A General Education Development (GED) opens the doors for many opportunities. With it, you can go to college and even have the chance to apply for scholarships to pay for your college classes and trade school training. Also, the skills you acquire when studying for your GED grow your self-confidence and make it possible to succeed in other studies and life. The benefits of GED training are hard to miss. So, what happens when you lose your priced GED certificate? There is no need to panic. Here is a guide for replacing a lost GED

Contact a nearby testing centre

Protocols for obtaining a GED copy differ from state to state. It is, therefore, best to visit a local testing centre to acquaint yourself with the protocols that apply where you live. Go online to find contacts at the testing centre where you took your GED tests. If you got your certificate through an education program, look for a way to reach the program and ask for clear guidelines on obtaining a new GED copy. Inform them that you lost your certificate and need a copy. Most organizations should be able to arrange for a replacement immediately.

Visit the State Department of Education’s Website

In other states, the Department of Education is solely in charge of GEDs. If your state happens to be one of those, you will need to contact the Department of Education directly and request the replacement. Visit the DoE’s website to learn the exact process for obtaining a replacement ged diploma. The only downside of going this route is that you cannot walk in and get a copy of your diploma or transcripts immediately. The low-tech approach of the government process may take a longer time since you have to mail the forms and payments to the education offices. In turn, you may miss a job offer because of a lack of proof for education.

Use third-party provider requests

Many states outsource diploma and transcript requests to third-party providers. The providers are the custodians of the GED transcript and diploma data, and you have to go through them to get a new copy. Some of the most common third-party providers are Parchment and DiplomaSender. Parchment offers individuals digital copies of their GED transcripts or diplomas. Visit the GED testing website and sign in to their account, then request the documents you need. The site has a list of jurisdictions and states that use its services. You can therefore find out if it works in your state. If unsure of how to navigate the site, head over to the “How it Works” sections for some help. DiplomaSender operates similarly to Parchment. You start by registering to their website by creating an account. Once you log in, you can request copies of your credentials and view your GED scores.

Wrapping Up

When you lose your GED certificate, you may worry that all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into acing the tests have gone to waste. That could not be further from the truth. With the guide above, you know how to replace that valuable document with proof of education.