The GED (General Education Development) exam was designed to help those that were unwilling or unable to finish high school. In the earliest days of the test, a passing score was primarily used as part of an applicant's resume when applying to a job. Today, the test is mostly used by those seeking higher education. Even though it claims to be the equivalent of a high school diploma, many students still need to attend community college before they apply to a four-year university.
The main problem many GED recipients encounter in transferring from community colleges to four-year schools is their lack of SAT and/or ACT scores, as GED recipients typically do not have these. Although this issue and other factors have caused most colleges to overlook this requirement after one year of community college (or approximately 30 college-level credits), some private universities still want to see scores before admission.
Another thing to consider is that most colleges require letters of recommendation or personal statements from potential students. Depending on the reasons decided to take the GED, letters of recommendation from college instructors or a personal statement may greatly increase the chances of acceptance to a university. These letters are important because most colleges, especially private colleges want to hear the circumstances of a student's life and find out why they took the GED route in the first place.
Once accepted to a college or university, GED students may apply for special GED-specific scholarships or other forms of financial aid to help finance their education.
