Atlanta - Last year, almost 20,000 Georgians received their GED.  That’s an important step, but with more and more jobs requiring at least some college experience, it’s critically important to help those GED graduates to continue on to a college education.

Turning GED graduates into college graduates is the reason why four TCSG colleges – Augusta Technical College, Central Georgia Technical College in Macon, Moultrie Technical College and Sandersville technical College – were each awarded a $7,500 federal grant to institute a program called GED and Up.  It will help to motivate soon-to-be and recent GED graduates to answer the question of what’s next regarding their postsecondary education.

Following through with that next step is important because, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a person with a GED or a high school diploma earns, on average, $33,600 a year.  Annual pay for those with some college but no degree climbs to $39,100 per year, while a person with a two-year degree earns an average of $41,400.

Currently, just one in four Georgia GED graduates successfully transitions to a TCSG college program.  It’s important to increase that percentage because Georgia’s specialized technical college programs can lead to better-paying jobs, even in today’s stagnant economy.

The GED and Up program will create a one-stop delivery approach that will make the transition from GED graduate to college student as smooth and non-intimidating as possible. College

representatives will help the student with selecting a career field, orientation to the college experience, and tuition assistance.  

Once enrolled, the student will receive ongoing tutoring and help with their study skills, while their quarterly grades will be tracked and analyzed for help with advancement to future coursework.

FAST FACTS:

Georgians with less than a high school education in 2008:                              1.24 million
Students in TCSG adult education/GED classes last year:                                95,085
GEDs awarded in Georgia in 2008:                                                                        19,696
GED graduates who transitioned to a TCSG college program in 2008:          4,609

###