About The HiSET
The HiSET is a High School Equivalency Test which allows people without a high school diploma to demonstrate knowledge equivalent to that of a high school graduate. Learn more about this exam below
The High School Equivalency Test or better known as the HiSET, is a relatively new examination and is offered as an alternative to the GED exam. In 2014, the GED made a major revision to its testing material, which prompted many states to seek alternative equivalency exams. During this period, two new exams were introduced; the HiSET and the TASC. As of 2019, 21 states have adopted the HiSET with expectations of more states to soon follow.
“As of 2019, 21 states have adopted the HiSET with expectations of more states to soon follow.”
Each state has its own unique set of eligibility requirements. If you’re interested in taking the HiSET exam, we recommend finding out what your state’s requirements are before registering.
Requirements typically involve:
- minimum age
- residency
- practice test or instruction
- school enrollment status
HiSET testing fees will also vary by state and sometimes jurisdiction.
The HiSET exam measures skill in five subject areas:
- Language Arts – Reading
- Language Arts – Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
Language Arts – Reading
65 minutes (English), 80 minutes (Spanish)
50 multiple choice questions
- Literary Texts (40%)
- Informational Texts (60%)
The Language Arts – Reading test will test you on your ability to understand, comprehend, interpret, and analyze a variety of reading material. The test will be made up of 2 types of questions; texts that are literary (40% of exam) and texts that are informational (60% of exam). You will be required to read a wide range of literary and informational texts. You will encounter the following types of texts: narratives, memoirs, essays, biographical sketches, editorials, and poetry. In the English version of the HiSET, you will generally see texts that have a length of 400 to 600 words. By comparison, the Spanish version will have longer text due to translations.
Language Arts – Writing
120 minutes
- 60 multiple choice questions
- 1 essay question
- Organization of Ideas (22%)
- Language Facility (43%)
- Writing Conventions (35%)
- Development of Central Position or Claim
- Organization of Ideas
- Language Facility
- Writing Conventions
The Language Arts – Writing test will test you on your ability to recognize and produce effective American written English. The multiple-choice questions will measure your ability to edit and revise written text. The essay question will measure your ability to generate and organize ideas in writing. The multiple-choice questions will ask you to revise a text or passage and it will analyze your ability to understand organization, diction, clarity and sentence structure. The test questions will be presented in many forms: letters, essays, newspaper articles, personal accounts, and reports.
Mathematics
90 minutes
- 55 multiple choice questions
- Numbers and Operations on Numbers (19%)
- Measurement/Geometry (18%)
- Data Analysis/Probability/Statistics (18%)
- Algebraic Concepts (45%)
The Mathematics test will assess your mathematical knowledge and competencies. The test measures your ability to solve quantitative problems using concepts and reasoning skills. The questions will present practical problems that require numerical operations, measurement, estimation, data interpretation, and logical thinking. The problems in the Math section will be based on realistic situations and sometimes will test you on abstract concepts such as algebraic patterns, precision in measurement, and probability. A calculator is not required for this exam, but if you request a calculator, the test center will provide you with one. On that note, some states have specified calculator type/model requirements. You will not be able to bring your own calculator to the testing center for use on the exam. Some questions on the exam will require you to use formulas. Formulas will be provided for you via a formula sheet. There are some formulas that you should know by memory: distance-rate-time, Pythagorean Theorem, and quadratic formula.
Science
80 minutes
- 60 multiple choice questions
- Life Science (49%)
- Physical Science (28%)
- Earth Science (23%)
The Science test will assess your ability to use science content knowledge, apply principles of scientific inquiry, and interpret and evaluate scientific information. You should expect questions that provide descriptions of scientific investigations and their results. The scientific information in the exam will be based on reports that can be found in scientific journals. Information will be presented in an array of formats, including: graphs, tables, and charts. The exam covers all of the subjects that are typically taught in high school: physics, chemistry, botany, zoology, health, and astronomy.
Social Studies
70 minutes
- 60 multiple choice questions
- History (35%)
- Civics/Government (35%)
- Economics (20%)
- Geography (10%)
The Social Studies test will assess your ability to use social studies content knowledge as well as analyze various kinds of information related to social studies. You can expect history, political science, geography, and economics questions inside of this exam.
In order to pass the HiSET exam, you need to:
- Score at least 8 out of 20 on each of the five subtests
- Score at least 2 out of 6 on the essay
- Achieve a total scaled score on all five HiSET subtests of at least 45 out of 100
If you don’t understand this scoring format, don’t worry. Your score reports will show whether you passed or not.
Need help preparing for your HiSET exam?
GED or HiSET?
The HiSET exam has emerged as a competitor to the GED test. The good thing is, both the HiSET and the GED test can help you get your high school equivalency credentials. Currently, not every state recognizes the HiSET exam but we believe that will soon change.
The HiSET looks more like an older version of the GED exam, which used to feature 5 different sections for the test taker to complete.
As far as cost is concerned, the HiSET exam will cost more than the GED exam to take. But not by much. If you happen to fail your first attempt at taking the HiSET, you can take the exam 2 more times without having to pay additional fees.
If you’re planning on going to college or applying for a job, you can rest assured that both the HiSET and the GED diploma are treated equally.
