GH Practice Test

The Golden Horseshoe Test is taken by all West Virginia eighth graders, whether they attend public, private or homeschool. This page gives you free practice sets on West Virginia history, geography, government, economy, culture and state symbols. It also has worked explanations for sample questions and the key dates for the online multiple choice test and the written essay test, taken from the West Virginia Department of Education.

GH Exam at a Glance

What changed for GH in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Delivery changed to Online at school (WebTop); homeschoolers test at a local public school (previously Online at school (via WebTop); homeschoolers test at a local public school).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Eligibility changed to All WV eighth graders (public, private, and homeschool students) (previously All WV eighth graders (public; home and private school students eligible)).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Next exam date (Written Essay Test) changed to February 23, 2027 (previously Tuesday, February 23, 2027).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Late registration deadline (Written essay submission) changed to February 26, 2027 (previously Friday, February 26, 2027).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Passing score changed to No passing score (county competition, minimum 2 winners per county) (previously No passing score: county-level competition, minimum 2 winners per county).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Registration deadline (Non-public and homeschool students) changed to February 1, 2027 (previously February 1, 2027 (public school students do not register)).^[1]

What the GH is and how it works

According to West Virginia Department of Education, “The online test is a 50 multiple choice question test that can be completed in 40-45 minutes.”^[1]

The Golden Horseshoe Test is a West Virginia studies competition for eighth graders, run by the West Virginia Department of Education. All eighth-grade students must take it, including public, private and homeschool students. It is a competition, but it also meets the state's social studies testing requirement.

How it is delivered. The main part is the Golden Horseshoe Online Multiple Choice Test, given at school through WebTop. It has 50 multiple-choice questions and can be finished in 40–45 minutes. The online window is March 9–23, 2027, and make-up testing runs March 23–25, 2027. Schools are asked to test student usernames and passwords by January 31, 2027. Homeschool students take the test at a local public school. A separate Written Essay Test is given statewide on February 23, 2027.

How winners are chosen. There is no passing score. Students compete within their county. The number of winners depends on population, and every county gets at least 2 winners.

Registration. Counties and schools may register non-public and homeschool students from December 1, 2026 to February 1, 2027. Braille test requests are due by January 4, 2027. Rules and dates can change, so check the West Virginia Department of Education Golden Horseshoe test information page and your school or county office.

Worked examples: how to reason through GH questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Which agricultural product is West Virginia most known for?

1. Wheat
2. Corn
3. Apples
4. Tobacco

Answer: C. Apples

Explanation:

Apples is correct. West Virginia is best known for apple growing, especially in the Eastern Panhandle, where the climate and soil suit orchards. The Golden Delicious apple was first found in West Virginia and is the state fruit, which is why apples come up so often in state studies.

Wheat and corn are grown in the state, but neither one is the farm product West Virginia is known for. Tobacco is more closely tied to neighboring states such as Kentucky and Virginia.

Rule to remember: when a question asks what a state is "most known for," pick the product tied to its symbols and identity, not just any crop grown there.

Example 2

Question: What are the official state colors of West Virginia?

1. Old Gold and Blue
2. Red and Blue
3. Green and Gold
4. Blue and White

Answer: A. Old Gold and Blue

Explanation:

Old Gold and Blue is correct. These are West Virginia's official state colors. You also see them on West Virginia University teams, which makes them easy to remember.

Red and Blue are national flag colors, not the state colors. Green and Gold might make you think of the state's forests, but they are not the official pair. Blue and White leaves out the gold, which is the key part of the answer.

Rule to remember: state symbol questions often use answer choices that sound reasonable. Learn the exact official name, here "Old Gold" and not just "gold," and connect it to something familiar like WVU colors.

Example 3

Question: Who was the first governor of West Virginia?

1. Arthur I. Boreman
2. Henry D. Hatfield
3. Francis H. Pierpont
4. John J. Jacob

Answer: A. Arthur I. Boreman

Explanation:

Arthur I. Boreman is correct. He was the first governor of West Virginia and took office the day the state joined the Union during the Civil War.

Francis H. Pierpont is the most common trap. He led the Restored Government of Virginia, which sided with the Union, but he was not governor of the new state of West Virginia. Henry D. Hatfield and John J. Jacob were real West Virginia governors, but both served later.

Rule to remember: keep the Restored Government of Virginia separate from the state of West Virginia. Many statehood questions test whether you can tell these apart.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official test information page from the West Virginia Department of Education. Write down your test window, the essay date, and any registration deadline that applies to you. Ask your teacher when your school will test in WebTop, and make sure your username and password work before test day.

Next, take the GH practice test without notes to see where you stand. Then work through the topic sets, starting with the ones where you missed the most. Most students should begin with West Virginia History, Geography and State Government. After that, move on to Local Government, Economy, Natural Resources, Famous People, Culture and Arts, Sports and Recreation and State Symbols and Emblems.

Read every explanation, including for questions you got right. Keep a short list of names, places and symbols you mix up, and review it often. Use your class materials to practise for the written essay. Before your test window, retake the full practice test with a timer so the real pace feels normal.

Sources & last verified

1. West Virginia Department of Education — number of questions, time limit, passing score, delivery (official source). “The online test is a 50 multiple choice question test that can be completed in 40-45 minutes.” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 27, 2026.

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