How To Ace CLEP Exams

By taking up CLEP exam or commonly known as College Level Examination Program, there is a chance to earn college units and it can help you save time, money and graduate college fast. This exam is administered by the College Board to help assess the college level knowledge for 36 subject areas. It is conducted at more than 1,700 sites (colleges, universities, and military installations) across the United States.

These tips will help you pass the CLEP exams:

  • Browse the internet then look for the exam outline – CLEP exams permit you to cash in knowledge earned outside the classroom or in high school. As you skim for outline, point out what may be your weaknesses and strengths.
  • Check your school choice – CLEP exam may depend on university or college that you choose, but most CLEP tests gives a passing score of 50, although it has been reported that other educational institutions require a higher score.
  • Make list of key terms in a flash card – Flash card can help you remember terms and definitions. It is fairly effective by its ability to help you store terms in your long term memory and eliminate cramming. Every time you encounter unfamiliar words, write the exact term and its meaning to an index card and go over it a few times.
  • Search for updated reviewers – in this generation, there are many resources that are available. Search for books or other materials in the internet that are still comprehensive and reliable and look for its year of publication.
  • Seek for help – Ask help from your friends and relatives that have already taken the exam. Ask them about the concepts that you don’t understand and take that as an opportunity to gain knowledge.
  • Use practice test – Practice makes perfect. After you study everything, practice test is advisable because it will help you fill in the lapses in your knowledge. It can also help you develop strategies that you can use during the examination day.

Taking examinations that can help you boost your future can be a headache, but you just have to look into your holes and maximize it through knowledge.

What You Can Save From CLEP Exams

College Level Examination Program, or CLEP exams, are academic exams developed by the College Board, creators of the SAT. Generally, CLEP exams are 90 minutes long and include multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions, apart from the English Composition with Essay examination. The current fee for a CLEP examination is $65, which is a small price to pay considering the cost of college tuition these days. If you take two science programs, you can save roughly $1,200 in college tuition costs and about $150 in books! Basically, CLEP exams generally adhere to the content provided in entry-level college classes. A CLEP examination may be based on a single term course, a two-semester course, or even a two-year course (foreign ‘languages’, etc.). Based on your college (or upcoming college), you may be provided three, six, or even 12 hours of credit for each CLEP examination.

Nearly 3,000 organizations agree to CLEP exams for school credit. Although the American Council on Education suggests lowest ratings for giving credit, it is the organizations themselves that eventually figure out the lowest ranking for credit to be provided, as well as the amount of credit ranking provided for each CLEP examination.

CLEP Examinations are currently available for the following subjects:

  • Business
  • Foreign Languages
  • Composition
  • Literature
  • History
  • Social Sciences
  • Science
  • Math

Schools, colleges and universities differ in their treatment of CLEP examinations. Review your college’s CLEP policies to find out what examinations you may take, the ratings you must get and any appropriate deadlines/requirements. Remember that some institutions offer substitute credit for life experience without taking a CLEP examination. For example, if you are an entrepreneur, you may be able to get management and accounting credit, depending on your business. If you are a recruiting manager, you might be able to get substitute portfolio credit as well. It will differ by business. Sometimes, you may just be granted optional credit for substitute learning, but either way, you are not wasting time and money!