Please note that the GED essay went through major changes with the 2014 revision. The topics listed below are no longer valid. For updated essay information you can visit this page: GED Social Studies Essay
The essay portion of the GED will require you to compose a short essay on a pre-selected topic. The essay will be either a narrative, descriptive, or persuasive essay. Narrative essays require you to tell a story from your own life. Descriptive essays require you to paint a picture for your audience by focusing on individual characteristics. Persuasive essays require you to express your personal opinion on a topic. Each essay type will require a strong thesis and several well-developed paragraphs. You may ONLY write on the assigned topic, so it’s helpful to practice writing several essays from multiple practice topics. Set a timer for 45-minutes, and try your hand at one of the GED essay topics below!
1. What is the true meaning of honesty? In your essay, determine whether or not honesty is always the best policy.
2. What is one event from your life that taught you a powerful life lesson? Use your personal observations and experience to describe why that lesson was valuable.
3. Who is the most important member of your family to you? Describe your relationship to this person and your reasons for selecting him or her.
4. Consider how our society has changed over time. Are young people today better off than they were in the past? Write an essay explaining why or why not.
5. Is the current high school system sufficient to educate our country’s youth? Describe what is valuable about our country’s system or what might be changed in order to produce better results.
6. Do hobbies have any real value to the individuals who participate in them? If so, how do extracurricular activities benefit participants? Write an essay describing your own activities outside of school and work.
7. If you won the lottery today, what aspects of your life would you change? What would you keep the same? Write an essay discussing your ideas. Support them with reasons and examples.
8. What can be done to prevent drivers from texting while driving? Give suggestions and examples to support your opinion.
9. Is a college degree important in today’s workplace? Describe your opinions on the value of higher education, and use details from your own life.
10. The Internet is an invention that has done irreparable harm to our collective ability to engage in long-term research. How do you think that the benefits of instantaneous information provided by the Internet compare with the potential drawbacks of shortened attention spans?
11. Do you most admire people your own age or people older than you? Write an essay explaining what you think, and give specific examples of an individual you admire, and the reasons you admire him or her.
12. In your opinion, should schools require students to complete a minimum number of community service hours? Discuss whether you believe mandatory community service would benefit most young people.
13. If you could live in another time period, when would it be and why? Be sure to include relevant historical details.
14. Describe a situation in which you made a difficult decision involving an ethical issue. Show how the experience was important and developed your character.
15. Describe one of your most prized possessions. Make sure to isolate three or four different characteristics of the item, and explain why it’s important to you.