High School Equivalency

Register for FREE High School Equivalency classes

Register for AEL

By email: ael@eastcentral.edu

By phone: 636-584-6533 or
844-ECC-4AEL (844-322-4235)

FREE High School Equivalency Classes

Taking steps towards completing your high school education is a significant achievement. East Central College’s AEL program offers free classes to help you prepare for high school equivalency tests.

Program Offerings

  • High School Equivalency Prep: Prepare to take the HiSET or GED to attain your high school equivalency
  • For Already Graduated Students: If you already have a high school diploma but want to score better on tests like the ASVAB, college entrance exams, or WorkKeys (NCRC), AEL can help you focus on specific skills to improve your scores.

Getting Started

  • Eligibility: Students must be 17 years or older, not enrolled in high school, and NOT have an F-1 visa
  • Register for AEL:
  • Orientation: ALL new students are required to attend an orientation session. An introduction to our program is provided, including class requirements and information about the assessments. Orientation dates are available on the AEL Home Page.
  • Assessments: Students are required to take a skills assessment called Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). This helps us understand what you already know and what you need to learn.

Orientation

Orientation Session 1 Orientation Session 2 
Zoom  July 15   
Pre-testing*  
Rolla July 16  
Union July 17  
Class Start Date
August 4 		Zoom  July 21   
Pre-testing*  
Rolla July 23  
Union July 24  
Class Start Date
August 4 		Zoom Sep. 8   
Pre-testing*  
Rolla Sep. 10 
Union Sep. 11  
Class Start Date September 29 		Zoom Sep. 16  
Pre-testing*  
Rolla Sep. 17 
Union Sep. 18  
Class Start Date September 29  
Orientation Session 3 Orientation Session 4 
Zoom  Dec. 9   
Pre-testing* 
Rolla Dec. 17 
Union Dec. 11  
Class Start Date January 12 		Zoom Jan. 6  
Pre-testing* 
Rolla Jan. 7 
Union Jan. 8  
Class Start Date January 12  		Zoom Feb. 23  
Pre-testing*  
Rolla Feb. 25 
Union Feb. 26  
Class Start Date
March 23 		Zoom Mar. 3  
Pre-testing*  
Rolla Mar. 4 
Union Mar. 5  
Class Start Date
March 23  

*Pre-testing is in person on an ECC campus.  
*Montgomery City location pre-testing dates will differ.   
  Additional pre-testing dates may be added if necessary.  
 All dates are subject to change. 

Contact AEL

By email: ael@eastcentral.edu

By phone: 636-584-6533 or 844-ECC-4AEL (844-322-4235)

Register for AEL

Class Locations and Schedules

Franklin County

Union – East Central College, Hansen Hall, 1964 Prairie Dell Rd., Suite 270

  • Day: Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
  • Evening: Monday & Wednesday, 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Sullivan – The Ridge Church of Sullivan, 131 W. Hwy WW

  • Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

St. Clair – St. John United Church of Christ, 920 E. Gravois Ave.

  • Monday & Thursday, 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Washington – Missouri Career Center (Behind Big Lots), 1108 Washington Square

  • Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Crawford County

Cuba – First Baptist Church, 606 Myrtle Ave. (2nd floor)

  • Monday & Wednesday, 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Montgomery County

Montgomery City – Reach Community Church, 100 Chamber Dr.

  • Day: Monday & Wednesday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
  • Evening: Tuesday & Thursday, 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Phelps County

Rolla – ECC Rolla North, 2303 North Bishop Ave. (HWY 63)

  • Day: Monday & Wednesday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
  • Evening: Tuesday & Thursday, 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Gasconade County

Owensville – Owensville Christian Church, 620 E Lincoln.

  • Tuesday & Thursday, 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Additional Support

HSE Transition Scholarship

For students who have successfully completed their High School Equivalency through East Central College’s AEL program, we offer the HSE Transition Scholarship. This opportunity is designed to support your first steps into higher education by providing financial assistance for your initial college class.

  • Eligibility: You must have completed the HiSET program at East Central College within the last 12 months and be enrolling in college for the first time.
  • Benefits: A tuition waiver for a three-hour college credit class. Note that this does not cover fees, books, or certain courses.
  • Application Process: Submit your HiSET scores along with the ECC Institutional Scholarship application to apply.

HiSET and GED Overview

HiSET® Exam

The HiSET exam covers five core areas – Language Arts (Reading and Writing), Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. You can find more about the HiSET, schedule your test, and pay for it through the HiSET website.

GED® Exam

The GED comprises four subjects – Mathematical Reasoning, Reasoning Through Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science. Create your GED account at GED.com for study materials, class information, and scheduling.

Learn more about the differences between the GED and the HiSET at the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) website.