Ever seen a pinball machine? It's a game you play in which a little silver ball bounces around inside and you hit it off things to get points. About one-quarter of my students are taking the GMAT, GRE, GED, TOEFL, or IELTS as a result of what I call "pinball goals." Like a pinball in a machine, they have been bounced around by life and are now pursuing additional education because they were disappointed by something else. A common example is someone didn't get a promotion at work and has decided to quit his job and get an MBA. Sometimes students feel that their entire lives will change just by becoming a Canadian or Australian passport holder.

Getting an MBA because you were not promoted or seeking citizenship when you don't want to live in a country are examples of pinball goals for several reasons. These goals are a result of something that happened to you and not necessarily a genuine desire for the goal. This course of action seems like a better option than the one you have now, even though you would have not chosen it if you had gotten what you wanted. Just like a pinball, you are letting life bounce you around rather than choosing for yourself and going after your real goals.

Pinball goals are not necessarily what you want to pursue in life. Getting an MBA, for example, takes a lot of hard work. During the application process, you have to study for and take the GMAT, ask your bosses for references, and search inside yourself to prepare complicated application essays. Once admitted, you have to find money to attend (sometimes tens of thousands of dollars) and then do the work to finish the program. All of this takes lots of time and money. If you aren't serious about the goal in the first place, you may not work as hard as you need to or may stop half way. I have worked with students that prepare for and take the GMAT (which can be like having a part-time job for a couple of months) only to decide they don't really want to get an MBA.

Don't waste your time, energy, and money pursuing pinball goals. Decide what you really want in life and then go after it. If you're truly committed, taking the GMAT, GRE, GED, TOEFL, or IELTS will just seem like one step in a process rather than a scary task.

Need help preparing? Email or call the Dubai Tutor today!

What is the GED?
The GED is an exam for adults who want to earn a high school equivalency diploma. Only adults that did not obtain a high school diploma are eligible to earn an equivalency diploma.

Although it is an American credential, the high school equivalency diploma obtained by passing the GED exam is a recognized credential throughout the world and allows students to apply for many universities in Dubai.

Who makes the GED?
The American Council on Education makes the GED. The diploma for students taking the GED exam in Dubai is awarded through the Maine Department of Education in the United States.

What's on the GED?
Most of the GED exam is multiple choice. It consists of the following five tests:

* Language Arts, Writing: This test is divided into two sections: Part I and Part II. Part I is multiple choice and tests organization, sentence structure, usage, and mechanics according to American English conventions. Part II is a written essay.
* Social Studies: This multiple choice test includes passages and questions about history, geography, civics and government, and economics.
* Science: This multiple choice exam tests your ability to understand and analyze passages and questions related to physical science, life science, and earth and space science.
* Language Arts, Reading: This multiple choice tests requires you to understand and analyze literary texts (poems, short stories, and plays) and nonfiction texts (essays, critical reviews, and professional documents).
* Mathematics: The math test is divided into two parts: you may use a calculator on Part I but you may not use a calculator on Part II. This multiple choice test includes arithmetic, geometry, data analysis (statistics, graphs, and probability), and algebra.How is it scored?
Each test on the GED is scored from a 200 to 800.

What is a good score?
Since the GED is pass/fail, a good score on the GED is the one that allows you to pass. To pass the GED, you need to score at 410 on each of the five tests and have an average score higher than 450. You must receive a score of 2 or higher (out of 4) on the essay to pass the Language Arts, Writing test.

What else do I need to know?
For more information about the GED, go to http://www.gedtest.org/. In Dubai, you can register and take the GED at Amideast in Knowledge Village . As of February 2010, the cost to take the GED is AED 2,000, to be paid in cash.

NOTE: The GED is NOT offered online. Any website that says you can take the GED online is not authentic.

How do I prepare for the GED?

The Dubai Tutor works with a lot of students who want to pass the GED exam but don't want to take a long time to do it. Rather than learn everything about each subject, if you work with The Dubai Tutor, you will learn and practice the general concepts tested on each exam and the skill necessary to pass the GED. In addition, The Dubai Tutor will teach you the hidden facts the exam expects you to know such as the U.S. government structure and rights guranteed in the U.S. Constitution.

Email The Dubai Tutor if you want to pass the GED in less than 2 months!