Although CTC has been approved for GED preparation and testing for more than 20 years, the facility -- and the concept behind the facility -- is brand new.
"This building is the first of its kind for Chattahoochee Tech," said Jon Collins, executive director for adult education.
The building has four 600-square-foot classrooms specifically designed for adult learners and hosts free GED preparation classes, GED testing and English as a second language classes.
Collins said the building also provides student services so those interested in GED preparation classes only have to go to one building on the campus.
"Until we had this building, we were sprinkled around campus," Collins said.
Collins added there are still GED preparation sites in Cartersville outside of the north metro campus.
"The Cartersville site (Summer Hill GED preparation complex) makes up about 40 percent of our (GED) student population," Collins said.
He said he encourages everyone interested in acquiring their GED to take advantage of the preparation courses.
"If someone just walks in off the street to take the test, there's a big chance they won't pass," Collins said. "It's getting tougher because the direction of the test and the direction of this program are moving towards 'college-ready.'"
When enrolling in the GED preparation courses, students must first take a diagnostic test, which will show what areas need improvement.
"(The diagnostic) will become the design for the individual student's program," Collins said.
The national requirement for a student to take GED preparation courses before testing is 60 hours, but Collins said the time spent is dependent on the student's needs.
Collins added the CTC program also allows students to work online in an effort to help accommodate work schedules.
Becky Wilke, a math instructor in CTC's GED preparation program, said she had a former student who had to take GED preparation courses for 10 years.
"She passed the GED and went on to college," Wilke said, "but she needed that time."
Wilke said her class is very "participatory" in that students feel comfortable asking questions and working with one another during test preparation.
"We have all the time we need to back up, start again and explain it one more time," Wilke said. "It's a group effort."
Collins said instructors will continue testing students throughout the GED preparation in order to get students reacquainted with test taking.
"The test itself is seven-and-a-half hours long," Collins said. "The idea is that we're going to make sure they know the material before they take the GED test."
He said CTC will see about 2,000 GED students in a year's time, ranging from age 16 to 70, with the median being students in their 30s.
Wilke and Collins said although some younger students who enroll in GED preparation classes do so because they lack certain high school graduation credits, there are many who are more focused on their finances instead of overall education.
Collins explained because more Americans are graduating from college and gaining higher degrees, it makes all degrees and diplomas less valuable to an extent.
"When people would come in for GED classes, we used to say 'that's great,'" Collins said. "Now we say, 'That's great, but it's not enough.'"
Wilke and Collins said the most important step for anyone interested in acquiring their GED is to come by the new facility.
"It's OK to believe you can succeed," Collins said.
The program itself has proven successful. Collins said CTC's GED testing percentage pass rate is above the national average, which is around 72 percent.
For more information, visit www.chattcollege.com.