Updated

Adults who've begun working toward their GED are being urged to finish up this year, before the test for a high school equivalency diploma changes and they have to start all over.

The GED Testing Service is introducing a new version of the national test on Jan. 1, 2014.

Developers say the first major changes since 2002 will align the test with the new Common Core curricula adopted by most states to increase college and career readiness. It also will shift test-taking from pencil and paper to computer.

Groups that administer the test nationwide say the push is on to warn students that if they've completed some, but not all, of the five sections of the current test, they should finish before their scores expire Dec. 31.