GED In South Dakota

Last Updated on April 10, 2024.

South Dakota is using the computer-formatted GED exam for the state’s high school equivalency testing program. The GED exam gives people who couldn’t finish high school the chance to earn an equivalent credential.

Registration for the four GED subtests is done online at GED.com. In South Dakota, students can take the four independent GED subtests online or at one of South Dakota’s official GED test centers.

The GED free online classes and practice tests provided on this website are great resources to begin your GED prep journey.

With our free lessons, you can discover if online studying is fine with you, and if it is, we suggest you register with Onsego GED Online Prep to get perfectly prepared for the GED test quickly.

There are four independent GED® subject tests covering the academic subject areas of

• Math (Mathematical Reasoning)
• English Language (Reasoning through Language Arts)
• Science
• Social Studies

The four GED sub-exams can be completed separately and in any order.

The GED tests are fully computer-based. Paper-based testing is a thing of the past.

All across the U.S., the GED diploma is accepted just like a standard high school diploma by government agencies, employers, recruiters, and colleges and universities.

The GED program is crucial for adults who never finished high school, and it offers them one more chance to obtain a secondary education credential.

South Dakota GED Testing Requirements

• In South Dakota, the minimum age for GED testing is 16.
• Test-takers 16 or 17, however, must meet additional, strict criteria.
• Underage GED applicants must, for example, submit an official state-issued underage GED testing waiver signed by an official of the school they last attended and a parent/guardian. Please check with a prep or testing site near you for details.
• GED applicants can not already have a high school or equivalent diploma.
• They can not be registered for another school program as well.
• There is NO residency requirement in South Dakota.
• South Dakota doesn’t require test-takers to first attend a prep course or reach sufficient scores on the GED Ready® practice test (except when the exam is taken online).

GED Prep Classes in South Dakota

You can prepare for the GED test by studying online. You can also choose to attend a traditional GED prep class near you. Click on your nearest city for all prep sites in your region.

• Aberdeen
• Pierre
• Rapid City
• Sioux Falls

South Dakota GED Cost

In South Dakota, each of the four GED subtests costs $50, so the full GED battery will set you back $200 regardless of whether you write the exam at a testing facility or in an online proctored format.

You should consider, however, that to qualify for taking the GED exam online, you first are required to attain “green” (likely to pass) scores on the GED Ready practice test, available on the website GED.com at $6.99. There’s one GED Ready test for each GED sub-exam, so four in total, which means you’ll have to pay an additional $28 if you take the GED exam online.

South Dakota GED Test Centers

Brookings
Dept. of Labor & Regulation – 1310 Main Ave S (Ste 103) – Brookings – SD 57006 – Ph: (605) 688.4350
Eagle Butte
Oglala Lakota Coll – 113 Lincoln St – Eagle Butte – SD 57625 – Ph: (605) 964.8011
Gregory
Gregory Learning Ctr – 621 Main St – Gregory – SD 57533 – Ph (605) 835.8275
Huron
Cornerstones Career Ed Ctr – 33 3rd Street SE – Huron – SD 57350 – Ph: (605) 353.7175
Lower Brule
Lower Brule Comm. Coll. – 137 Sacred Circle Dr – Lower Brule – SD 57548 – Ph: (605) 473.5028
Mission
Sinte Gleska University – 1355 W Spotted Tail Dr – Mission – SD 57555 – Ph: (605) 856.8229
Pierre
The Right Turn – 115 E Sioux Ave – Pierre – SD 57501 – Ph: (605) 773.4755
Rapid City
Black Hills Career Learning Ctr 730 E Watertown St – Rapid City – SD 57701 – Ph: (605) 394.5120
Sioux Falls
Southeast Tech Institute – 2000 N Career Ave. – Sioux Falls – SD 57107 – Ph: (605) 367.6014
Wagner
Yankton Sioux Tribe GED Testing – 110 SE First St. – Wagner – SD 57380 – Ph: (605) 384.3382
Watertown
Lake Area Technical Institution – 1201 Arrow Ave. – Watertown – SD 57201 – Ph: (605) 882.5284
Yankton
SD Department of Labor & Regulation- 3113 Spruce St. (Ste 124) – Yankton – SD 57078 – Ph: (605) 668.2900

Online Proctored GED Testing Introduced

So, the GED test is now also available online. In the past, to get their GED diplomas, students were required to come personally to an official South Dakota GED testing site, but those days are gone.

The GED test is now available in an online version, and to qualify for online testing, students must attain “green” scores on the GED Ready® practice test. More information is found here: The online GED test is now available.

Retesting

When you fail a GED subtest, you can retake that module without any waiting period twice. If you need to retake it for the third time, you’ll have to wait for 60 days before you can take that section again.

For each GED subtest, you’ll get two retakes at a discounted rate. You just have to pay the test center’s fee ($12.50 for each subtest or retest). This offer counts for one calendar year, after which the regular price applies again. This applies only, however, when you sit for the GED exam at a test center.

Your Ticket to Higher Education

Earning the GED diploma will improve your employment options and open up doors to colleges and universities. The GED credential will absolutely influence your life in a positive way. More than 96 percent of all American colleges and universities are accepting the GED diploma in lieu of a common high school diploma.

How to Prepare for the GED Test

When you have the feeling that you can go the GED track, remember these guidelines that will get you ahead. Contact a GED prep or testing center and find out if you qualify. If you do, check fees and regulations. Get fully informed. Learn as much as you can at a GED prep or testing center.

You can register for a GED prep class at a brick-and-mortar facility in your area, and community bookstores and libraries can supply preparation material as well.

Today, you can also find some pretty good online GED courses, such as the accredited GED Prep Course from Onsego, which provides free lessons and practice tests featured on this website. The Onsego course will get you all for the real thing fast.

Online studying requires self-discipline on your behalf, but it is a perfect option for students in remote South Dakota regions and students with busy schedules. No matter how you prefer to learn, just make sure you are totally prepared when you take the GED exam.

How to Register for the GED Test

To register for the South Dakota GED assessment, you need to go online to GED.com. Here, you’ll have to create your account at the portal MyGED. This is where you can schedule and pay for your test appointments.

The entirely computer-based GED exam is flexible. Registration has become far easier via the online system, and students can now check their test results right after they take the exam; their scores are available right away. In the old system, they had to wait for two or three weeks in anxiety. Check also this post on how to sign up for the GED test at MyGED.

GED applicants with documented disabilities can use approved accommodations when they’re taking the exam. School officials and/or adult education staff will help the test-takers with completing the accommodations requests.

When a student has an approved accommodation, the test appointment will reflect the accommodation. If, for instance, extended time is approved as accommodation, there will be a longer appointment time.

Free GED Online Prep in South Dakota

• Practice Tests: Math, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Science
• Online GED Classes
• Pre GED Tests

GED Scoring

The four GED modules (subtests) are measured on a scale from 100 to 200, and on each of the four GED sub-exams, you are required to reach at least a score of 145.

• Below passing = 100-144
• High School Equivalency = 145-164
• College-Ready = 165-174
• College-Ready plus up to 10 college credits: 175-200

It’s about YOUR Future

Holding the GED credential will result in an average yearly income increase of at least $9,500. The GED program is great if you want to secure a better-paying job, go on with a new career, and get vocational training or go for a college education. The GED program is developed to support you in accomplishing your goals.

All over North America, the GED diploma is recognized in the same way as a conventional high school diploma by local, state, and federal government bodies, employers, and higher education institutions.

For more information:
South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation
123 W Missouri Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501
Phone: 605.773.5821

FAQ about GED in South Dakota

How do you get a GED in South Dakota?

South Dakota is using the computer-based GED test for its high school equivalency program. To earn your GED, you need to pass the four separate GED modules (subtests) that cover the academic subject fields of Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies.

What are the South Dakota GED testing requirements?

The GED test offers adults who didn’t complete their high school curriculum the opportunity to earn a credential that’s the equivalency of a regular high school degree. In South Dakota, the minimum age to qualify is 16, but test-takers 16 or 17 years of age need to meet specific additional criteria. There is no South Dakota residency requirement, and testers don’t have to take and pass a qualification test as well (this does not apply to online testing).

What is the GED cost in South Dakota?

The South Dakota GED test costs $200 for the complete exam ($50 per subtest). This price applies to both online and on-site testing. For online testing, however, GED applicants should add the cost of having to purchase four GED Ready tests (@ $6.99 each) as well, which brings the total to $228. GED testers can register for, pay for, and take the four GED modules one at a time if they wish. To register for and schedule the tests, testers must create an account online at the website GED.com.

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