The nation’s economic problems seem to have triggered more interest among high school dropouts to finish their education. 

The state education department gives about 12-thousand GED tests a year.  About two-thirds of those taking them pass.  Others have to wait at least sixty days to re-take the test. 

Assistant director Tom Robbins with the department’s adult education program says the department has seen a big increase in the number of people applying for the equivalency diploma in the last year. He has found, however, that once the light goes on and people decide they need a high-school diploma, many of them realize even that’s not enough. Robbins says many of them need the GED to go to college.

Robbins says the General Educational Development certificate is even more important in bad times when a diploma or a degree can be important in competing for limited numbers of jobs. 

The GED testing program is almost 70 years old.  It was created to support World War Two soldiers, many of whom enlisted before finishing high school, when they returned to civilian life, giving them a chance to go to college. 

 Listen to interview with Tom Robbins 20:35 mp3