By Danny Fulgencio
For an adult who hasn’t graduated from high school, passing a GED test can be a life changer that opens doors to higher paying, more-stable employment and other opportunities.
This month, obtaining a GED becomes more challenging. Not only is the newer version of the high-school equivalency test tougher, it also is entirely digital as opposed to on paper — an added anxiety for many — and it has become more expensive.
For older applicants, especially, the digital testing can be a problem, as evidenced in this report by KERA’s Stella Chavez, who interviews a 52-year-old former cafeteria worker and a 25-year-old former stripper in a Fort Worth GED class.
Everest College, which is located close to our neighborhood, recently announced its GED Advantage program, “a free, no-strings-attached program to prepare people for the test, even covering the cost of the test and providing access to a computer to take it.”
This is a community outreach effort, the college’s spokesperson says, that aims to eliminate the barriers to an education. (He contacted me with this info after he read about our Solutions series, which highlights people dealing with and addressing the root problems related to poverty in Lake Highlands).
The free program promises the following:
Instruction delivered by qualified GED instructors and tailored to address student skills deficiencies and needs across all GED test topics, including language arts, writing, social studies, science, reading and math; access to all campus facilities, as if GED Advantage enrollees were full time Everest students, including computer labs; classroom instruction, small group or one-on-one tutoring sessions and weekly meetings with a GED instructor to assess progress; official GED practice test with student performance evaluated and advice provided by a GED instructor; coverage of all costs for students who complete GED Advantage and demonstrate readiness to take the GED Test and no obligation to continue education with Everest.
The motivation? “Everest understands that when people become educated, everybody benefits,” representatives note. “That’s why we’re offering this GED program. It’s part of our mission to build stronger communities and help the people we serve build richer lives.”
Everest is located at 6080 North Central Expressway. Call 1.888.201.6547 to learn more and to enroll.
