High-School Equivalency Credential

Why get a High School Equivalency Credential?
In order to qualify for most jobs or to earn a college degree or certificate, you must have earned a high-school diploma or high-school equivalency certificate. Massachusetts residents may take either the GED® exam or the HiSET® exam to earn a high-school equivalency certificate. The Adult Learning Center's curriculum is geared towards helping students achieve this goal and staff are available to guide students through the process of registering to take the exam. Please note: the Adult Learning Center is not a testing center but staff can help students find a testing site convenient to them when they are ready to take the exam.

Preparing for the HiSET® or GED®
Massachusetts does not require students take preparation classes before sitting for the HiSET® or the GED®, however, some individual preparation or class instruction is encouraged to maximize testing results. Please contact us to register for preparation classes and/or visit the HiSET or GED study resource pages.

Massachusetts Eligibility Requirements
Click here for the most current eligibility requirements for taking the high-school equivalency exam in Massachusetts.

Age Requirement
If you are under the age of 18, you cannot schedule your high-school equivalency exams until an official Letter of Withdrawal from your last school attended has been approved by the Massachusetts High School Equivalency Office. Click here for more information.

How do I choose which exam to take?
Each student should decide for themselves which test is a better fit for them. Either test will help open doors to higher education, training, and/or employment. Students should review the websites for each vendor and may also find this comparison chart a helpful tool in deciding.

General HiSET® Exam Information
For more information about the HiSET®, visit the HiSET website.

General GED® Exam Information
For more information about the GED®, visit the GED website.

Already passed the exam and need your credential or a transcript of it?
Diploma Sender is the primary source for obtaining documentation of a high school equivalency credential. Create an account on their site to request the documents you need.

Last Modified: 8/4/23