![\"Uzelea](\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/florida\/files\/2013\/12\/12-9-McGinnisEvans.jpg\")
<\/a>John O'Connor \/ StateImpact Florida<\/p>
Uzelea Evans, right, and Cynthia Williams, left, talk with GED teacher Travis McGinnis at Metropolitan Ministries. The GED is changing in January, and McGinnis said his students have been planning since September whether to take the old test or the new GED.<\/p><\/div>\n
But she\u2019s working hard toward some good news in a classroom at Metropolitan Ministries<\/a> \u2013 passing the GED exam.<\/p>\n \u201cMy life has been a struggle ever since my mom died,” Evans said. “But I\u2019m just trying to stay focused and keep going. I don\u2019t know what I\u2019m going to do. I\u2019ve got a lot on my plate but I\u2019ve got to keep going. I\u2019ve just got to keep going \u2013 that\u2019s why I need this so bad. So I got to get this.\u201d<\/p>\n Evans works as a cook. Dropping out of high school has hindered her in finding a higher-paying job.<\/p>\n\n She\u2019s one of about 40 people taking GED classes at Metropolitan Ministries.<\/p>\n Like Evans, all of them have to answer a question before even stepping into the exam room: do I try to take the old GED before the end of the month, or wait for the new GED in January<\/a>?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n More than 80 million people have earned the equivalent of a high school diploma by passing the GED exam.<\/p>\n But the test is making big changes starting in January.<\/a><\/p>\n Students won\u2019t be able to take a pencil and paper version of the test \u2013 now it\u2019s all online.<\/p>\n The test will get tougher, with more focus on problem solving.<\/p>\n Teacher Travis McGinnis says he started telling students in September that a new exam was coming.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are quite a few changes,”McGinnis said. “The cost. How you take it; it\u2019s going to be on a computer only now. So we have to make sure that everybody has basic computer skills. As far as the material is concerned, the base of it really is not changing.\u201d<\/p>\n But McGinnis said rumors about the new test are scaring away students.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no trig, there\u2019s no calculus,” he said. “\u2018I heard there\u2019s trig! I heard!\u2019 No, there\u2019s not. It\u2019s not on this test. You know, that\u2019s what they hear. So it\u2019s just trying to work through all of these misconceptions. That\u2019s why the class has thinned out somewhat.\u201c<\/p>\n Advanced math may not be on the exam. But GED Testing Services<\/a> believes the exam will be tougher.<\/p>\nRelated<\/h4>
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