HS'ing parents advice needed

[burbuja0512]

Thanks for the input.

Are most of you using Instant Cert as a supplement and not a stand-alone product?

This answer will be different for teens and adults. I've used mostly IC + Specific Forum Feedback for all of my tests and only supplemented on a few of the tougher ones.

However, keep in mind that many of the topics that I've tested on, I've already got some background in. Kids won't have that advantage. For a homeschooler, I would buy a college text book, and have them read chapters along with using IC to reinforce the material in each chapter. Then, supplement with videos such as Standard Deviants, Youtube lectures, and documentaries on NetFlix.

There are lesson plans out there on the web geared specifically towards teaching your child a subject while simultaneously preparing for the CLEP or Dantes. I would probably take this approach as I think it's important to teach teens more than an adult would need to know for the same test.

[Elinor]

Are most of you using Instant Cert as a supplement and not a stand-alone product?

It definitely depends on the subject matter for me. I could go through my entire testing list and tell you what I've done, but that would get long and boring. Instead I'll just highlight a few:

- Analyzing and Interpreting Literature was my very first test. Talk about nervous! I had several friends who had already taken this test though, and they all agreed I could pass it no problem. They were right. I didn't study at all for this one. I have read pretty extensively, and had a pretty good grasp on how to read the tougher Shakespearean/middle English language.

- College Mathematics was a killer! I'd not really had to do that sort of math for 3-4 years, so I spent 2 weeks of extremely intense study using IC and other online resources I found myself. I barely squeaked by, but the point is to pass (especially if you'll be going with one of the Big 3).

- For American Literature, IC doesn't have flashcards. So, I used free lectures from iTunes U (read the specific exam feedback section; the lectures I used are mentioned a couple times there.), and the Baron's study guide (Kindle version).

- For the Humanities, Western Civ I & II, US History I & II, and Social Sciences and History tests I supplemented IC with the REA books. For Intro to Sociology, since I'd already taken SS&H, I read through the sociology section in that REA book as well, but most of my study for sociology was done with iTunes U lectures and IC.

- For the Soviet Union and Modern Middle East tests, I've actually ordered books. Yeah, like real text books, not study guides. These tests are notoriously difficult though, so I decided to err on the side of over-studying rather then have to take the test over again. :p

- Environment and Humanity is probably my favorite test after A&I Lit. There's a document in the specific exam feedback section (Snyderm's study guide) that I read through once before sitting for the test. I passed with the very respectable score of 62. I could have gotten a much higher score if I'd actually study, but again, all I was going for was a pass. I was very pleased to pass like I did almost without studying! (And no, I didn't/don't really have any background in that type of thing.)

Obviously, I use all sorts of study methods. Once I figure out what test I want to try next, I always read through the specific exam feedback section before anything else. From that I more or less determine how I'm going to go about studying for it. If the majority say it was a breeze, I might try just IC; if the consensus is that it's ridiculously hard, I'll probably order at least a study guide, maybe a text book. I also loved iTunes U; I liked having the audio and the visual (IC and/or study guide).

Oh, I also just pointed out what made up the majority of my studying for those tests. I generally... maybe always(?), did fairly extensive Wikipedia-ing. Sometimes there were a few other resources too (Learner.org was a good one for several of my tests); I usually found those through the feedback section/gold mine.

I often blogged about what I did to study for a test, and how the test went over at my blog. If you want even more specifics than I put here, use the search feature at the top right of my sidebar (just put in the test name; that should be enough to get you some info).

Well, this turned out to be a long, and probably pretty boring. Believe it or not, I was actually trying to avoid that. Sorry!!! :o

[Lolmom]

There are lesson plans out there on the web geared specifically towards teaching your child a subject while simultaneously preparing for the CLEP or Dantes. I would probably take this approach as I think it's important to teach teens more than an adult would need to know for the same test.

I do know of one site but I don't know of anyone who has actually used it - clepprep.tripod.com

Are there others?

I have looked at the site above and I believe this is the direction we should start. She really is just trying to get her feet wet and build confidence. When she finds that she can handle studying and testing, we can start formulating what to do next.

Thanks for all the input everyone. I'm sure I will be back asking lots more questions.

[vetvso]

I do know of one site but I don't know of anyone who has actually used it - clepprep.tripod.com

Are there others?

I have looked at the site above and I believe this is the direction we should start. She really is just trying to get her feet wet and build confidence. When she finds that she can handle studying and testing, we can start formulating what to do next.

Thanks for all the input everyone. I'm sure I will be back asking lots more questions.

My 12 year old son is using Petersons, Instacert and other online sources to study for the Intro to Computers DSST.

[vetvso]

My 12 year old son is using Petersons, Instacert and other online sources to study for the Intro to Computers DSST.

So Instacert for my son and myself are not primary although it is the best option for some people. We just prefer the Pertersons offline tests.

[MomOfMany]

I make a semester course for whatever we are testing for using the CLEP or DSST prep materials as a spine and the exam spcific feedback and other info shared here as points of focus in the course.

I didn't even sign up for IC until 3 weeks from projected test date, so it was supplimentary here.

[burbuja0512]

I do know of one site but I don't know of anyone who has actually used it - clepprep.tripod.com

Are there others?

I have looked at the site above and I believe this is the direction we should start. She really is just trying to get her feet wet and build confidence. When she finds that she can handle studying and testing, we can start formulating what to do next.

Thanks for all the input everyone. I'm sure I will be back asking lots more questions.

Yes, this is the website I was thinking about. I also joined their Yahoo groups and I get tons of emails daily from different homeschooling parents. I don't usually participate in the discussion, but it's interesting to see what everyone's doing.

I kind of feel like my DS and I are on our own wavelength for him because he hasn't been homeschooled his whole life and struggled through public school with ADHD. When I finally pulled him out last year, we've had to do things our own way. He's got a very high IQ so he is very advanced in some areas, but weak in certain basics that he never learned in public school. So, we pick and choose the best from everything that we find to create a program for him. Obviously the basics are part of that, but we also let his interests lead the way to try to instill a love of learning that he just didn't get from public school.

[Ubuntu_user]

Like everyone else has said, choose something that she likes and is strong in. I took my first clep when I was 14 (man that was quite a few years ago) and I've had a background in computers so I took the clep computer applications (whatever it's called) without any study and barely passed. Then I did the infamous analyzing and interpreting literature clep. Then from there I took the English Composition w/ essay and flunked! But I realized that I was young and I don't have a real solid background in english (like essay writing) and so it didn't set me back that much.

Especially at first, let her take it on her own and at her own pace. She'll do much better if she fully owns it, and she'll get even more of a confidence boost if it's her deal. You may have to help facilitate that...