Piedmont Community College offers HiSET as an alternative to GED® testing

Students at Piedmont Community College (PCC) now have the opportunity to choose their high school equivalency certificate exam. The traditional GED® exam and the new High School Equivalency Test HiSET are both available on the Person and Caswell County campuses.

HiSET, a nationally recognized high school equivalency test, is offered as a paper and pencil test. It is also offered in an English and a Spanish version. GED® tests are available as computer based exams only. No matter which high school equivalency test a student passes, s/he will earn the same credential: a North Carolina Community College System High School Equivalency Diploma.

The HiSET offers two payment options in North Carolina: a package price of $50 or one subject test at a time at a cost of $10 per subject, allowing student to test at their own rate. Students are test in the following areas: Language Arts – Reading, Language Arts – Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. More information is available about the test and how to register for it on the HiSET website at http://hiset.ets.org.

Students who are enrolled in high school equivalency classes at PCC through the Adult Basic Skills program may qualify for financial assistance with their test fees through the PCC Foundation. Additional information and an application can be found at http://www.piedmontcc.edu/Community/Supporting-the-College/Student-Opportunities/Student-Incentive-Program.

“Any adult who wants to get a job, or enroll in college, needs a high school diploma or an equivalency diploma,” commented Debra Harlow, Dean, Adult Basic Skills Program at PCC. “Now, students have more options with two High School Equivalency tests available at PCC. HiSET is an affordable alternative to the GED® test: HiSET test cost is $50 as compared to the GED® test fee of $80.”

To learn more about classes to prepare for High School Equivalency testing, contact the Adult Basic Skills program of Piedmont Community College. In Person County, call 336-322-2155 or email Sylvia.gault@piedmontcc.edu. In Caswell County, call Lynn Kerr at 336-694-8057 or email Lynn.kerr@piedmontcc.edu. PCC’s High School Equivalency Coordinator, Cynthia Worth, Cynthia.worth@piedmontcc.edu or call 336-322-2142, is also available to assist with information about either HiSET or GED® testing at PCC.