If you live in Massachusetts, you can take the GED test for free. Massachusetts State funding will be put to work to help residents earn their GED (General Education Development) or HiSET credentials at no cost.
Massachusetts’ DESE (Department of Elementary & Secondary Education) has announced that $800,000 from this year’s adult education budget is going to be used to pay for the cost of the first GED and HiSET exams, including two free retakes. The GED exam has been free already since September 2022.
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By removing the fees, Massachusetts makes an important investment in its residents and their academic and professional futures. Gov. Maura Healey said, paraphrased, that no one should not be able to earn a high school equivalency (HSE) degree due to costs.
The initiative will definitely encourage more adults to earn their HiSET or GED diploma and continue their academic education in college or secure a well-paying and rewarding career. The degree qualifies the holders also for job advancement.
In 2021, almost 9,000 Massachusetts residents took and passed the GED or HiSET exam, and if adult learners wish to benefit from this initiative, they need to enter a promo code upon registration rather than using a debit or credit card to make a payment.
The GED and HiSET exams can be taken at one of Massachusetts’ state-designated testing centers or online from the comfort of your home. But read our post about online GED testing in Massachusetts carefully since there are more qualification criteria.
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Use These Promo Codes For Free GED And HiSET
So instead of paying when registering for one of the HiSET or GED sub-exams, you should enter a promo code. Check the following carefully:
- For a Massachusetts GED subtest, enter MAFREEGED
- For an OP (Online Proctored) GED subtest, enter MAFREEGED followed by OPMAFREEGED (please note that you still have to pay for the GED Ready practice test)
- For a GED retest, enter MARETAKE
- For an OP GED retest, enter OPMARETAKE
- For a HiSET subtest or a retest, enter MAHISET
To get ready for the GED or HiSET exam fast, you can use Onsego’s comprehensive GED preparatory course that GED Testing Service qualifies as fully aligned to the computer-based GED exam.
The regular fees for the GED and HiSET exams can be as high as $143 for the entire battery. By covering the fees, the cost of the exams is no longer a barrier to residents who couldn’t obtain a high school degree. For more information about the GED exam in Massachusetts, check out the linked page.
State officials hope many people who haven’t earned a high school degree will see this initiative as a great opportunity to continue their education.
The most significant difference between the GED and HiSET exams is the number of subtests. The GED test contains four sub-exams (English Language Writing and Reading are combined into one sub-exam), whereas the HiSET exam includes separate Reading and Writing sections, so five sub-exams overall.