Finishing high school on time can be challenging if you have a mental health diagnosis, substance use disorder, or both. If you dropped out, getting your General Education Development (GED) certificate can be an essential step toward financial independence and helping you through recovery.
How Long Does It Take to Get a GED?
It generally takes two to three months to prepare for the GED. Some students opt to take a completely online GED program or use a combination of in-person and online learning.
Young men recovering from substance or alcohol use, a mental health diagnosis, or both need a supportive environment to prepare for and take the test. It may well have been these problems that caused them to leave school in the first place.
Substance use has a high correlation to dropping out of school. Those who drop out are more likely to use alcohol, binge drink, take illicit drugs, or misuse prescription drugs than those who stay in school. Substance use disorder affects your learning ability, interferes with relationships, and may lead to time away from school due to legal problems.
Once you are in recovery, you can learn new skills, focus on your goals, and achieve them.
How to Get Your GED
To get your GED, you must meet specific requirements. You must be at least 18 or within 60 days of your 18th birthday. You can also take the exam if you are not in school but are within 60 days of when you would have graduated from high school had you stayed.
You can take the GED if you are 17, have been out of school for 60 days, and have a letter of request from a college, the military, or a prospective employer. You will not receive your certificate until you turn 18.
The test covers math, science, social studies, and language arts and takes several hours to complete. You can retake sections of the exam that you do not pass.
Help Getting Your GED Through PACE Academy
When you become a part of PACE Academy, you join a family of other young men with substance use disorders and mental health conditions who understand what you are going through. With their support and with the help of highly trained, certified staff, you work toward your GED through:
- Accepting responsibility for the learning process
- Study skills and life skills groups
- Career assessment
- Building self-esteem through setting and achieving goals
- Tutoring and study group support
- Access to online tools and resources
It may take you longer to prepare for your GED while you are in recovery, though with the proper tools, you can meet the usual two to three-month preparation time. Being surrounded by the support you need prepares you simultaneously for what life and school throw at you.
Contact PACE Academy Today to Get Help Meeting Your Academic Goals
PACE Recovery Center treats young men with substance and alcohol use disorders and those who have mental health diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. PACE Academy is part of our young adult addiction program that helps our clients develop routines, thrive within a structured environment, and set and meet their goals. If you need help getting your GED while recovering, or if you love someone who does, call PACE Academy at 800-526-1851 or fill out our online form.
