GED Success: Skills versus Facts

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue...

FOIL: first, outside, inside, last...

I before E, except after C, or when pronounced "ay" as in neighbor and weigh...

People have all kinds of fun and interesting ways to remember facts about mathematics, history, spelling, and a host of other topics. It's true that you need to memorize some things to succeed on your GED exam...but did you know that your skills are just as important as what facts you're able to remember? It's true!

In this world, it's fairly easy to get most types of information. A few seconds on Google can pull up nearly anything you want to know. So, what employers, colleges, and other schools need to know about you is that you can comprehend and use the information you find. Many questions on the GED provide you with a short passage to read, or a map, table, or diagram to look at in order to answer questions. So, how do you make the most of your skills on these questions?

• As you prepare, check your skills. There are so many ways to present information that interpreting different types of maps, tables, and diagrams are really a topic of study all its own. Think about this: have you frequently had trouble understanding some kind of table or diagram? Do you often ignore diagrams or charts when you read, assuming you won't get anything out of them? Do you use maps to get where you're going or just step-by-step directions? Notice what skills may need improvement and spend some extra time on those parts of your prep course. The skills you learn will help you on the GED and in your own day-to-day life.

• Slow down. If this suggestion irritates you, please know that it's not meant to! It's very natural for a person who feels pressured to do well to "step on the gas" and move quickly. Remember that in years past, doing well for a human didn't usually mean reading a map - it meant getting away from a lion or a bear! Tasks like the GED, however, aren't all about speed. When you encounter a passage or visual aid, take enough time to be certain you know what it's talking about. Chances are, you've never seen it before, and making assumptions about what it says could lead you in the wrong direction entirely!

• Think critically. Notice what's being said...notice what's not being said that might be relevant...notice what assumptions you might be inclined to make...and especially when reading a sample text, notice what the author's unspoken perspective (and biases) might be.

Chase horses, not zebras. This is to say, look for ordinary answers you would expect given the context. If you see an answer choice that looks really silly or "out there," you can probably eliminate it in favor of things that seem more probable.