5 CLEPs in a month

[Aquamina]

I am a high school senior, and am 5 gen-ed courses away from my AAS in Network Technology. I decided back in January I would try to CLEP out of all of the gen-eds I needed before May. Now, it is April and I've been studying for months for these CLEPs and I am about to take my first 3 next Thursday.

Next week, I will be taking American Government, US History 1, and US History 2. I took the AP courses for these, and have been reviewing with online courses, cliffs-notes, and a large amount of flash cards, but I am only scoring roughly 55-60 on the practice tests. I know the passing score is a 50, but I am determined to ensure I pass all of these exams. If anyone has any advice over these I would love to hear it!

In the upcoming weeks after, I will be taking the CLEP exams for College Algebra and Information Systems and Computer Applications. I am not as worried about those as I consistently make 70+ on the practice exams, but I would like any advice that you could offer!

I find that test better if I take them consecutively, it gets my mind in a testing state and I find it easier to recall information taking several tests consecutively, as opposed to on separate days. Has anyone else taken several CLEPs in a single day? I've been told it was unwise, but I'd like to see some more opinions.

[kimaya24]

I haven't taken any of the CLEPs that you are, but remember that these tests may have a passing score of 50, but that is just to give a uniform score. Each test has it's own percentage that you must get correct to pass, so a passing score may be 50 but that may actually translate to 30% correct http://www.getcollegecredit.com/pdfs/exam-scoring.pdf. Most people say 50-60 on Peterson will ensure a pass, but again it actually depends on the percent required to get right; however, for a history test I would imagine that percentage is on the lower side and if you've been studying plus have done AP courses, you should definately pass.

I've never done more than one test in a day because my testing center is 30 minutes away and you can only schedule them at 9 and 1, plus it's been over 10 years since I was in high school and I find it easier to focus on 1 test at a time, but back in my hay day I know I could have breezed through these tests and from what you're saying I think you could too. Everyone is different and only you know what works best for you, but I have seen people take 2 tests in the same day. I say take your first test to get a feel, then if you want to do more than one in a day I would make it a combination of one that you find more difficult and an easier one. I would just rather save myself the pressure unless I was extremely pressed for time or the test center was like an hour or 2 away. I don't think I could do more than 2 tests in a day but if you think you can I say go for it and get it done!! GOOD LUCK

[Maniac Craniac]

I haven't taken any of the CLEPs that you are, but remember that these tests may have a passing score of 50, but that is just to give a uniform score. Each test has it's own percentage that you must get correct to pass

This method sets
cut scores based on judgments about
individual test questions or the test as a
whole.

This is similar to what I have read about CLEP. CLEP has a bank of thousands of questions, and your passing score is determined by how "difficult" the specific set of questions that turn up on your exam have been rated to be.

Just one note: no matter what you do, make sure that time doesn't run out before answering every last question!!!! If you don't know an answer, you can click whatever sounds right, then mark the question for review. If you have time, go back to it and try to figure out the correct answer. If you have only a few minutes left with several questions, just click a random answer for each remaining question and then turn back to try to answer correctly as many of them as you can. Do this for every test, every test, EVERY TEST!!!!

[Storyteller]

You are young so taking several tests in one day should not be a problem for you especially since the tests you are planning to take are so interconnected.
I took exactly the same tests: Am. Govt., History I&II in that order, but weeks apart.
There is a lot of overlap of information so you should be alright in that regard.
Consider getting and studying the REA series of clep books with test CD, especially for Am. Govt.
Three days before my test I discovered the REA Am. Govt. book. I sat in Barnes & Noble and read thru the answer section and learned a ton of information that I hadn't found on my previous two months of study and I had used IC, Standard Deviant Videos, Annenberg videos, and AP History tests. I didn't know about Peterson's or the REA books. I passed w/66.
I bought REA books for US History I&II and passed w/75,74 respectively.
Test out Am. Govt. first, it is better to get the harder one out of the way while you are fresh.
Good luck.

[Aquamina]

Thanks for of the advice! From looking around the forums, I think I will look around for the REA series in my area. I've been testing using the Peterson's tests already, can anyone tell me how close those are to the CLEP exams, question-structure wise?

[PonyGirl93]

Thanks for of the advice! From looking around the forums, I think I will look around for the REA series in my area. I've been testing using the Peterson's tests already, can anyone tell me how close those are to the CLEP exams, question-structure wise?

Don't hold me to this, since it has been quite a while since I have taken anything, but I think I remember having to think harder over the Peterson's questions. I don't know whether they were more tricky, more confusing, or what but I remember CLEP questions being more straightforward. Good luck! I know that I took 5 CLEPs at least one month, but they were one a week, I never took 3 in a row :ack:

[ryoder]

American govt test is one of the most failed of all the tests. I scored very high because I studied a lot and have an interest in politics.
Make sure you read the entire REA book on this one and take all the REA tests. Try to pass all of the REA tests with a 90 percent and then go take the test.

[Aquamina]

American govt test is one of the most failed of all the tests. I scored very high because I studied a lot and have an interest in politics.
Make sure you read the entire REA book on this one and take all the REA tests. Try to pass all of the REA tests with a 90 percent and then go take the test.

Any other advice you can give on the American Gov't CLEP? I've been focusing on the constitution/amendments supreme courts cases, and political system. Anything else I should be cramming for on this one?