CLEP Process Changed?

[EvanK]

Hello.

I just got back from the testing center after taking a DSST test.

My proctor told me that the whole CLEP process has changed (in the last week or so). It now requires them to keep headphones by the testing stations and a lot of other things. She said she doesn't know exactly what else changed because no one has taken a CLEP exam yet since the change occurred.

Does anyone know what those changes are?

[BGSU_Alum_86]

There is no change that requires headphones by the testing computers. Audio headphones are only to be supplied for the foreign language exams. Maybe this person was referring to noise-deadening headphones? Those aren't required by CLEP either, though a quiet setting is required.

Otherwise, nothing has changed in the past week. Maybe this test center made the transition to the new testing platform and some of the staff noticed some of these usual requirements during their recertification process...

[UptonSinclair]

The only change I have noticed is the requirement to pay for your CLEP online before scheduling with the testing center.

[Chebasaz]

The only change I have noticed is the requirement to pay for your CLEP online before scheduling with the testing center.

Yep, they did that when they pushed the new test software. They moved some things around on some of the older CLEPs as well, to make the exams more interactive. Not sure why they did that, as some of the buttons are now in very non-intuitive places. I like the old way better.

[BGSU_Alum_86]

Justin, what do you mean by "some of the buttons are now in very non-intuitive places"? As far as I know (and have seen), the testing tools/buttons are across the top of the testing screen. Are you referring to different buttons? I have not received any complaints thus far, other than the very beginning when there was a bug in the chemistry exam (has now been fixed).

[Chebasaz]

Yep, had a few exams that the buttons started moving around on the screen. They'd be on the top as usual, but then I'd have a few questions where they'd be on the bottom. It took some hunting to find them. I 'think' Biology was one that I noticed this on, but I've taken about two dozen in the last'sh month, so I may be getting the subject confused. I mentioned it to the proctor when I was done, and she said that they had gotten some questions about it. We figured it was just something to do with the software update that happened a few weeks ago.

[cookderosa]

Something has changed or is changing, one of the moms on my HS4CC Facebook page told me her testing center wasn't taking registrations "until" the "new" procedures were in effect. I don't know what these are though....

[BGSU_Alum_86]

Well, I can confirm that no communication has been made to the test centers so I have no idea what kind of new procedures might be coming (if anything). Something to verify...

[EvanK]

Ok, for everyone that's curious about this:

I took a CLEP today. The exams (questions) themselves did not change, but the administration process now somehow requires 2 computers. My proctor has also mentioned that the exam used to be "server-based" and now it is "online-based".

It also seems that the testing interface looks more modern now.

Altogether, there are no major changes so there is nothing to worry about.

[BGSU_Alum_86]

This is relatively new as the IBM testing platform was launched in September 2013. The old testing platform required two computers also -- the administrator's computer and the candidate's computer -- so that is not new. As reported earlier, the big change is the requirement to register for your specific exam on the CLEP website (setting up an account if you have not done so before, and then paying the $80 test fee). This will produce a Registration Ticket which must be shown (paper copy or displayed on your smart phone) to the test center upon check-in. The other change CLEP has made is to restrict even more what is considered acceptable as a secondary ID (if you do not have two valid government-issued IDs with name, photo and signature).