15.1 Four-Subject Study Calendar
Key Takeaways
- The GED has four separately scheduled subject tests: Mathematical Reasoning, Reasoning Through Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.
- A full mock plan should protect the longest exams first: RLA is 150 minutes and Math is 115 minutes, while Science is 90 minutes and Social Studies is 70 minutes.
- Mock testing is most useful when it alternates timed subject practice with targeted repair days instead of repeating full tests without review.
- Students who plan to test online should keep GED Ready timing in the calendar because a green score must be recent for online scheduling.
- The final study calendar should include sleep, ID checks, calculator practice, and score-report review, not only more questions.
Build The Final Calendar Around The Real Test
The GED is not one giant exam. It is four separate subject tests: Mathematical Reasoning, Reasoning Through Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. You can schedule them at different times, and that flexibility should shape your final plan. A strong calendar gives each subject a timed rehearsal, a review block, and a decision point before you pay for the real test.
Start With The Official Time Demands
Use the official subject lengths as your planning anchor. If a practice session is much shorter than the real test, it may build knowledge but it will not prove stamina.
| Subject | Official Time | Final-Prep Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning Through Language Arts | 150 minutes | Stamina, reading speed, essay pacing |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 115 minutes | Calculator fluency, formula sheet use, algebra repair |
| Science | 90 minutes | Data tables, experiments, short reading passages |
| Social Studies | 70 minutes | Sources, graphs, civics and history context |
Do not place four full mock tests on four consecutive days unless your real testing plan is that intense. Most students learn more from two timed subjects per week with serious review between them. The calendar should answer three questions after every mock: What score band did I reach? Which skills caused misses? What will I do differently on the next timed set?
A Two-Week Four-Subject Mock Calendar
This model assumes you are close to ready and have already completed content review. Adjust the days, but keep the order of practice, review, decision, and rest.
| Day | Main Task | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Timed Math mock or GED Ready Math | Score, missed-skill list, calculator notes |
| 2 | Math repair and 20 mixed questions | Retest only the weak skills |
| 3 | Timed RLA mock or GED Ready RLA | Reading pace, essay plan, grammar misses |
| 4 | RLA repair and short essay outline drill | Evidence checklist and sentence-level fixes |
| 5 | Science timed set | Data and experiment error log |
| 6 | Social Studies timed set | Source and graph error log |
| 7 | Light review and schedule check | Decide which subjects are ready first |
| 8 | GED Ready or full practice for weakest subject | New score band and final target list |
| 9 | Focused repair, not new content | Five highest-value skills |
| 10 | GED Ready or timed set for next weakest subject | Scheduling decision |
| 11 | Mixed four-subject review | Accuracy under switching pressure |
| 12 | Test-day logistics rehearsal | ID, route, calculator, online system check if needed |
| 13 | Light formula, grammar, and source review | No heavy new lessons |
| 14 | Rest and final readiness check | Sleep, food, appointment details |
Calendar Rules That Prevent False Confidence
A practice score is only useful if you record the conditions. Note whether you used the TI-30XS calculator, whether you followed the official time, and whether you took breaks that would not be allowed in the same way on test day. For Math, remember that the calculator is available on part 2, and test-center students may bring their own TI-30XS. For online testing, practice with the onscreen tools because physical scratch paper and a handheld calculator are not used in the same way.
When To Schedule Subjects
Schedule the subject that is already stable first. A stable subject has recent timed practice at or above the passing level, no repeated crash category, and a test-day plan you can explain. If Math is still losing points to calculator entry errors or RLA is still running out of time before the extended response, move that subject later and give it a repair cycle.
The final calendar should feel boring by design. Every day has one job. You are not trying to relearn all four subjects in two weeks. You are proving readiness, repairing the highest-value misses, and preserving enough energy to perform when the official timer starts.
A student has two weeks left and wants to take one timed practice event for each GED subject. Which calendar choice is strongest?
Which GED subject needs the largest stamina block in a final mock-test calendar?