Which GED test should I take first?

There is no required order for the four GED tests. GED.com says you can schedule them one at a time or take up to all four at once. A common approach is to start with your strongest subject for an early win and give math the most time. Answer a few questions to get a suggested order.

Is there a required order for the GED tests?

No. GED.com (checked 26 October 2026): “You can schedule your tests one at a time or take up to all four at once.” GED Testing Service also sets no minimum time frame to complete all four subjects, though many states have additional policies.

Each subject needs a score of 145 or higher on a 100-200 scale. Test times: Math 115 minutes, RLA 150 minutes (including a 45-minute essay and a 10-minute break), Science 90 minutes and Social Studies 70 minutes, 425 minutes in all.

How the order finder decides

  • Subjects with a GED Ready result of Likely to Pass (145-200) go first, because the student handbook suggests testing within about two weeks of that result.
  • The rest are ordered strongest first for momentum, using your confidence, any GED Ready band, how long you have been away from school, and your comfort with long reading, math basics and essays.
  • Math goes last with the longest study block, unless it is clearly your strongest subject, or you have a firm deadline (then it comes second, so a retake still fits before the deadline).
  • Ties go to the shorter, reading-based tests first: Social Studies, then Science, then RLA.

Common strategies and trade-offs

  • Strongest subject first: An early win, and you learn what test day feels like. Watch out: Give your hardest subject a date too, so it does not drift.
  • Math early: Leaves time for a retake before a deadline. Watch out: A tough first test can shake confidence. One quicker subject first can help.
  • Math last: Math gets the longest block, and Science and Social Studies give some math warm-up. Watch out: It needs enough time at the end. Plan its date from the start.
  • Reading subjects back to back: Reading skills from RLA carry over to Science and Social Studies. Watch out: RLA is the longest test: 150 minutes, including a 45-minute essay.

Retake rules (your safety net)

  • At a test center: two retakes of a subject with no waiting period. After the third attempt, wait 60 days before each further attempt.
  • Online: one retake with no wait. After two online attempts, wait 60 days.
  • At US test centers, GED Testing Service waives its fee on up to two retakes of a failed subject within 12 months. State and test-center fees may still apply, and online retakes are not discounted.
  • Your state may add rules, so check your state’s page on GED.com.

Questions and answers

Which GED test should I take first? There is no official answer. A common approach is to start with your strongest subject for an early win, often Social Studies or Science, which are mostly reading. Math usually needs the most time. If you have a firm deadline, take math earlier so a retake still fits. The order finder on this page weighs these for you.

Do I have to take the GED tests in a certain order? No. GED.com says you can schedule your tests one at a time or take up to all four at once, and GED Testing Service sets no minimum time frame to finish all four. Some states add their own policies, so check your state’s rules.

Which GED test is considered the easiest? It depends on your strengths. In GED forum posts we reviewed, many adults said the reading-based tests felt more manageable than math. Social Studies is the shortest test at 70 minutes. Your own diagnostic or GED Ready results are a better guide than anyone else’s experience.

What is the hardest GED test to pass? For many adults it is math. In the forum posts we reviewed, math was the subject people most often said they feared, saved for last or retook. It may not be the hardest for you, and it gets the most time in the study plan builder.

Can I take all 4 GED tests in one day? You can. GED.com says you can take up to all four at once. Together the four tests run 425 minutes (115 + 150 + 90 + 70), more than seven hours, so many people spread them out and book each one when they are ready.

How far apart should I schedule my GED tests? Book each subject when its GED Ready result is Likely to Pass; GED’s student handbook suggests testing within about two weeks of that result. Start studying the next subject while you wait. If you test online, each subject needs a green GED Ready result from the last 60 days.

What happens if I do not pass one subject? You can retake it. At a test center, you can retest twice with no waiting period; after a third attempt, you wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait. At US test centers, GED Testing Service waives its fee on up to two retakes of a failed subject within 12 months; state and test-center fees may still apply.

Next steps

Sources

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