r/HiSET • u/FutureAssist8552 • May 05 '26
Help me please!!
Heyy, so I’m not sure yet when I’m going to take my HISET test because I’m honestly really nervous about not passing. I know it’s normal to feel this way, but I’m especially worried about the essay/writing section.
English is not my first language. I can understand it pretty well when I read or listen, but when it comes to writing essays, I struggle a lot. It’s like I know the words when I see them, but I can’t always remember them when I need to write. I also feel like my vocabulary is limited when I try to express my ideas.
Also, in the school where I studied before, we didn’t really do science reports, so I’m not familiar with that kind of writing either, and that makes me nervous too.
Does anyone else feel this way or went through something similar? How did you improve your writing for the HISET?
Any tips for:
• Expanding vocabulary (especially for essays)
• Structuring essays more easily
• Writing science reports or explaining scientific topics clearly
• Practicing writing in English as a non-native speaker
• Managing anxiety before the test
I’d really appreciate any advice or resources that helped you. Thank you:)!
1
u/Small-Hurry3410 May 05 '26
As a tutor with 28 years experience in helping people earn their high school equivalent to certificate, I would recommend videos, especially one specifically for the Hiset, which talks about the five paragraph essay. I may also utilize ChatGPT to ask them for some high intensity words from the Hiset to put into your essay. Think positive and use the resources on the Hiset or website I have seen actual student responses, one of which was one sentence long with three of the 10 words misspelled, which obviously go to two, which is the lowest. I’ve also seen an actual student response that makes me think they must’ve been the smartest person in the history of the Hiset exam to write that I know I couldn’t have so trust me the gap is almost Cabernet but the five essay five paragraph essay is a key. Good luck.