These days having an education isn’t just a good idea, it’s imperative. Many employers, including the U.S. military, are requiring workers to have a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalency in order to be considered for hiring. In today’s tough job market the more qualifications an applicant has the better! The following is a brief overview of some of the most important grade levels and tests to be completed on the track to a degree.

K-12

The term K-12 refers to the courses provided from Kindergarten to 12th grade for students. These classes normally take 13 years to complete and are marked in most every state by a graduation examination comprised of a few subjects: Social Studies, Math, Reading and Science. These subjects may of course vary from state to state. In addition to the graduation tests states are also required to implement End of Course tests, or EOCT’s, for each course that a student completes in grades 9-12. Completion of the K-12 program earns the graduate a High School diploma. This diploma can be used to obtain certain entry level positions and admission into a university or technical college.

K-14

K-14 refers to students who have completed Kindergarten through 12th grade, graduated with a high school diploma and completed two years of college. This normally owns a person an Associates Degree in their field of study, which is sufficient in some trades to obtain an entry level position of employment. Some industries, however, require more education for even entry level positions. Different programs have different tests, but in general students can expect periodical examinations throughout the semester in their courses to be followed by a final examination. Many universities require that students then pass an exit examination that serves as an examination to ensure that they’ve studied and grasped the general subjects that were taken during their instruction.

K-16

This term refers to students who have completed Kindergarten through 12th grade and 4 years of undergraduate study at a university or college. This generally earns a student a Bachelor’s Degree in their area of study. This degree often offers students a wider array of job possibilities when they graduate with more employers seeking students with a higher level of education, depending on the industry. Examinations for this degree are similar to those for K-14, with periodical examinations given during the semester and final examinations given at the end of each course.

GED

The GED, or General Educational Development, test is given to students seeking an alternative means of earning a diploma which is considered to be equivalent to that given to high school graduates. Students who complete the GED have not completed the traditional 12 years of school and therefore obtain this diploma as a means of applying to universities or technical colleges, or for the purposes of obtaining employment. These days most every employer requires at a minimum a high school equivalency diploma for entry level positions. This test covers Math, Social Studies, Science, Reading and Writing.

ASVAB

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude (ASVAB) test is administered to certain high school students and other persons interested in joining the military. The ASVAB consists of the following sections: the General Science, Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Mathematics Knowledge, Electronics Information, Auto Information, Shop Information, Mechanical Comprehension, and Assembling Objects. The scores from the test are used to determine the best vocational placement for the student within the armed services.

ACT

The ACT is a standardized test that can be taken by students for use in obtaining admission to a university or technical college. The test consists of 4 sections: English, Mathematics, Reading and Science Reasoning. Often universities and colleges require either an SAT or ACT score prior to granting an applicant admission to the institution.

These terms and tests are commonly associated with attending post-secondary education in the United States and in various other countries world wide. Depending on your goals as a student chances are that you’ll be encountering them as you navigate today’s educational systems. Practice examinations and other information about each test or term is available online for preparation purposes.