High School Equivalency (GED)

The High School Equivalency Program (HSE) prepares adults to take the High School Equivalency Test (GED® or HiSET®). The test assesses academic achievement in the following areas: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics. Classes for test preparation are available on campus and at other sites within Brunswick County.

In addition to our regular classroom experience, we offer an HSE Honor Boot Camp. This is a fast-track program that allows a student to earn an HSE Diploma in as little as five weeks through a 5-day per week test preparation instruction and HSE testing program. Placement testing at or above 8th-grade level is required in order to qualify for the fast-track program.

The High School Equivalency program has opened the doors of opportunity for millions of adult learners. This credential is the gateway to college, workplace learning, and family sustaining wages. The program’s accelerated instruction prepares students for the official exams, which include four content areas. These areas are aligned with current high school standards and career readiness/employer expectations.

The official HSE exam is provided electronically using a desktop computer and upon request may be taken in paper base form.  Once a student has passed all sections of the High School Equivalency Test, they are awarded the High School Equivalency Diploma, issued by the NC State Board of Community Colleges. There is no charge for the preparation classes; however, there is a one-time fee per section of the test ($20 for GED®, $15 for HiSET®). The GED® test is given on campus in room A-161. The HiSET® test is given on campus in H-106.

HSE content includes:

1. Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) (150 minutes)
2. Section 1 (35 minutes)
3. Section 2 (45 minutes)
4. Student Break (10 minutes)
5. Section 3 (60 minutes)
6. Mathematical Reasoning (115 minutes)
7. Section 1 (first 5 test questions) – calculator not allowed
8. Section 2 (remaining 41 test questions) – calculator allowed
9. Science (90 minutes)
10. Social Studies (90 minutes)
11. Section 1 (65 minutes)
12. Section 2 (25 minutes)