Advance your career with

GED Prep Essentials

Ready to earn your GED? Build the study habits, take practice exams, and gain the confidence to pass all four subjects in six weeks — at no cost!

6 Weeks
10 hours/week

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Why GED Prep Essentials?

Achieving your GED is the first step toward a higher-paying career, but you don’t have to do it alone. This 6-week program gives you the structured support, digital tools, and expert coaching you need to pass with confidence.

Unlock Career Tracks Learners who pass the GED test will be eligible to enroll in Merit America’s career track programs.

1:1 Personalized Support Work with a dedicated coach through weekly scheduled 1:1 sessions for personalized guidance on test taking strategies and customized study schedules.

Modern Study Tools Complete online coursework through USAHello, and get additional practice by learning to use Gemini—Google’s AI assistant—to generate questions and explanations for challenging topics.

Your 6-Week Roadmap

Throughout this program, you will spend 90 minutes a day diving deeper into the GED test structure and requirements, developing time management and computer literacy skills, building a study schedule, and completing practice GED tests to assess your readiness.

~90 mins per dayExpected Commitment

GED Testing Requirements

Testing requirements, structure, cost, & additional resources.

Adult Test Taking Skills

Computer literacy + navigation skills, reading for evidence, logical elimination, time management + pacing, & interpreting text & data.

Mathematical Reasoning

Basic math, geometry, basic algebra, & graphs + functions.

Reasoning Through Language Arts

Reading for meaning, identifying + creating arguments, & grammar + Language.

Social Studies

Branches of government, geography, civics, & economic basics.

Science

Scientific method, cells, genetics, atoms, & energy.

Build in-demand skills at no cost

Build practical skills and enhance your resume at absolutely no cost. Gain access to the resources, support, and hands-on activities that can make an impact in just weeks.

A Merit America learner receiving one-on-one career coaching and job placement support.

Learn in-demand skills
Land a great job
Free to join – limited seats
Receive ongoing support

Learn on your time, from anywhere, while keeping your day job

Our programs are built for people with busy lives. Your coursework and meetings are completely online, with 1:1 coaching sessions that fit your schedule. You can complete your online coursework through USAHello, and use Gemini—Google’s AI assistant—to practice challenging topics in-between shifts, on weekends, or whatever works for your life.

Explore career options

A woman sits on the floor, working her remote job in tech.

Monday, January 10

Merit America Program

At Work 8am – 3pm
Online Coursework 3pm – 5pm
Daycare pick-up 5:15pm
Family Dinner 6pm
1:1 Career Coaching 8pm

Work with a coach dedicated to your success

Partner 1:1 with a dedicated coach who fits your schedule. Together, you will build a customized study plan, break down challenging topics, and master the exact test-taking strategies you need to pass all four subjects with confidence.

Meet our coaches

Joining…

Michael, Career Coach
How’s your week so far?
Cora
I’m really struggling with my resume…
Michael, Career Coach
That makes sense. A lot of people get stuck here, and it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.

We’ll work through your resume together and translate what you’ve been doing into skills employers actually look for. And the timing’s good — you’re only a week away from earning your Google IT Support Certificate.

Our alums work for the world’s top companies

A women scratches her head while researching how to break into tech.

Two career changers view Merit America's curriculum

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the training in-person, online or both?

The GED Prep Essentials program is 100% online and designed to be flexible and interactive.

You’ll complete six weeks of prep courses through the Merit America platform, followed by coursework on USAHello related to the four core GED topics: Mathematical Reasoning, Reasoning Through Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science.

Your learning experience will include live virtual sessions with 1:1 GED Prep coaching and independent coursework. You will also use tools like Zoom, Slack, Google Workspace, and the Merit America Learner Portal to stay connected and on track throughout the program.

What are the admission requirements?

To be eligible for any of Merit America’s programs, the following must be true:

Associates and bachelor’s degree holders are welcome.
You do not have a graduate degree and are not currently enrolled in a graduate program
You are a resident of the U.S. and authorized to work in the U.S.
- DACA and Temporary Residents must have a status/visa that does not expire within six months of the Immersion start date.
- Residents of U.S. territories are eligible for our program.
You are 18 years of age or older.
You will be seeking full-time employment upon completion of the program.

What does a typical week look like at Merit America?

Merit America programs are flexible to fit into your busy schedule. For the GED Prep Essentials program, you’ll spend about 9 hours a week (roughly 90 minutes a day) on online coursework and working on test-taking skill development with the help of your career coach. The coaching sessions are usually after typical business hours, and the coursework can be completed asynchronously whenever you have free time.

What kind of support will I receive during the course?

When you join Merit America, there’s a team dedicated to your success.

Your career coach helps you build the professional and job search skills you need to succeed in today’s market—from refining your resume and preparing for interviews to networking effectively and navigating job offers. They’ll also work with you to chart a clear career path aligned with your goals.

Your cohort is made up of talented people just like you, and you’ll work alongside them to complete coursework.

Can you guarantee that I pass my GED test?

What does GED Prep Essentials cover?

Merit America’s GED Prep Essentials program is a 6-week practical learning experience designed to help adults build the skills and study habits needed to obtain their GED. The focus is on providing structured coursework, test-taking strategies, and 1:1 coaching so you are fully prepared to sit for all four GED topic tests.

Across six weeks, you’ll learn how to:

Develop a Personalized Plan: Design a customized study schedule based on your baseline test results and analyze your readiness to officially schedule and pass your exams
Understand the GED Landscape: Navigate the official GED test structure, scoring requirements, and costs while building the foundational computer literacy skills needed for the exam.
Master Adult Test-Taking Strategies: Apply proven techniques like logical elimination, time management, pacing, and reading for evidence to improve your practice exam performance.
Tackle Mathematical Reasoning: Solve real-world algebraic and geometric problems using mental math and calculators, while reviewing graphs and functions.
Strengthen Reasoning Through Language Arts: Read closely for meaning, identify and create strong arguments, and master fundamental grammar and language concepts.
Apply Social Studies and Science Concepts: Interpret scientific data and the scientific method, and deepen your understanding of American history, civics, economics, and geography.
Leverage Modern Study Tools: Use asynchronous USAHello coursework and partner with your coach to use Gemini (Google’s AI assistant) to generate practice questions and break down challenging topics.