The most effective GED study plans combine free resources (particularly Khan Academy and GED.com) with the official GED Ready practice tests, supplemented by community support through adult education programs or study groups. Understanding which resources align to the current GED format — and which are outdated — prevents wasted study time.
Several high-quality free resources exist for GED preparation: GED.com — the official GED website offers free study resources, vocabulary lists, and content overviews for all four subjects. Creating a MyGED account is free and provides access to GED.com's study tools and test registration. Khan Academy — completely free, comprehensive academic content aligned to the GED. Khan Academy's Math content covers everything from basic arithmetic through algebra, geometry, and data analysis — all tested on GED Math. Khan Academy also covers biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science relevant to GED Science. Adult education programs — available in virtually every county through community colleges, libraries, workforce development centers, and adult learning organizations; funded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and typically free for eligible adult learners. These programs provide structured instruction, a qualified GED teacher, and a peer community. Practice tests on PracticeTestGeeks and other test prep sites — free practice questions to identify knowledge gaps.
The most important paid GED resource is the GED Ready official practice test — approximately $6 per subject at GED.com. The GED Ready gives you a score prediction ('Likely to Pass,' 'Too Close to Call,' 'Not Likely to Pass') and identifies specific areas within each subject where you need more preparation. Taking the GED Ready before scheduling your actual exam prevents wasting the exam fee on a subject you are not yet ready to pass. Commercial GED study books — including Kaplan GED Test Prep, Barron's GED, and Steck-Vaughn GED — provide comprehensive content review for all four subjects. These books are particularly useful for candidates who prefer structured printed study materials over online resources. Prices range from $15 to $40 per book.
GED Math is the subject candidates most frequently need extra preparation time on — particularly candidates who have been out of school for several years. Building strong math skills requires consistent daily practice rather than marathon study sessions.
GED Mathematical Reasoning covers two content areas: Quantitative Problem Solving (approximately 45%) — basic arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, proportions, and number sense; and Algebraic Problem Solving (approximately 55%) — linear equations and inequalities, systems of equations, polynomial operations, quadratic equations, rational expressions, and basic functions. The exam has two parts: Part 1 (5 questions, no calculator) and Part 2 (remaining questions, with on-screen TI-30XS calculator). Calculator-prohibited Part 1 questions test basic arithmetic competency — fractions, decimals, and percentages without calculator assistance.
Khan Academy: Free, structured, comprehensive math coverage from basic arithmetic through algebra. Start with the 'Get ready for Algebra 1' section if your math fundamentals are weak; progress through Algebra 1 and 2 content for the algebraic portion of the exam. Khan Academy's math exercises provide immediate feedback and track your progress. GED.com Math Study Guide: The official GED math study guide identifies the specific skills tested and provides sample problems. Use this as a checklist to ensure you've covered every tested skill. TI-30XS Calculator Practice: Learn the TI-30XS MultiView calculator before the exam — it is the specific calculator provided on-screen during Part 2. Practice fraction calculations, square roots, and order of operations using this specific calculator model. Commercial GED Math Books: Dedicated GED math prep books (Steck-Vaughn GED Math, McGraw-Hill GED Mathematical Reasoning) provide step-by-step instruction for candidates who need more guided instruction than online platforms provide.
GED RLA combines reading comprehension, grammar and language conventions, and a 45-minute written essay — three distinct skills that require different preparation approaches.
GED RLA reading comprehension draws from both literary (fiction, drama, poetry) and informational (workplace documents, persuasive essays, historical primary sources) texts. Build reading comprehension skills through: daily reading of newspapers, editorials, and nonfiction articles — practice identifying main ideas, author's purpose, and evidence; practice identifying claim, evidence, and warrant in persuasive texts; and work through GED RLA practice passages to become comfortable with the range of text types and question styles. Khan Academy's Reading and Writing section provides relevant comprehension practice.
GED RLA language questions test practical grammar in editing contexts — you'll read a document and be asked to identify and correct errors in: sentence structure (fragments, run-ons, comma splices); subject-verb agreement; pronoun reference and agreement; verb tense consistency; comma usage; apostrophes and possessives; and capitalization. Focus grammar study on these specific topics rather than broad grammar review. GED.com's language study guide identifies the tested conventions. Steck-Vaughn and Kaplan GED RLA prep books cover each grammar convention with examples and practice exercises.
The GED Extended Response is a 45-minute analytical essay requiring you to read two source texts and write an essay arguing which position is better supported by evidence. Key essay skills to develop: identifying the main claims in both source texts; selecting specific evidence from the texts to support your argument; constructing a clear thesis and structured essay with introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion; writing in clear, grammatically correct standard English; and managing the 45-minute time limit (approximately 5 minutes planning, 35 minutes writing, 5 minutes reviewing). Practice timed essay writing at least 5 to 10 times before the exam — the ability to produce a structured essay under time pressure only develops through repeated practice.
GED Science and Social Studies are primarily reasoning and data interpretation tests — they test your ability to analyze and interpret information presented in graphs, charts, passages, and primary sources, not your ability to recall memorized facts. This means preparation focuses more on reading and reasoning skills than on content memorization.
GED Science covers Life Science (40%), Physical Science (40%), and Earth and Space Science (20%). Key preparation strategies: Focus on data interpretation — practice reading and interpreting scientific graphs, tables, experimental designs, and data sets. Questions typically provide a passage or graph and ask you to analyze it, not recall a fact. Review vocabulary for major scientific concepts without memorizing detailed facts: cell biology (cell structure, mitosis, genetics), chemistry (elements, compounds, reactions, the periodic table), physics (force, motion, energy, waves), and earth science (rock cycle, plate tectonics, weather). Khan Academy's Science content is free and covers all GED Science content areas. Practice with GED Science practice passages — the AAPC and commercial publishers provide domain-specific practice passages.
GED Social Studies covers Civics and Government (50%), U.S. History (20%), Economics (15%), and Geography (15%). The exam uses primary source documents, maps, graphs, and charts extensively — most questions require reading and interpreting provided sources, not recalling facts. Key preparation strategies: Practice reading primary source documents — the Declaration of Independence, Constitution amendments, speeches, and political cartoons are all fair game; understand how to extract main ideas and inferences from these sources. Review basic civics: branches of government, constitutional amendments, how laws are made, electoral process, and democratic principles. Understand basic economics concepts: supply and demand, fiscal and monetary policy basics, economic indicators, and financial literacy topics. Practice map interpretation — political and geographic maps appear frequently on GED Social Studies.
An effective GED study schedule depends on how much time you have before your target test dates and your current academic level. Most candidates benefit from taking one subject at a time rather than preparing for all four simultaneously.
Step 1: Take diagnostic GED Ready practice tests for all four subjects ($6 each at GED.com) to identify your starting scores and which subjects need the most work. Focus on subjects where you are closest to passing first — early wins build momentum and eliminate subjects from the study list. Step 2: Build a weekly study schedule with consistent daily study time. For candidates with significant gaps in knowledge (particularly math), 2 to 3 hours of study per day over 3 to 6 months is typical. For candidates who completed high school several years ago and need refreshing rather than rebuilding, 1 to 2 hours per day over 6 to 12 weeks may be sufficient per subject. Step 3: Take the GED Ready practice test before scheduling each actual subject test. Schedule the actual exam only when you score 'Likely to Pass' on the GED Ready. Step 4: Schedule and take the actual subject test. Repeat for remaining subjects.
For a candidate focusing on GED Math: Monday and Wednesday: Khan Academy math practice (1.5 hours each) focused on the current weak areas identified by diagnostic; Thursday: GED Ready practice questions and timed problem sets (1.5 hours); Saturday: Full practice test under timed conditions, followed by 30 minutes of reviewing missed questions (2.5 hours); Sunday: Essay practice (1 hour) and grammar review (0.5 hour). Adjust the specific content focus weekly based on which topics practice tests reveal as weakest. As the exam date approaches (4 to 6 weeks before), shift from content study to practice-test-heavy preparation.