The General Educational Development, or GED, test was first developed in 1942, at a time when most jobs were industrial in nature, and aimed at determining whether World War II veterans were qualified to attend college or other post-secondary schools.

The GED was revised in 1978 to reflect the waning of the industrial age. For example, the 1978 test moved from the recall of facts toward the application of conceptual knowledge and the evaluation of information presented.The test changed again in 1988, this time with an eye toward the emerging information age, with its incorporation of technology and global awareness. The test changed again in 2002. Now, it is poised to change again in January.More than 18 million people have taken the GED test since its inception.