Hayden Blanks, an ASNIC Senator, Inter Club Council Representative for TRIO and current NIC student taking on 13 credits, summer classes and work study at Gizmo, said that his journey began with the Adult Education Center program. Deciding to pass the GED test, he began attending their sessions at 16 years of age.
Blanks said that he learned about NIC while attending the AEC program. This led to his decision to enroll in college and get a degree in computer science. He was able to get a scholarship offered by the AEC program to pay for a section of the GED test, and Blanks said that the AEC staff was especially helpful when he decided he wanted to pass the GED in time for the next semester’s registration at NIC.
“The adult education classes were fun and engaging. The teachers were really encouraging and instrumental in helping me reach my time goal of completing the GED before the NIC fall semester began. They helped me prepare ahead of time for the GED tests so I felt confident I would pass. I am currently enrolled at NIC and pursuing a degree in computer science.” – Hayden Blanks.
Blanks said he plans on getting his bachelor’s at the University of Idaho and is hoping to get his master’s at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He said he wants to work on software for Quantum Computes for the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) in New York and is hoping for an internship next summer.
Blanks said that his big plans all began with the Adult Education Center. Without the GED program, he said that he doubts he would have gone to college at all. He said that the GED classes felt more like group study and that it was good having classes in a college atmosphere. Blanks said that being on NIC’s campus and learning more about NIC while preparing for his GED inspired him to enroll in college and pursue his new career.
The Adult Education Center (AEC) program is designed to help anyone looking to earn their General Education Development (GED) credential, often homeschoolers or high school dropouts. The GED certificate is often a steppingstone into college and future careers.
Most North Idaho College students are former participants of AEC’s preparation program for the GED test. But not all students understand what it is AEC offers, or how it might just be the help you’re looking for. The GED Testing Service states that “35% of GED graduates enroll in college within a year of earning their GED credential. Nearly 50% enroll in college within four years of earning their GED credential.”
Idaho’s AEC program and GED testing centers have locations in Bonners Ferry, Silver Valley, Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene. AEC offers class sessions to help people above the age of 16 prepare for taking the GED test. Additional help is offered to help college students when they find that they need some extra help going over the basics. NIC’s AEC had a total of 289 students enrolled within the five northern counties, and 226 GED completions on the last fiscal year.
The AEC’s GED preparation program is free and provides school supplies and textbooks during their class sessions. They offer morning and evening class sessions 2-3 days a week along with extra studying hours. While the program, assessments and GED graduation are all free of charge, the GED test itself costs $30 per exam, with a total of four exams in the GED test.
AEC is funded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. This Congressional Act was passed in 2014 and was designed to help people become successful in the workforce by giving them support services and access to education, training and employment.
NIC’s AEC program has been providing adult education services to students for over 30 years, from Idaho’s five northern counties.
The GED Testing Service has recently said that the GED pass rate in Idaho is 92% compared to the national pass rate of 86%. Idaho is in the top five states with one of the highest GED pass rates.
The AEC’s GED program works to help people achieve their future academic goals. They provide official GED tests, testing centers, test preparation classes and college remediation.
College remediation is for students that need extra help after enrolling in college. College remediation is a great option for anyone struggling in entry-level classes in math, language, social sciences and science. AEC additionally offers scholarships to help anyone who qualifies to pay for the GED test and provides caps and gowns for their GED graduates on graduation day.
