States Drop GED [VIDEO]: No More High School Dropouts? States DROP GED Diploma Equivilency Test, New Computer Test $120, Double Original Price

The General Education Development exam, better know as GED is undergoing a few changes that may make it even harder for the nations high school drop outs to obtain a diploma.

A new version of the GED, which will be offered only on computers and will cost $120 (double the current price), has prompted states to seek alternative tests from competing education companies, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

New York became the first state to contract with a new company its high school equivalency exam. In March, it awarded a three-year, $8.4 million contract to CTB/McGraw Hill, which created the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), reported The Wall Street Journal.

Several other states are researching their options, reports AP. The California Department of Education is considering whether to amend regulations that the state use only the GED test, while Tennessee and New Jersey are looking into offering more than one test. Missouri requested bids from test makers, planning to make a decision this month. And other states, including Massachusetts, Maine, Indiana, and Iowa, are planning to request information, according to the AP.

The GED was first administered in 1942 to help returning war veterans complete their high school studies. Five years later, the test was made available to civilians, reported the International Business Times.

The new High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) will launch in January, according to the ETS website.