than 150 course videos (ranging from 60 to 90 minutes), as well as hundreds of practice questions and tests designed to imitate the actual GED. Alternatively, you can choose the GED Live program, which grants you access to both live and recorded classes. Whichever option you choose, Kaplan is so confident in its prep skills that it offers a money-back guarantee if you fail your GED test.
Need-to-knows:
- $69 or $129
- Provides in-person, on-demand, live, and online classes
- Money-back guarantee
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Study.com — Best Study Guides
Study.com provides comprehensive coverage of all four essential topics covered in the GED exam. Users gain access to a library of over 300 short, engaging course videos on math, science, social studies, and language arts. Other resources include thousands of practice questions and five thorough GED study guides, complete with insider tips. At the end of each topic, you can engage in quizzes that determine your level of understanding about the topic. You will also receive personalized results that pinpoint the areas in which you need to improve. In addition to enhancing your knowledge on these subjects, you can expect to gain the skills and confidence necessary to tackle the GED.
Need-to-knows:
- $3-$75 per unit
- Live and recorded online courses
- Free trial
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Interested in a degree instead?
Learn more about online degrees, their start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Best GED Classes — Best Online Course
The expansive resources offered by this online course make it live up to its name. Best GED Classes grants access to unlimited lessons, study guides, and practice tests, all free of charge. The practice tests are designed to imitate the actual exam, and each question comes with prompt feedback and a thorough explanation about the answer. You can take a full, timed practice exam or take tests by subject. Alternatively, you may want to participate in the learning style quiz. This test is designed to improve your time-management and reading comprehension skills. The course is entirely online, letting you participate whenever your schedule allows it and eliminating concerns over deadlines and due dates.
Need-to-knows:
- Free course offerings
- Online classes
- Self-paced
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GED Testing Service — Best Free Trial
GED Testing Service is as authentic as it gets, considering that it was written by people who set the actual GED exam. The structure, content, and difficulty of this course are all designed to match the real thing. After taking a practice test, you will be assigned a probability score that determines how likely you are to pass the actual exam. This score is a great resource for determining how much time you need to prepare. You will also receive a custom study plan that is designed to improve your score for your next practice test. GED Testing Service is confident in its features, which is why it provides an extensive free trial that spans a whole 90 days.
Need-to-knows:
- $119
- Recorded and live online classes
- Devised by GED test writers
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Union Test Prep — Best Product Offerings
This comprehensive course aims to help you score big on your first GED attempt through an impressive product portfolio. Users gain access to a wide array of study material, including practice tests, flashcards, and study guides. You can select the specific topics that you feel you need to work on, from mathematical reasoning and science to social studies and reasoning through language arts. Each of these topics is broken down into sections that are designed to model the actual GED exam. When navigating the site, you will be prompted to choose between complimentary content and a paid account. For $9, you can gain access to the entire library of study resources and disable pop-up advertisements.
Need-to-knows:
- $0-$9
- Both in-person and online classes available
- Four practice tests
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Essential Education — Best In-Person Experience
Essential Education prepares you for success by determining your individual needs and doing its best to meet those needs. After enrolling in the course, you are prompted to take a prep test that will identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once the site has determined which areas need improvement, it will develop a personalized study plan for you. Essential Education also offers a variety of supportive resources, including free one-on-one support from real Student Advisors and free access to live coaching sessions and webinars, which provide students with extra tools to help fast-track their study and get GED test-ready. Another helpful feature of Essential Education’s programs is that they can be fully completed through a mobile device. The program is very mobile-friendly, allowing you to easily access it anytime, anywhere.
Need-to-knows:
- $19-$23/month
- Both in-person and online classes available
- Offers personalized study plan and practice tests
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4Tests — Most Affordable
4Tests’ GED practice test review is a free GED prep course that prepares you for the exam through practice tests. As opposed to comprehensive learning, the course is designed to let you choose which subjects you wish to tackle. Through this feature, you can channel your efforts into improving the test areas in which you are under-performing. If you don’t know your weak areas, you can take a self-assessment quiz designed to help identify them. On top of the practice tests, you are given access to a “How To Pass The GED” tutorial, complete with test-taking tips and advice on time-management and reading comprehension.
Need-to-knows:
- Free
- Online courses
- No set deadlines or schedule
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Mometrix University — Best Variety of Course Materials
With 1,000+ practice questions, 112 lessons, 290+ instructional videos, and 430 flashcards, Mometrix University gives you everything you need to get ready for the GED. The GED testing service recognizes that Mometrix University’s course materials align 100% with the GED, so you can be confident that this resource will actually help you pass the test. Mometrix University also offers a one-week money-back guarantee, allowing you to test out their service without making any financial commitment.
Need-to-knows:
- $29.99/month
- Online courses
- Customization options are available
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Test Prep Toolkit — Biggest Practice Exam Library
Test Prep Toolkit provides a collection of several GED practice tests, amounting to thousands of GED prep questions overall. All of these tests are complimentary and can be accessed at your convenience, 24 hours a day. You may take tests by subject if there are specific topics you feel you need to work on. However, it is important to note that the tests are shorter than the actual exam. They are good for practice but not ideal for those who wish to simulate an actual exam experience. In addition to practice tests, Test Prep Toolkit offers a fully online exam prep course that strives to develop your critical thinking and time-management skills.
Need-to-knows:
- Free
- Online courses
- Provides email support
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UGO Prep — Best For Busy Schedules
If you’re looking for a course that won’t take up too much of your time, UGO Prep has you covered. For most students, it has a completion period of 2 weeks. This course is designed for people who would rather work intensely but quickly (as opposed to working at a leisurely pace over a long period of time). UGO Prep targets your weaker subjects and helps you improve on them while simultaneously reinforcing your stronger subjects. Resources include printable practice questions, authentic simulated exams, and thorough review guides that offer in-depth knowledge on each of the exam topics. It also offers a limited library of free tests and resources.
Need-to-knows:
- Custom price
- Online courses
- Up to 35 practice exams
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Choose the Right GED Prep Course for You
Every student preparing to take GED has their own aptitudes, schedules, and preferences — no particular prep course will deliver across the board for all students. There are several factors you should consider when choosing a GED prep course.
Calculate prep time
Consider when you want to take your GED exams and how much time you have to prepare. Once you’ve established the timeframe, set out to find the prep course that will get you ready within that period. Different GED preparation courses have different durations, so you want to be sure to select one that you can complete before the exam. It is also advisable to choose a prep course that gives you enough time to identify and improve the areas in which you are performing poorly.
Consider your learning style
Research has shown that each student has their own preferred learning styles to help them retain information. When examining a GED prep course, evaluate the course material and consider whether it syncs with your style. Different learning methods include visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic.
Compare costs
Your budget determines which prep courses you can or can’t take. Some GED prep courses are free while others come at substantial costs. Paid prep courses generally start for as low as $5 and go up to $300. Keep in mind that an expensive course may not necessarily be the best one; be sure to evaluate its features and compare them to less expensive courses before paying.
Look for must-have features
The ultimate prep course should have the following features:
- A free trial or demo to determine whether the course is right for you
- Flexible coursework that fits with your schedule
- 24/7 live support in case of challenges
- Online classes for your convenience
- Tutoring services (if you need them)
GED Frequently Asked Questions
What are the important dates for taking the GED?
GED exam dates are ongoing, so there are no strict registration deadlines. Availability varies by location. You may take each subject separately or take the entire exam over the course of seven hours. The deadline for changes to your registration is generally at least 24 hours before the exam, and your scores should be available anywhere from 3 to 24 hours after you take your test. If you want to retake the GED, you have to wait 60 days. You can view availability and register for the exam at GED.com.
Are there accommodations for people with disabilities?
Upon providing an official diagnosis and documentation of your disability (signed by a specialist doctor), the GED will make arrangements for disabilities. These allowances may include added time, extra breaks, or a separate room.
Where can I find practice tests?
Most of the courses covered by this article come with several GED practice tests. Although some courses don’t offer GED practice tests, you can always find free ones online.
How early should I prep?
Your skill and education level determines the amount of time you’ll need to get ready for the GED exam. Some people begin as early as 12 months while those more confident in their capabilities start as late as two weeks prior to the exam. We recommend that you start your preparations early to give yourself time to identify and strengthen your weak areas.
How many practice tests should I take before the actual exam?
There’s no set answer to how many practice tests you should take before the actual GED exam. Each individual should keep taking practice tests until they feel as though they have the sufficient skill and knowledge level to tackle the real thing.
How long are most GED prep courses?
Typically, taking a general online GED prep course 2 to 3 times a week gets you ready for the exam in 3 months. If you have a demanding schedule, you can get ready in seven months through a once-a-week course.
Is GED prep worth it?
GED prep will improve your odds of passing the GED test, which in turn will improve your earning potential. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that for Q4 2020, workers with less than a high school diploma or GED equivalent earned an average of $608 per week, while high school graduates with no college experience earned an average of $781 per week. That’s already a significant difference — and passing the GED is also the first step to earning a college degree, which would help you generate even more income.
How much does GED prep cost?
The cost of taking a GED prep course varies from one provider to another. Some offer their courses for free while others charge a flat fee or a monthly subscription fee. Some of these premium courses provide extra services, such as tutoring, at an additional fee. Below is a table that summarizes the cost of each course for comparison purposes.
| Company | Cost |
| Kaplan |
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| Study.com |
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| Best GED Classes |
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| GED Testing Service |
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| Union Test Prep |
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| Essential Education |
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| 4Tests |
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| Mometrix University |
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| Test Prep Toolkit |
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| UGO Prep |
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