Georgia Mathews earned her GED after dropping out of high school as a teenage mother. Mathews is now the Director of Admissions for East Georgia State College in Swainsboro, Georgia. In a recent interview, Mathews explains how she has used her personal GED success story to encourage other GED graduates entering college.

What was your high school experience like and what led you to take the GED test?

For me it was something I had to do, I was a 16-year-old drop-out and teenage mother, I was working in sewing factories and they were about to close. When two of the sewing plants closed, I had the opportunity to attend the local technical college and that’s where I signed up and took the test. My past principal had encouraged me to take the GED test, prior to that I had been out of school for 15 years.

How did you transition from GED graduate to college graduate? What challenges did you face, if any?

Initially I was afraid when I first enrolled in courses at the technical college, I had not done any of those classes. When I took a tour of the technical college and I asked about the different suggestions someone actually advised me to not take the microcomputer specialist classes because it was hard.

I had to learn how to use a computer and I took classes in desktop publishing, Microsoft Office suite and learned how to troubleshoot a computer—including being able to take apart a computer and remove a hard drive.

What were your next steps from there that got you to your current position at East Georgia State College?

My first professional job was at the tech college after I completed CISCO networking specialist certification. I was working as a receptionist and wanted to do more. I came here (East Georgia State College) to pursue an Associate of Arts in Applied Science and Business that would build on my microcomputer specialist diploma. I then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and later a Master’s of Organizational Management.

I was doing all of this as a single parent but I like a challenge and can’t be complacent.

Do you feel like the GED prepared you for college level work?

It better prepared me for college and it boosts your confidence. You may question if you’re smart enough to accomplish your goals but the GED is a stepping stone to all that you can do.

What is your current role with East Georgia State College?

I am the Director of Admissions and I came in as Assistant Director of Admissions.

I wanted to be for young people what I really didn’t have, I had to use intrinsic motivation because I didn’t have anyone pushing me. No one knows how to help them somebody has to be there to tell them you can accomplish your goals.

What has been your experience while working with GED graduates and their families?

From time to time I have students come in and they have a GED, it really makes me glad that I can start the conversation about how I am also a GED graduate and I can relate to them. They need a little bit more coaching, they don’t know what the possibilities are for them. Just because their path is different doesn’t mean they won’t meet their goals.

Those students often have parents that say their child should have finished traditional high school, I tell them I’m a GED grad and show them all of my degrees on the wall. It’s then that they see what the possibilities are for their child.

How is East Georgia State College and the admissions department working with GED graduates to help them be successful?

I have one-on-one conversations with them to see what do they enjoy doing, most careers align themselves with what they already enjoy. I help them identify what they want to do, I don’t solely base it on how they performed on the GED.

We are an access institution, they don’t have to go to a tech college before they come to us. They know where they want to go and what degree they want to pursue and don’t need to do a certificate program.

As an access institution GED students can come in and not take an entrance exam when they enroll.

Have you had any interactions with GED graduates with the College Ready score levels?

Yes, when they come in they seem a bit more confident. Most of them when you see the grades they made before they left traditional high school it’s often that they were a good student but life happened.

What is your advice to other GED graduates?

The biggest problem we have is we compare our path with someone else—the only competition we have is competing with ourselves.

The GED credential shows you that you’re just as good as the person you were in high school with, you may not have gotten a high school diploma but you had to work hard and have the same knowledge.

The GED can get you to any destination, it’s not about where you start but where you end up.

It’s graduation season and our annual virtual celebration of GED graduates is back on May 16th!

We’re calling for all GED graduates, current students, educators, and family members and friends of graduates to join our celebration via Facebook. This year we’re asking for everyone to share a personal message about how earning a GED is the “Start” of endless possibilities.

Getting a GED diploma is an exciting milestone for the over 100,000 students who successfully pass the exam each year. This “second chance” is the first step for many in their path to accomplish their personal, academic and professional goals. On GED Grad Day we want to celebrate the hard work of graduates while inspiring current test takers and others looking to start their own testing journey.

Here’s how you and your students can get involved in this year’s celebration:

• Please print off the downloadable “Time To Start” poster and have it available for recent grads or existing students to fill out the statement using a Sharpie. What is filled in the blank should be personal and meaningful to each graduate and student.
• Take a picture of the students with their poster and share it on your adult education center’s social media to congratulate them. Don’t forget to include the #GEDGradDay hashtag.
• Make sure you tag the GED Testing Service Facebook page by typing @GEDTesting within your post (GED Testing Service – Home of the GED Program).
• You should also write a message for your students on a poster and share your picture using the hashtag!

In a Q&A with Jeff Arnott, Director of Adult and Community Education for Brevard Public Schools and COABE Region 3 Board Representative, we learn more about how he has created successful partnerships in his community. Arnott also shares tips for other programs looking to start relationships to benefit adult learners.

First, can you tell us about yourself, your work with Brevard Adult and Community Education and the program?

This is my 6th year on the job as Director of Adult and Community Education. Before I came to Brevard I was the Director of Adult Ed in the Florida Keys. I came to Brevard Adult Ed to be closer to family and the former director was great and had built a winning program—we’ve made it much better. We’re a family at Brevard—I have a wonderful staff and team of administrators. This is my dream job!

Our program has four campuses (Palm Bay, Melbourne, Cocoa and Titusville) in Brevard County and we want to be a driving force in the economy. Brevard Adult Ed offers a GED prep program and a fully accredited high school program for adults.

What partnerships does Brevard Adult Ed currently have with local businesses and organizations?

We partnered with Eastern Florida State College, they have 4 campuses in Brevard County, and give all of our students a free class when they go over to the college. The University of Florida has also recently offered financial literacy classes to our students.

We teach family literacy classes at My Community Cares (a local nonprofit) and students are coming out the program with a GED.

We also work with CareerSource Brevard, they offer training and help our students find employment. In another partnership with the city of Cocoa, Mayor Henry Parrish has committed to give $100,000 to create a building to give logistics training to GED students.

Walmart is opening up their largest refrigerated warehouse close to one of our campuses and they have agreed to hire students from our program.

Brevard Adult Ed will be starting a pre-apprenticeship program in construction for students and we also have future plans to build a tech center.

What is your advice for other adult education programs that want to branch out and develop new connections?

It’s about getting in there and having the courage to build the relationships and say you are here to help them (businesses and organizations) out. Find out who the key players are and set up meetings with them.

Join your local chamber of commerce and attend all the events you can. We are members of all four local chambers.

If you’re in a school district, talk to every principal and administrator about what you’re doing and what your program offers. In many cases their programs need to be refreshed and you can help them with that by offering adult education classes.

Don’t forget about the lawmakers, build relationships with them and talk to all your representatives.

As a director I make it a priority to know what’s going on in the classroom and what’s happening in the community. I also encourage my folks to get active and it’s my job to get them excited about these partnerships—it takes the whole team to build relationships. I give my employees business cards, I advise them to build relationships and keep their eyes and ears open for opportunities.

We also use alumni to advocate for us about how adult ed is turning things around and changing lives.

Brevard has become well-known for its social media presence. How are you using it to develop relationships and connect with potential partners?

Every time our vendors and partners do something we share it on Twitter. The biggest way to build your program is to have a school district that supports social media. Sharing student success stories has been one of the most powerful tools we have.

It takes time to build your social media following, get a team of people to help you. We keep it active and highlight what’s happening in our program and in the workforce community.

Did you know that last year alone, students took the GED test in more than 85 countries in order to earn a credential and enter a college or university?To help celebrate the GED program internationally, GED Testing Service recently held a ceremony in Bangladesh to recognize international graduates and celebrate the global impact of the GED credential.

During the event held on April 8th in Dhaka, Bangladesh, GED Testing Service President Randy Trask and Vice President of the American Council of Education Brad Farnsworth, joined PIE International Education and Mentors’ Education in awarding more than 200 recent graduates their GED credentials. Also participating in the festivities were representatives from the Bangladesh Government and the U.S. Department of State.

International GED graduates use the credential almost exclusively for entry into local or international universities across the world. International GED graduates have also used the credential to be accepted into American Universities such as the University of Arizona, University of California, Rensselaer Polytechnic University, and many others.

GED Testing Service has been actively working with international GED prep programs and test centers to provide the training and skills necessary to support a successful testing process for international students. In November 2017 we hosted the 2017 GED International Training & Business Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. During the conference we provided in-depth professional development workshops and information sessions about the updated GED test program.

As the international GED program continues to grow and mature we look forward to sharing student success stories that show how the GED test program is preparing learners around the world for the demands of postsecondary education.

Here are some photos from this year’s event:

The GED Testing Service website is getting a new look and a lot more! Late next month GED Testing Service’s two websites (GEDTestingService.com and GED.com) will merge under the GED.com web address. This new website will hold all the information educators, students and the general public need to know about the GED test program.

In addition to a cleaner, fresher look the new website will have dedicated sections for both educators and students on the same site — instead of having to toggle back and forth between GED.com and GEDTestingService.com like they do now. Both educators and students will experience a new and easier to use navigation that will help them find what they need when they need it.

Once you open the new GED.com page, educators will be able to access professional development materials without logging into an account. Our full library of classroom resources, webinars, assessment guides and more will be at your fingertips with just the simple click of the “Educators” tab on the homepage. The website will also house detailed information for GED test administrators.

Educators will be able to easily see what the student experience is like by simply exploring the student tab on the homepage. There you can find information about the GED test including cost, FAQs, access to study materials and a link to create a MyGED account to sign-up for the test.

The new GED Testing Service website was created with feedback from you! Throughout the design and test phases we spoke with educators and students from a variety of backgrounds, geographic locations and age groups. This was done to make sure we incorporate what matters to you most—a site that is easier to navigate with all the resources and information you need related to the GED test.

We will be holding a introduction and Q&A webinar shortly after the launch to walk you through the changes and answer any questions you have about content on the site. Those dates will be shared in the next In Session newsletter. We hope that you’re as excited as we are about a new unified GED.com.

Registration for our 2018 Train the Trainer Institute is now open!

The two-day pre-conference program, being held July 24th and July 25th in San Diego, prepares adult educators to deliver professional development, related to the GED test program, to their regional and local adult education peers.

Led by the GED Testing Service Professional Development Team, participants will receive:

• PowerPoint decks, resources and supporting materials suitable for delivery at most state or regional conferences
• Background and content on the test’s development and history, research results, research currently in progress, tips for trainers, and accommodations
• Access to opportunities to attend in-depth workshops (half or full-day) as observers
• Contact information for and access to GED Testing Service staff

Train the Trainer Institute alumni can be found presenting workshops around the country during adult education conferences, seminars and professional development sessions.

This previous InSession article features advice from our 2016 and 2017 Train the Trainer cohort participants.

The pre-conference Train the Trainer Institute is an additional $50 with the GED Testing Service Annual Conference registration.

Interested? More details about the Train the Trainer Institute and a link to register is available here.

Mark your calendars! Our annual GED Grad Day celebration is back May 16th!

It’s our third year holding this national recognition of GED graduates and we need your help to make it bigger and better than ever!

We’re asking adult education programs, educators, current test takers, graduates, and friends and family members of graduates to join the celebration via social media.

You can start by following the GED Testing Service accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Please share your success stories, graduation photos and advice for grads via Facebook using the hashtag #GEDGradDay.

On May 16th we will be sharing some of your submissions in celebration of current GED graduates, while encouraging students currently in the test taking process and others looking to take the first step in their journey.

Later this month we will be sharing an educator toolkit with some creative ideas for photos and other ways you and your students can get involved. Last year over 30 adult education programs participated online and we’re looking forward to even more this year!

As we finalize details for this year’s event you can take a look at our recap of GED Grad Day 2017.

This month we’re highlighting GED® State Relationship Manager Iris McKenzie in our Q&A feature.

GED Testing Service will be offering several presentations and professional development workshops during COABE’s 2018 Annual Conference being held March 25 through 28th at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix. While you’re at the conference be sure to stop by booth 101 to get new flyers, brochures, classroom posters and GED swag!

Here’s a rundown of the sessions we’re offering each day:

Monday, March 26th

Evidence-Based Writing Should Begin with ABE Students

This session will focus on strategies to use with ABE students to introduce them to evidence-based writing.

Presenter: Susan Pittman

When/Where: Monday, March 26th 8:00 am-9:15 am, Room: Deer Valley

What Instructors and Their Students Need to Know about GED® Extended Response

The session is designed to round out your tool chest—how best to focus your time with students in order to teach them the “how-to” of writing responses that earn points

Presenter: Daphne Atkinson

When/Where: Monday, March 26th 8:00 am-9:15 am, Room: Laveen A

Did You Know? An Introduction to the GED® Test for New Teachers

This session will highlight key instructional areas that are challenging for students and how teachers can focus instruction.

Presenters: Susan Pittman, Debi Faucette

When/Where: Monday, March 26th 11:30 am-12:45 pm, Room: Deer Valley

What’s New in Accommodations

This session will discuss the types of accommodations that are available and how to assist test takers to secure the proper documentation to request them.

Presenter: Debbie Bergtholdt

When/Where: Monday, March 26th 2:00 pm-3:15 pm, Room: CC 105B

Improve Your GED Exam Pass Rates with New Tools from GEDTS

New teacher tools from GED® Testing Service are helping teachers identify exactly where their class needs more focus to be successful on the GED® Test. New products for students will be introduced to help students practice skills and supplement classroom learning.

Presenter: CT Turner

When/Where: Monday, March 26th 2:00 pm-3:15 pm, Room: Paradise Valley

Step by Step: From the Headlines to the GED® Science Classroom

Whether it is a flyby by an asteroid, the collapse of a polar ice shelf, or sea level changes, using these headlines, instructors can create a learning environment where students can develop their scientific inquiry skills.

Presenter: Daphne Atkinson

When/Where: Monday, March 26th 3:45 pm-5:00 pm, Room: Paradise Valley

Tuesday, March 27th

GED® Program Overview: How to Thrive in This New WIOA World

From outcomes research to educator tools, this session will take a comprehensive look at the GED® program and provide insights to adult educators on how to best serve their students.

Presenter: Brian Smith

When/Where: Tuesday, March 27th 8:00 am-9:15 am, Room: CC 101A

Wednesday, March 28th

What Instructors and Their Students Need to Know about GED® Extended Response

The session is designed to round out your tool chest—how best to focus your time with students in order to teach them the “how-to” of writing responses that earn points

Presenters: Susan Pittman/ Daphne Atkinson

When/Where: Wednesday, March 28th 8:00 am-9:15 am, Room: Alhambra

Content Matters—Focus on Social Studies

This part of the workshop will focus on content in social studies that students need, as well as strategies for improving their inference skills.

Presenters: Susan Pittman/ Debi Faucette

When/Where: Wednesday, March 28th 11:00 am-12:15 pm, Room: Deer Valley

Another Angle: Developing GED® Exam Geometric Reasoning Skills

We’ll review how developing thinking skills associated with problem solving and geometric reasoning can boost overall performance—and not just in math.

Presenter: Susan Pittman

When/Where: Wednesday, March 28th 1:45 pm-3:00 pm, Room: Alhambra

According to a recent survey of GED students, 75% report that they want access to more practice questions to help them prepare for the test. GED Testing Service partnered with Aztec Software to create GED Flash™ a new online, interactive tool that functions similar to traditional flashcards, giving users the option to test their knowledge of GED test subjects with instant feedback.

Available in two versions—GED Flash, developed by GED Testing Service, for individuals studying on their own and GED Flash for Organizations™, developed by Aztec Software for adult ed programs and institutions, give users access to a database of thousands of practice questions based on the GED test subjects.

The new tool provides instant feedback on which questions students got right or wrong, giving the information they need to develop study plans and hone in on skills they need to improve to pass the test.

Having access to questions similar to those on the GED test, with the correct answers explained in a way students can understand, helps students commit to the testing process and keep their momentum.

Students studying on their own can purchase monthly access to unlimited questions through their GED.com account and each time a student logs into GED Flash they will receive additional quiz questions with the option to answer a random selection of questions or choose a specific category to focus their practice.

Aztec Software has also created the companion product–GED Flash for Organizations™–for adult education programs and instructors to use with their students. This version of the GED Flash tool allows programs and teachers to access the same questions and answers available to students with the addition of tracking and interpretive tools. These features include reports that show students’ time on task, data related to student and classroom progress and the ability to assign content areas based upon individual or class needs.

GED Flash is a study resource students and teachers can use at any point during their preparation journey, and can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from their mobile phone, tablet, or computer.

Independent learners can now purchase GED Flash for Math through GED.com. It will be available on March 20 through www.aztecsoftware.com/GEDFlash for organizations and educators. The other subjects (Science, Social Studies, Reasoning Through Language Arts) will follow in the coming months. This video has more information about GED Flash for Math for independent learners.