Give yourself the advantage and get ahead of the pack in today’s competitive job market. With a GED certificate, you’ll have better chances for advancement with your career path; you’ll also be one step closer to that college degree. What’s a General Education Development exam, and how does it work? The following information should let you in on the details of the GED exam in the state of Iowa.

The Iowa GED exam will test your aptitude on five subjects, all of which are taught as part of most (if not all) high school curriculums: Language Arts in Reading, Science, and Social Studies; Language Arts in Writing is also covered, where you will be asked to answer the question by writing an essay within a time allotment of forty-five minutes. The fifth subject, Mathematics, is composed of two parts; the difference between the two is that the second does not allow you to use a calculator for solving and computation. All of the items on the test are basically multiple-choice questions, apart from the sections otherwise identified. You are given a maximum of seven and a half hours to go through the entire exam.

The score range for each of the separate sections lie between 200 and 800, and you must meet the allowable minimum of 410 for each of these sections in order to pass the test. You should also be able to accumulate a total score of 2050 for the entire test. A quick tip on how to ensure that you’ll pass the test; concentrate more on the sections you are more knowledgeable at (and try to get as high a score as you can), and then try to meet the minimum score on all the other subjects. If in case you are unable to make the required grade, you can take the exam again (either in part or in its entirety) until you do reach the score requirement.

The state of Iowa requires you to meet these basic conditions in order to be eligible for the test: you should have a minimum age of eighteen years old; you have to be a certified resident of the state; you haven’t been enrolled in any high school for at least six months; and you are a high school undergraduate.

You can register for the exam by presenting proof of your eligibility at any official testing center within the state. You’ll also need to produce copies of drop forms from your last high school if you are 18 or below, as well as proof of identification (driver’s license, passport, etc.) There is also a fee involved, though this varies between centers.

You can make headway with preparations for the test by either studying on your own, or by taking GED prep classes. You can find review materials at your community library, at a bookstore, or on the internet. Your community college, as well as your local adult learning center may also offer courses for the purpose. Visit the state’s Dept. of Education site at state.ia.us/educate for further details.