Failed/Extremely Hard Exams

[andy3000]

I've taken 17 CLEP / DSST and passed all of them. I found Spanish to be the most difficult by far. I'm pretty good at passing standardized tests.

[LaceyLady]

I have taken 25 CLEP and DSST exams and failed one: DSST Business Math with a score of 342 - which is a little hard to admit because math and business are my areas.

I failed that exam because I ran out of time, I was only about halfway though when the time ended. After that I decided to take a course instead and had an average of 99% in the course (with 100% on the midterm exam).

The most difficult exam for me was probably Chemistry (maybe partly because it was only the second CLEP exam I took) and the essay part of English Composition (not good at timed essays).

[columbia]

I've taken 15 and passed 15 so far. My two hardest exams were difficult because I didn't use the right resources.
My very first exam was clep principles of management. I ordered something from passbooks and they sent me a several decades old Regents College book. I signed up for IC's flashcards two days before the exam (I didn't know about the forum until a few months later). I went through my first set of cards and had a good scare as I figured out I was under prepared. I spent most of the day before the exam cramming down the first two sets of cards. I should have rescheduled the exam, but I had to reserve my original test time two weeks in advance and I wanted to move on. On test day my hands shook as I signed my check. I really worked that test over I almost decided to cancel my score, but I just had to know what it was. I got a 58. IC really covers the material well; you don't need a textbook for that test.
The other test I mis-prepared for was clep US history 2. I hardly looked at the flashcards. I studied up on the political, military, and inventors (I didn't get one of the recommended textbooks). The test had a lot of authors, philosophers, literary works, an artist, and even a question about some newspaper editors! (I know I've mentioned this elsewhere but I still can't get over it.) I still passed with a 58 (my lowest score).

[Publius]

The other test I mis-prepared for was clep US history 2. I hardly looked at the flashcards. I studied up on the political, military, and inventors (I didn't get one of the recommended textbooks). The test had a lot of authors, philosophers, literary works, an artist, and even a question about some newspaper editors! (I know I've mentioned this elsewhere but I still can't get over it.) I still passed with a 58 (my lowest score).

I know exactly what you mean! I had more questions on Elvis and Jazz then I did on both World Wars combined... I also had plenty of questions and quotes on authors philosphers, literary works and even the newspaper editors!

[HorseManiac]

I've only taken 9 exams so far. I haven't failed any, but I've also been taking ones where I'm at least semi-familar with the information before I even start studying. Anyway, the hardest exam I have taken so far was definitely Chemistry!! Yikes!! I'm not sure what was hard about it. I felt like I studied enough, but it is just a hard exam!

[Publius]

What's amazing is that over two thirds of the people here have a 100% pass rate (according to this poll at least). And for those of us who still have failed one, it's still very high (For example, I've taken 22 exams and passed 21: Pass rate is above 95%). There's no place like IC!

[bricabrac]

I passed 19 out of 20 exams for 63 credits.

I failed Intro to Psychology, my third exam, because I was not well prepared. My first two exams A&I Literature and Intro to Computing were so easy that I seriously misjudged the next. What that failure taught me was not to rely solely on feedback because there were different versions of the test. Overall I did very well, I took 2-3 exams per month while taking at min two courses per semester. I never studied more than 7 days for any test and most were 2-3 days prior to exam.

My hardest exam was the business policy tecep.

[frankiebleyes]

I've taken a lot, missed English I and II by one point (while taking the exam upside down), still feel like I was cheated on that one. I failed biology by one point (did not prepare enough for it) and I failed DSST View Nam (studied wrong material), thought it would be easier. As for the other 15 or 16 I passed with really good scores. I'm getting ready to take about four new ones in the next couple of months and since its been two years now I'm concerned, but I will prepare well and then do my best. Some subject matters are easier depending on your back ground and experience. For me I was overconfident in Biology and didn't study enough for Viet Nam history as I thought I had lived it, well I didn't know the answers so guess I didn't know as much as I thought despite being there. I'm about to take some upper level DANTES tests, reupping with IC and hoping to prepae well enough to blow them out of the water. I'm tired and ready to get my degree. Its been too long coming.

[ryoder]

I have never failed one and have passed all with high grades 68-75 etc. I overstudied for all of mine and read the book cover to cover. I also feel like I have learned a LOT from this studying.

[GoodtoGo]

I failed the DANTES World Religions exam-- by quite a bit! Probably 20 points or so. Enough time has gone by that I can try again, so I may give it another whirl My other tests I passed on the first try.