Can't figure out the CLEP scoring! Argh!

[HedyBrown]

Last month, I took the English Lit CLEP and scored a 76. I studied minimally for the exam, since English lit is something I've studied *extensively* on my own, and since it was strongly emphasized at my private high school. I felt very confident during the test. I scored a 76.

At the same time, I took Humanities. I was less confident about that one, even during the test, because my knowledge of music is lacking. I thought I'd score somewhere in the sixties. My final score? 80.

Saturday, I took the American Lit exam. I hate Twain, I hate Melville, and I hate the transcendentalists. The only "American" authors I like are Henry James and TS Eliot, both of whom liked to pretend they were British. I was *not at all confident* during the test. I thought the score would be in the LOW sixties. Final result? 76.

Obviously, I'm not complaining about my scores, but I don't understand them. I would feel more confident about the other tests if I had any idea HOW I could score the same on English Lit and American Lit, two subjects which I have very different levels of expertise in. And Humanities - a better score than English Lit? How the hell did that happen?

Does anyone know WHY this happened, or how the scores work?

[Ruddigore]

Does anyone know WHY this happened, or how the scores work?

Why? Probably because you knew the materials... Or you are a really good guesser.

Those are amazing scores. Keep up the great work.

[barcotta]

I hate Twain, I hate Melville, and I hate the transcendentalists. The only "American" authors I like are Henry James and TS Eliot, both of whom liked to pretend they were British.

You, my friend, are in an entirely different class than your average student and many/most of us in this forum. I'm reasonably intelligent--I scored the equivalent of an "A" on most of my exams--but I rarely got into the 70's WITH study. If you listed those four authors and asked who wrote one of their famous books--I wouldn't know unless it was Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn. I don't hate the transcendentalists because I don't know who they are or what they were transcending.

You can find more detailed (and probably more accurate) info re. CLEP scoring than I'm going to supply here, but the following is generally true:

CLEP exams are "normed" to the average "C" student. In other words, as I understand it, the exams are created, they're given to students who have completed the relevant class, and then the scoring curve is created. The average score of the average "C" student is then set at 50. So, if you achieve a 50 on a CLEP exam, you have proven that you know at least as much as the AVERAGE "C" student who completed the relevant class. After that, it's all gravy (unless you need higher scores for your application). The separation of a couple of points once you're in the 70's--even the 60's for that matter--isn't particularly significant and will likely be tough to parse out.

Generally speaking, I have found that the more difficult the exam is--the easier the grading is. I took the DSST Statistics exam after significant study and got a 60--which is an A--but there were large swaths of info I was missing and I did a good deal of guessing on that one. I took DSST Criminal Justice after some study and I thought I knew most every answer on that one. I got a 57--barely an A.

If I were you--I would take the road that one of our members recently took and try a whole host of CLEP and DSST tests with little or no study for any of them. I would guess that you could walk into a class, any class, on the first day knowing more than the average "C" student would know after completing the class. If you have a chance, let us know more about what you are doing and your ultimate goals. Otherwise, here's a link to a thread with an interesting theory re. CLEP scoring. It also include links to other related threads:

http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...#post14672

[bkbarden]

Does anyone know WHY this happened, or how the scores work?

This is something I don't always understand either. For example, while in the midst of taking Intro to the Modern Middle East exam, I was thoroughly convinced I was going to fail. I got a 68! Then when I took Business Law, which I felt I knew very well, I was somewhere in the 50s.

I think both the previous posters have good points. You seem to know more than the average person on literature. (I don't even know who Melville is... and I enjoy literature!) So it's not surprising you would do very well.

Also, I have found that there are some topics that I am just instinctively better at. Like the Modern Middle East test... my strength is history, so I am able to reason out the correct answer better than other topics. I sometimes think that my subconscious knows the answer better than I do.

Anyway, I don't know if it really makes sense, but sometimes 'guessing' in a subject you're already strong in can be just as good as knowing information inside and out.

EDIT: I like my new knight champion status.

[jacanyardie]

Just keep on testing..... I have passed a few that floored me because I though I was going to fail them.

[categ]

I don't hate the transcendentalists because I don't know who they are or what they were transcending.

Haha. Like it!

[HedyBrown]

Thank you all so much for the information - especially Barcotta, who was both helpful and extremely witty! Categ is correct - that was a memorable line!

It makes sense that they're weighted differently, and that it could result in the pattern that I saw. I was just very confusing to receive the same scores across the board (6 CLEPs so far, all between 76 and 80) when I have very different comfort levels with the material.

Based on the Peterson's practice exams, I've scored between 75 and 100% correct on most of the exams, so I am relatively confident that I can pass many of them with a quick review. The exception is math; I dropped out of college the first time around to avoid taking a math class, and went on to have a great career as an editor and marketing executive despite not having a degree. But I do really need a degree. And somehow I will have to get through Statistics to get there. I should probably take the class through my University, but I'm aiming for Summa Cum Laude (and sitting pretty, as of now) and math will kill my GPA.

I joined InstaCert for the Statistics help. It's my only hope to get through this; I'm so stupid with math that the IRS sent my taxes back this year with a note saying I'd tried to overpay because I subtracted wrong. STUPID.

And to answer you, Barcotta, I'm in my thirties, and I'm an Irish History major at Regis in Denver. Irish History rather than marketing because it required less math :-) I'm CLEPping to save time. And Math.

[frankiebleyes]

Does your college give credit for GRE exams? If so, with your abilities you should take them and get as much credit as possible towards your decree. Read some of the posts regarding this subject and what I am proposing will make sense.

[LatinTea]

Does your college give credit for GRE exams? If so, with your abilities you should take them and get as much credit as possible towards your decree. Read some of the posts regarding this subject and what I am proposing will make sense.

I second this suggestion! Take the GRE for Literature; looks like you could easily get the full 30 credits.

[NAP]

HedyBrown -

It looks like you are planning to take the Statistics DSST. Would Statistics through ALEKS -- Assessment and Learning, K-12, Higher Education, Automated Tutor, Math be an option for you, too?