Get your HSE Diploma

With Private GED, TASC or HISET Tutoring

Why it's worth getting your Diploma?

Not having your high school diploma can seriously affect your future earning potential. Last year, the average wage for a person with a high school diploma was $35,000 per year, compared to only $25,000 for someone without one. That amounts to over $500,000 less earnings during your entire career!

A high school diploma or its equivalent is also necessary for acceptance to college, so getting your diploma will help you earn more and get ahead. But scoring high enough to achieve your diploma is difficult, so you must be well-prepared for your exam.

Luckily, Dr. Donnelly can teach you the correct approach for each type of question that will appear on the GED, TASC, or HiSET tests. This will significantly increase your chances of getting the required score to attend the school of your choice.

AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Chemistry

Contact Dr. Donnelly

About Private Tutoring

Private tutoring with Dr. Donnelly is available either online via Zoom or in person at his San Diego-based office or his Manhattan-based office in New York City (depending upon the time of year).

Over the years, Dr. Donnelly has helped numerous students to get their diplomas and achieve their academic goals. We are confident that he can do the same for you.

HiSet, GED or TASC Exam?

Which HSE Test Do I Take?

In some states, such as California, you can choose between the HiSet, the TASC, or the GED exams for your HSE (High School Equivalency) diploma. Other states only offer the GED, some only offer the TASC, and others give students a choice between the GED, the HiSET, and the TASC. Hence, it's worth double-checking below which high-school equivalency options your state permits.

The TASC exam is accepted in the following states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

The GED exam is accepted in most states EXCEPT the following states: Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

The HiSET exam is accepted in the following states: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.

Click on the links below to learn more:

  1. Tutor Profile
  2. Contact Dr. Donnelly Today
  3. Read Our Reviews
  4. GED Overview
  5. TASC Overview
  6. HiSET Overview
  7. Buy Dr. Donnelly's Test Prep Books

See What Our Students Say

Read Our Reviews

GED prep

5 star GED tutor reviews

"I went up over 100 points in the math section of the GED alone! Thank you very much for your help!"

Lauren Mariani, Manhattan, New York.

GED prep

5 star GED tutor reviews

"Dr. Donnelly's way of teaching is very calm and effective. By teaching math in the simplest ways possible he managed to make it interesting and challenging at the same time. I am happy to report that I recently passed my TASC exam with a score of 90 percent."

Marie M., Manhattan, NY.

GED prep

5 star GED tutor reviews

"Dr. Donnelly is a wonderful teacher. He is quick to pinpoint weaknesses and, in many cases, turn them into strengths. He always has a structured lesson plan and pertinent homework assignments and puts aside time in the lesson to go over "trouble problems" from the previous lesson. I highly recommend taking a prep course with him. His patience, humor, and kindheartedness makes an otherwise uncomfortable standardized test almost enjoyable."

Mia P., Manhattan, New York.

GED prep

5 star GED tutor reviews

"The fundamentals I learned from Dr. Donnelly were very helpful. I received the one-on-one attention that I did not receive in the Kaplan prep test. I did not feel embarrassed to ask basic questions. Dr. Donnelly was very patient with explaining concepts in detail until I understood. Additionally, he was always available via email or phone."

Neelu V., Manhattan, New York.

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High School Equivalency Exams

Everything you need to know

GED Exam Overview

GED Overview

Exam Format and Structure

The GED is now made up of four subject area tests and one written essay. There are eight sections, but the number of questions can vary. The GED uses raw score points since not all test items are worth one point. You are given about 7 hours to complete the tests.

GED scores range from 100-200 for each subject on the GED test. To earn a GED Passing Score, students will need to score at least a 150 on each subject and a total score of 600 or higher for all four subjects to receive the GED test credential. A GED Passing Score demonstrates high school equivalency in that subject.

If a student scores a 170 or greater on any subject, they will also earn an "Honors" score. A GED Passing Score with Honors demonstrates career and college readiness (CCR) in that subject. Click Learn more about the GED exam.

The new GED tests are focused on four specific content areas:

  1. GED Reasoning Through Language Arts
  2. GED Mathematical Reasoning
  3. GED Science
  4. GED Social Studies.
TASC Exam Overview

TASC Overview

Exam Format and Structure

The TASC (Test Assessing Secondary Completion) takes about eight hours to complete and is usually given in one or two days. If you don't pass one or more of the five subject area sub-tests, you can retake those parts after 60 days. In most cases, you can take the TASC exam up to three times in a calendar year.

The highest possible score in each subtest is 800, plus a score of 8 for the Writing essay. The passing score for each subtest is 500, and 2 for the essay. The cumulative TASC passing score is 2500, but you must still earn a passing score in every subtest to pass the TASC.

If you earn an especially high score in Mathematics, Reading, or Writing, you will receive a Distinguished Achievement notation for that score. The Distinguished Achievement score is 580 for reading and 560 for Mathematics and Writing.

You can retake a TASC subtest as many times as needed until you pass, and you only need to retake those subtests that you failed rather than the entire TASC test. Similarly, if you do not pass in a particular subtest area, you must retake only that area. Click Learn more about the TASC exam.

HiSET Exam Overview

HiSET Overview

Exam Format and Structure

The HiSET (otherwise known as the ETS High School Equivalency Test) was a standardized test released in 2014. It was created by the ITP (Iowa Testing Programs) and ETS (Educational Testing Service).

Like the GED, the HiSET is meant to help people who failed to graduate high school and want to earn their diplomas. The HiSET is formatted to evaluate your readiness for a professional or academic environment and tell you where you excel and where you still need to improve.

The test contains 285 multiple-choice questions and one essay question. These questions are split into five sections, and you must pass all five sections to pass the HiSET. You don’t have to take each test section at once or in any particular order. Click Learn more about the HiSET exam.

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