• GED Transcript/Certificate Request (PDF)

Explanation
The General Educational Development (GED) Tests can give you the opportunity to earn a high school equivalency certificate, a credential recognized as a key to employment opportunities, advancement, further education, and financial rewards. The Regional Office of Education, in partnership with McHenry County College, coordinates the delivery of a program to register, prepare, and certify high school equivalency candidates.

Required Documentation/Qualifiers for GED Registration

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS TO TAKE THE GED TEST
An individual is eligible to take the GED Test given they meet the guidelines listed below:

• 17 years of age or older
• is not a high school graduate or a GED graduate
• has maintained residence in the State of Illinois for thirty days.

Note: If an individual is of school age and has been enrolled in a public, private, or a home school setting in the last 12 months, they must present a withdrawal letter from the last school enrolled before taking GED Test.

Requirements

Identification

An individual who registers and takes the GED must show an acceptable form of identification that displays the name, address, date of birth, signature and photograph. The acceptable forms of identification are listed below:

• a driver’s license,
• valid passport,
• military ID,
• other forms of government-issued state, national or foreign identification

Proof of Residency in McHenry County

Completed Application

$50.00 Registration Fee (check, money order or cash)

Constitution Requirements
Provide at the time of registration, proof of having passed the Illinois and U.S. Constitution tests in the form of a letter from the high school stating that the applicant has passed the tests, or,

Provide proof as noted above as testing progresses, but prior to issuance of the GED Certificate, or,

Pass the Illinois and U.S. Constitution tests as part of the GED certification process.

Exceptions
An individual may be eligible to take the GED test at 16 years of age only if they meet the following criteria:

• has maintained residence for thirty days in the State of Illinois; and
• enrolled in an alternative education program under Section 2-3.81, 13A, or 13B of the Illinois School Code; or
• enrolled in a youth education program under the Illinois National Guard (i.e.; Lincoln’s Challenge)

You must come into the Regional Office to register in person. Call the Regional Office of Education (815) 334-4475 if you have any questions regarding qualifications, fees, or acceptable forms of identification prior to arriving at the ROE for registration.

Contents of the Test
With the exception of Part II of the Writing Skills Test, which requires an essay, all questions on the GED Test are multiple choice with five possible answers given. The questions range in difficulty from easy to hard, and cover a wide range of subjects. The contents of the tests are as follows:
 

An applicant shall make a standard score of 410 or above on each of the five tests and a total standard score of at least 2,250 on the entire battery (average score of 450 on all tests).

Preparation for the Exam
McHenry County College offers GED preparation programs free of charge. The instructors for these programs can help you to determine your readiness for the tests and/or areas which you need to review.

Constitution Examination
In addition to the five GED Tests, Illinois residents are required to satisfactorily pass an examination on American patriotism and the principles of representative government as enunciated in the American Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, as well as the proper use and display of the American Flag as provided by 105 ILCS 27-3 of The School Code of Illinois. Illinois and U.S. Constitution tests may be taken at any time at McHenry County College.

Testing Hours & Location
McHenry County College
8900 U.S. Highway 14
Room A245
Crystal Lake, IL 60012

GED Session Dates and Times

You must report to McHenry County College Testing Center no later than 7:30 A.M. with a Signed Government Issued Photo I.D.

Test dates:

• Tuesday: LA/Writing and Math
• Wednesday: Science, Social Studies and LA/Reading
  

Appointments must be made by reporting in person to McHenry County College Testing Center. You must bring the completed Demographic Booklet and copy of your completed application.

GED Testing Policy
As of February 1, 2003, the following policy shall be jointly implemented by the McHenry Regional Office of Education and McHenry County College:

Cancellation
To cancel your scheduled test(s) you must contact McHenry County College test center staff twenty four (24) hours in advance of the GED test. Call (815) 455-8984 to do so.

After canceling your test the test center staff will forward a notice to you and to the Regional Office of Education indicating that you have canceled your test(s).

A second cancellation will require the repayment of the $50.00 registration fee at the Regional Office of Education to reactivate your file in order for you to reschedule.

Late Arrivals
You must report to McHenry County College Testing Center no later than 7:30 A.M. Any late arrivals will not be allowed to take their GED Test and will be required to pay the repayment fee of $50.00.

No Show
If you do not cancel your scheduled test(s) 24 hours before your scheduled appointment, this will be considered a no-show and you will be required to pay the $50.00 registration fee at the Regional Office of Education to reactivate your file in order to reschedule your tests.

Retesting Procedure
If you fail one or more of the tests of the GED, the Regional Office of Education requires that you provide evidence of reinstruction in the area(s) with which you had difficulty. This requirement is designed to help you succeed. Verification can be provided in several ways. Review the following possibilities to see which applies to you.

1. Applicants who have completed the GED preparation class and/or pretesting at MCC, may request reinstruction and practice from college personnel and present the form letter provided by the college to verify reinstruction.
2. Applicants who have not progressed through the process noted in #1 may verify reinstruction using the form provided by the Regional Office of Education. Such verification may be provided by any person qualified to provide such reinstruction and may range from a certified teacher to a friend or relative who can assist you.

Retesting Fees
Each GED Test, with the exception of the Language Arts: Writing Test, requires a $10 retest fee. A $15 retest fee is required for the Language Arts: Writing Test. Applicants who fail the constitution examination will be permitted to review the subject matter and will be retested at no cost.

Assurance of Reinstruction for GED Retesting

• Assurance of Reinstruction Document in .pdf format for Adobe Reader
• GED Transcript/Certificate Request