MARIETTA – Those looking to save some money while trying to advance themselves in the workforce can look toward the Washington County Career Center, just one participating agency currently offering free GED practice tests.

The four-section practice test, which normally comes at a cost, is designed to be an indicator as to whether the test-taker can pass the real General Education Development test, designed to serve as an equivalent to a high school diploma.

New this year with the move toward online GED tests, free practice tests are being given across the state of Ohio through participating agencies that currently offer Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE).

“We’ve given the GED test at the career center for forever, but it’s now all computer-based for the first time this year,” said Ella Bogard, ABLE coordinator for Adult Technical Training at the career center.

Three free practice test sessions are being offered to any resident of Ohio who needs to take the GED, including upcoming sessions today at the Barlow Library and Wednesday at the career center.

“By taking this test, it will give them information on how they’re doing, and it will tell them if they’re ready to pass the test and tell them what they need to work on to get better scores,” Bogard said.

Registration is by appointment, with a maximum class size of about 12 to 15 people, though Bogard said if the demand is high enough, the center will schedule more dates.

“The fact that it changed to a computer-based test hasn’t really changed the test itself much, but it’s taken a while to get the bugs worked out, so now we’re starting to see increased requests for the GED tests,” said Marty Clark, GED test coordinator at the career center. “Any adult program we have here requires a high school diploma, and almost any job posting requires that or an equivalent, so it’s really needed for folks to move ahead.”

The four-part practice test that includes science, math, social studies and language arts normally costs $24, and the GED itself costs $150.

“We recommend they don’t test unless they’ve shown they’re ready,” Bogard said. “We don’t want to waste their money or their time.”

Clark noted that the center’s official PearsonVue Testing Center is one of the only in the area to offer the GED.

“We’re the only place in our area that offers it, and the next closest is Nelsonville, Zanesville and Rio Grande,” he said.

Those interested in taking the GED can also contact Clark for a voucher from the state of Ohio through June 2015, a special promotion where the state is offering the test for just $40.

Though both practice tests and GED tests run on a time schedule, Clark and Bogard said they are flexible in trying to work around schedules.