Finding it hard to focus while studying for your GED tests, or lack attention span? Working at the same study spot for long durations may potentially be the root cause of it all. Research shows that a change of scenery can increase alertness, focus, well-being and mood — thus improving your overall productivity. Here are four libraries you can visit in the United States today to make studying into a roadtrip and explore new places as you prep for your GED test!

Library of Congress

Finding it hard to focus while studying for your GED tests, or lack attention span? Working at the same study spot for long durations may potentially be the root cause of it all. Research shows that a change of scenery can increase alertness, focus, well-being and mood — thus improving your overall productivity. Here are four libraries you can visit in the United States today to make studying into a roadtrip and explore new places as you prep for your GED test!

Library of Congress

You’re prepared and ready to take the GED. Maybe that’s why you’re surprised to experience anxiety. You’ve studied and you’re ready for this! Why so nervous? The good news is that you can learn how to overcome test anxiety. It won’t take nearly as long as it took to prepare for the GED test, and you did that. So let’s get started.

What Is Test Anxiety?

Many students feel a little nervous before taking tests. According to KidsHealth.org, that nervousness is your body’s way of telling you something important is coming up. It helps you to better prepare.

Anxiety is different. It takes nervousness to a new level and involves intense fright or worry. That pressure can make test-taking extremely difficult.

Symptoms

Emotional, mental, and physical symptoms of test anxiety can include:

• Faster heartbeat than normal
• Profuse sweating
• Rage
• Feeling unable to help yourself
• Negativity
• Insecurity
• Embarrassment
• Feeling sick to your stomach
• Not staying focused
• Disappointment in yourself
• Constant thirst
• Nervousness
• Clenching muscles

What Causes Test Anxiety?

Staying calm during exams is easier if we understand the causes of anxiety. When you feel enormous pressure to perform or an extremely important event is coming up, that accumulation of stress combines to form anxiety. Here are some circumstances that might further explain the causes.

You’re Afraid You Won’t Do Well

This feeling can motivate you to study well and prepare ahead of time. It can also make you feel insecure.

You Don’t Feel Ready

This can be especially hard if you’ve procrastinated and put off studying. Other times students exhaust themselves by over-preparing and still feel like it’s not enough.

There Is a Lot Riding on the Test

If you need a certain score for employment or to get into a particular school, you’ll feel an overwhelming sense of pressure that could lead to test anxiety.

5 Tips to Overcome Test Anxiety

Now that you understand why you may be feeling anxious, use these tips for what to do when you’re nervous for a test.

1. Put in the time

Start studying early and take advantage of GED practice tests. This is vital if you want to learn how to calm down during an exam. Study essential test-taking strategies that will help you with the GED and any challenges down the road. Taking the time to do this will help you feel less anxious on test day.

2. Sleep well

Leading up to, and including, the night before the exam, get between 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. You might feel nervous when trying to sleep the night before. That’s why you want to build up good sleep in the week prior.

3. Arrive early

Feeling rushed, fighting traffic, and arriving late just add to anxiety. Get up earlier than normal and make arrangements so you can easily arrive at least a half-hour before the exam begins.

4. Avoid distractions

Leave your phone in the car and find a seat in the front of the classroom or testing center. This will help you focus and concentrate on one thing, passing the test.

5. Start with what you know

One of the best test-taking strategies is to quickly skim the test when you begin. Start answering questions you know, rather than from the beginning. Skip over hard questions as you go. Then, when you’re done, go back and tackle anything that stumped you.

Help Reduce Test Anxiety with Proper Preparation

You can learn how to overcome test anxiety and get your GED. Stay positive and remind yourself you can do this. Remember that proper preparation will do wonders toward helping you feel better about the experience. Get your study materials and get started today.

Note-taking is something that people either love or dread. Finding the right note-taking style will make your studying effective and enjoyable. Below are a few tips on how you can take effective handwritten notes when studying for the GED.

Create headings and subheadings

To stay organized while taking notes, be sure to include headings, subheadings, and highlighting. No one wants to muddle through an indistinguishable block of text! Therefore, when revising notes, break up the text into major headings and smaller subheadings so you can easily find key points on the page.

You can further refine your notes by highlighting keywords and breaking up text with bullet points and numbered lists.

Don’t worry about aesthetics

When writing notes, it can be easy to obsess over how they look rather than focus on the content. Here’s a tip: first, get the main info down in your notebook. Then refine those points by organizing them into sections.

Worrying about aesthetics can distract you from jotting down vital information. Notes don’t have to be fancy; make them clear, concise, and structured in a way that makes it easy for you to read later.

Use nice stationery

Reliable writing materials such as pens, pencils, paper, and other office supplies help you focus on capturing the info you need. Stationery can be used for more than just aesthetics. A comfortable experience will improve the quality of your notes. Colored pens and markers will allow top points in your notes to stand out more.

When creating a new page of notes, write the heading in color so you can easily see which topic the notes are on. Another tip is to keep a pad of sticky notes handy. They can key items to the forefront, such as formulas, equations, or definitions.

Include drawings and graphics

Don’t be afraid to doodle. Visual learning helps you retain info longer, better understand complex topics, and absorb knowledge more quickly. Your graphics don’t have to be masterpieces! Simply draw what makes sense to you.

When taking notes, make sure to include drawings of graphs and equations to remember them clearly. If drawing is not your forte, you can also print out graphics and paste them into your notebook.

We hope these tips continue to help you along your GED journey. Don’t forget to visit GED.com for study tips, practice tests, interactive tools, and more.

The holidays are here! During this time, it can be easy to procrastinate. People tend to procrastinate due to the fear of failing, feeling overwhelmed, or getting distracted. Here are a few tips on how you can avoid procrastinating no matter what time of year it is.

Time Management

Managing your time well is an essential way to avoid procrastination. There are countless benefits to having good time management. Some of those benefits include being able to complete your work faster, reduce stress, and prioritize what is most important.

At the start of the day, block out time for your tasks and set aside time to relax. This will help motivate you and keep you accountable!

Hard to decide what to do first? Try organizing your tasks by urgency and importance. For example:

• When something is important and urgent, do it right away.
• If it’s important but doesn’t have a strict deadline, divide that task into pieces so you don’t feel pressured to complete it all at once.
• If it’s urgent but not important, reach out to someone else for help; delegating is often the best solution.
• If it’s not urgent or important, you might not need to do it at all. That’s your call depending on each situation.

Make a Routine

Create a routine that will allow you to form good habits and create goals. Having a weekly routine will help you remain productive during the school year. A weekly routine can consist of following a sleep schedule to make sure you get enough sleep each day, setting aside a specific day for rest, or setting the goal to study five days a week.

Routines make your life less prone to procrastination and encourage you to focus on setting goals and reflecting on your past work.

Create a to-do list

Many students find it helpful to break down tasks into smaller sections. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and will make the task more manageable. Start the day off by writing down everything that you want to complete that day. Place the easier tasks at the top of the list and the more difficult ones at the end. As you complete them, cross off each task to keep track of what you have done. You’ll be amazed how satisfying it feels to strike a line through a task, going from to-do to done!

Hold Yourself Accountable

The best way to avoid distractions and procrastination is to hold yourself accountable. When you’re about to pick up your phone or open a new tab on your browser, pause and rethink your decision. How important is it for you to go on social media or watch that video? The answer: those things can wait!

Focus on the tasks at hand then save those “distractions” as a reward for when you complete the goals you set for yourself.

After all that hard work throughout the year, we want to wish you happiness and relaxation as you wind down to celebrate with family and friends. Rest up and enjoy the holidays! When the New Year picks back up, be sure to visit GED.com for study tips, practice tests, study tools, and more.

Staying focused during online classes can be difficult. A number of things can distract you whether it be a loud environment or surfing the web. Here are a few tips to help you remain focused during GED Live online classes or other live courses!

1. Turn On Your Camera

Turning on your camera helps you stay accountable because others will be able to see your face during class. This makes it harder for you to get distracted due to the added pressure of people watching you. Keeping your camera on also lets your instructor know that you are not only engaged with the topic at hand but that you are also understanding the material.

2. Participate

Participation can take various forms. Asking questions when you are not sure about a topic will help you understand the material better. You can also participate in the class group chat, answer polls the teacher sends, or unmute yourself during class. Participation during class allows you to build a learning community with fellow students and teachers.

3. Take Active Notes

Studies show that taking notes on paper helps you understand and remember information better. Physically writing things down takes more thought than typing. Therefore, you are processing information on a deeper level. Writing notes also decreases your chances of getting distracted because you won’t have to open another tab or window to get to your notes.

4. Study in a New Place

Switch up your environment on occasion! Studying in your room can lead to being distracted because we associate our rooms with downtime and relaxation. Finding a dedicated study location forces you to associate said place with focusing and being productive. This new location can be outside, in an office, or at your local library or cafe.

5. Rewatch Lectures

Rewatching lectures aids in being able to recall information faster. Once a week after your classes, take a moment to sit down and listen to a previous lecture and go over your notes. You can listen to the recording at 1.5x speed and add onto your existing notes as a refresher.

Be sure to utilize all these tips to ensure that you have a successful GED journey! Visit GED’s website for study tips, practice tests and more.

If you are a current student who is new to the world of browser extensions, you have come to the right place! Below I will be detailing the best FREE browser extensions that are great for studying and keeping you on task during a study session.

Grammarly

What: Grammarly is a great tool for students! It corrects grammar errors and mistakes in real time. In addition to grammar corrections, Grammarly also fixes punctuation and spelling, and provides word suggestions to help your sentences flow better.

Best Features: The free version of Grammarly includes a tone detector. I found this feature helpful when writing emails. If you are someone who worries about how your words are perceived over email, Grammarly is a great tool for you.

Forest

What: Forest is one of my favorite extensions! It blocks distracting sites on your browser and prevents you from going on them so you can focus on the task at hand.

Best Features: Not only does Forest block websites for you, such as social media, but you can also set a specific amount of time that you want to focus. If you leave Forest to go on one of your blocked sites, the virtual tree you created dies, creating a real consequence for not staying on task.

Momentum

What: Momentum allows you to create a new personalized home page when you open a new tab on your browser. This extension helps you combat distractions and remain focused during your study session.

Best Features: In the free version of the extension, you can add adaily photo and quote, set a daily focus, and track your to-do list for the day. It allows for customization so you can tailor it to your daily needs.

Speechify

What: If you have trouble focusing while reading, this extension is perfect for you. Speechify is a text-to-speech reading assistant that allows you to listen to any website you are browsing at the time.

Best Features: With Speechify you can listen to anything online, listen in a variety of languages, adjust the speech speed, and save content for you to listen to later!

Noisli

What: Noisli is an extension that provides background noise to help you focus. When studying, the environment around you can be loud and distracting. Noisli allows you to create your own sound environment, curated by you, to help you remain focused on the task at hand.

Best Features: In the free version of the app, you can easily access your favorite sounds, listen to curated playlists, share sounds, and use their built-in timer to work in sessions.

Make sure to check out all of the extensions featured above to see which one works best for you. Take it from a recent graduate, extensions completely elevate your studying experience!

*All of these extensions are available on Chrome, Safari, and Edge.

If you need to study for the GED or another big test coming up, you know you need to hit the books and get studying. One of the best ways to study successfully and effectively is by setting the right study environment. The perfect study environment will look different for every student, but there are several studying tips that will help you set yourself up for test-taking success by choosing the right place, space, and background.

If you’re looking for ideas on how to study more effectively, try these tips for creating the best study environment.

1. Choose the Right Space

In addition to how you study, where you study can make a big difference in how effective you are at learning and reviewing the material. It’s best to study at a desk or table where you can spread out your notes, books, worksheets, and computer, with access to outlets and the internet. Ideally, you won’t be interrupted by pets, children, or well-meaning family and roommates.

For many people, this place is at a home office, bedroom desk, or even kitchen table. Others don’t have dedicated study space at home and need to go to a school or public library to concentrate. If you can, avoid studying in bed or on a couch or armchair, where you may find it hard to focus or feel comfortable enough to drift off.

2. Remove Distractions

You won’t get any quality study done, especially on subjects you don’t particularly enjoy, if you’re surrounded by distractions. What distracts you from studying? Some people are tempted by “productive procrastinating”—i.e., organizing your sock drawer, folding your laundry, cleaning the kitchen, making your bed, etc., instead of studying. Other people are distracted by social media. Sometimes food is a distraction if you aren’t actually hungry. Other times, you may be distracted by a roommate, family member, or friend. Removing these and other distractions, or removing yourself from them, will help you focus.

3. Bring the Snacks

One of the most important tips for studying is to take care of your physical needs. It’s normal to get hungry while you’re studying, so plan ahead: Bring several healthy snacks along so you don’t need to leave your desk to rummage around and search for something. It’s ok to take a break to eat, but leaving to buy food or hunt down sustenance can waste time. Choose healthy snacks, and make sure to have plenty of water to stay hydrated and avoid tension headaches.

4. Find Good Lighting

Studying and reading will strain your eyes if you don’t have adequate lighting. Set yourself up with a desk lamp to illuminate your notes or study by a window for natural lighting. Looking outside periodically during your study session can also give your mind and eyes a break.

5. Balance Background Sounds

One key aspect of how to study is finding the right background noise. Many people prefer complete silence. Others find silence distracting and like the gentle background noise of a public library or coffee shop. You might like to put in your headphones and listen to white noise tracks or classical music. Or what you prefer to listen to may change based on your mood and what you’re studying. With some trial and error, you can decide the perfect sound for your study environment. However, keep in mind that you won’t be able to control the sound on test day and most likely won’t have the option to have music playing, so consider conditioning yourself to quiet studying.

These studying tips can get you started on creating the perfect study environment for you. Studying isn’t fun, but it is essential preparation for tests like the GED that can open the door to a bright future.

Passing the GED will open up new job opportunities and give you the foundation required to further your education. But how long should you study for the GED test? What skills are necessary when learning how to study for the GED test at home?

This guide will help you learn how (and what) to study for the GED test for each subject.

What To Study for the Test

Fortunately, there doesn’t have to be any guesswork involved in knowing what to study for the GED test. The test is broken down into four subjects: language arts, math, social studies, and science. By preparing for each of these individually, you’ll be armed with the knowledge you need to pass the GED test.

Language Arts

The GED Reasoning Through Language Arts test consists of multiple-choice questions that generally take 150 minutes to complete. Set yourself up for success on this exam by implementing these tips:

• Read the question before you read the passage.
• Frame the question in your own words.
• Don’t know the answer? Use the process of elimination to make your best guess.
• Summarize paragraphs as you read.

Test your knowledge by taking the RLA sample questions before the exam date. If you achieve a passing score, you’re probably ready to take the test.

Math

The GED Mathematical Reasoning test contains multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, drag-and-drop, and more with 115 minutes to complete. All the questions require quantitative or algebraic problem-solving skills, covering topics like the quadratic formula, perimeter, and mean or median. Here are some tips to help you study:

• Read all of the information before choosing an answer.
• If you’re not sure of the answer, try estimating or approximating.
• Don’t see the correct answer? Look for the numbers in a different format.

After you’ve spent some time studying, measure your progress by taking the GED Math Practice Test.

Social Studies

You’ll have 70 minutes to answer questions on the GED Social Studies test. As with the language arts exam, many of these questions are based on a passage (or historical document.) Keep these tips in mind as you get ready for this subject on the GED:

• Remember that the answer usually lies in the passage—not in memorizing history facts.
• Look to charts or data for help answering the question. What does the information tell you?
• Focus on an event’s cause or effect rather than names and dates.
• Get familiar with economics terminology.

It’s time to test your knowledge! Take the GED Social Studies Practice Test to see how you stand.

Science

You’ll be required to answer questions on the GED Science test covering topics like earth science, life science, and physical science in a total of 90 minutes. Prepare for the exam with these study tips:

• Pay attention to trends. Graphs and tables are telling you something about the data. What is it?
• Know the difference between a dependent and independent variable.
• Review the question before reading a passage or data set.
• Skip questions you’re struggling with, then come back to them at the end of the exam.

Are you ready for the big test day? Find out by measuring your skills with the GED Science Practice Test.

How Long Should You Study

Most students spend about three months preparing for the GED and divide their time according to which areas they need to focus on the most. But don’t let the average timeline determine when you take the test—instead, wait to take the exam when you’re confident in your abilities.

Remember that you don’t have to take every subject on the exam on the same day. It may be best to spread them out over several weeks or months. And as you consider how to study for the GED test at home, remember to take breaks during your study time to keep your mind fresh.

You can also create a positive study environment (link to best study environment article here) by removing distractions, setting a regular study time, and keeping an organized desk surface.

Start Studying for the GED Today

Learning how to study for the GED test doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Take it one subject at a time, follow our study tips, and get started today with our GED practice questions. Then create a free account to access additional study resources, including our online and in-person GED test prep classes.

As a someone who’s just gotten her college degree after years of blood, sweat, andmaybe a few tears (literally),I know just how important it is to find a schedule and tools that work for you. There are many benefits of using apps to help you study.

For example, appscan help you work on procrastinating less (we’ve all been there). Whether you need help being organized or staying on task, there are a multitude of resources out there for you!

Here are four free, and I mean FREE, apps and study tools that will help you be successful on your educational journey. I personally love and use allthese study tools.

Quizlet

What:A lot of you may be familiar with Quizlet during your last-ditch attempt to study for a big test, but it can also be used to study ahead of time.It allows anyone to create a set of flashcards to help them study, or search for flashcard sets made by others for any class or subject.

Best Features:Some perks include being able to utilize the text to speech function, add photos to your study sets, or star important terms.

Is it For You?:Quizlet is great for people who need a quick review of their material prior to a major test or quiz. Basically, there’s no reason not to pass when using this amazing app.

Flora

What:Florais one of my favorites, because it blocks distracting apps on your phone and prevents you from going on them while working.

Best Features:Not only does it block apps for you, such as social media or games,but you can also set a specific amount of time that you want to focus. There’s even a virtual tree that grows the longer you stay focused!If you leave Flora to go on one of your blocked apps, the tree dies, creating a real consequence for not staying on task. So, save the planet!

Some other features include being able to challenge friends, create to do lists, and you can also pay to plant real trees anywhere in the world!

Is it For You?:This app is a good tool for those of us who are easily distracted. Use Flora if you want to get good grades while also getting a green thumb.Talk about saving trees, am I right?

Notion

What:As someone who loves keeping digital notes for everything, I really enjoyed using Notion! This is truly an all-in-one note taking app.

Best Features:In addition to being able to take notes, Notion is a planner, journal, database, habit tracker, calendar and so much more. It allows for customization so you can tailor it to best suit your style.

Is it For You?:I recommend Notion to anyone who likes to keep all their notes in one place. It’s perfect if you’re a student who likes to keep a digital planner or take online notes.

Xmind

What:Xmind is a study tool that focuses on creating mind maps.Mind maps are used to visually organize information and allows you to see the relationships between different topics.

Creating mind maps is great not only for studying, but also planning out projects or working with a team.Now you can finally answer the age-old question, can you compare apples to oranges?

Best Features:In the free version of the app, you can insert notes, markers, stickers, and hyperlinks.You’re also able to add labels to your topics anddownload your maps to look back at later.

Is it For You?:Xmind is a great tool if you like to learn by visualizing topics or enjoy breaking down complex information.

Make sure to check out all the study tools above and get started on your student journey.It’s not easy but it is worth it.Good luck!

*All recommendations are available for iOS and Android users.