Intro Psych CLEP this Friday

[killerkitty]

Hey all!
What's up w/everyone???

Well I'm taking my first clep, Intro to Psych, this Friday at 1pm.

Up until yesterday I was extremely confident that I would have no problems. I studied from a college Psych textbook, and I used the IC flashcards. I practiced with the cards so much I have them memorized (almost hehe.)

But today I went to Barnes and Noble, and came across the Peterson's Clep book as well as the AP Psychology Cliffs. The questions in both of these books seem so much harder! I didn't know the answers to a lot of the practice questions!

I'm totally bummed now. Am I not really ready? Should I cancel the test and buy these two books and study from them before I try? I just thought IC would be enough because of how much everyone loves IC.

Or am I just being paranoid?

Help me help me.

killer

[gcalvin]

I haven't used the Peterson's books myself, but from what I keep seeing on the board, they appear to be significantly more difficult than the real exam. The Official Guide seems to be the best indicator of the real CLEP exam. (You do have a copy of the Official Guide, don't you?) And remember, you only need a 50 to pass.

Keep studying, but there's probably no need to cancel. Nobody here can make any guarantees to you, of course, but don't give up yet. Buying one or both of the books you mentioned may help, but you should definitely get a copy of the Official Guide if you don't have one yet.

The other key is to relax and take your time while you are actually taking the exam. CLEP doesn't use a lot of "trick questions" -- you need to know the material, but the exam is not designed to deceive. Take one pass to answer the questions you are sure about and mark the others. Then on the second pass, take a little more time and trust your preparation. Quite a few more answers will reveal themselves. Some of the answers may even be suggested by other questions you answered on the first pass. On your third pass, concentrate on eliminating the known-wrong answers, and make intelligent guesses. There is no wrong-answer penalty on CLEP, so make sure you mark an answer for every question. Don't stress out or spend too much time on any one question. Stay aware of the time, but don't let it pressure you too much.

While I was taking my first CLEP (Humanities), I was certain that I was blowing it. When I got to the end, I debated for several minutes at the screen where you have an option of submitting your score, or canceling. I really thought that maybe I should cancel, because I didn't want my terrible score (I hadn't seen my score yet, but I thought it had to be terrible) to be sent to the school. I finally decided that I couldn't cancel without looking at my score (too curious) and I couldn't wait six months to take the exam again. And after all, there's a chance I cleared 50 anyway, I thought. So I clicked "submit" (or whatever the darn button's called) and saw that I had scored a 79 (out of a possible 80). Others have told similar stories. The moral is that at some point you need to trust your preparation. You will not be certain of every answer, but that doesn't mean you aren't prepared.

-Gary-

[killerkitty]

Wow thanks a lot guys!
Big big help,
and nope I dont have the official guide, I will get it though!
Nope I don't do as well when the questions are randomized,
I'm just going to keep on studying, I have tonight, Wednesday and Thursday night to really push it to the limit, and I think I'm gonna go for it!

I'll let everyone know what my score is! Thanks a lot all!!!!!

killer

[studyhard]

The moral is that at some point you need to trust your preparation. You will not be certain of every answer, but that doesn't mean you aren't prepared.

-Gary-

I agree! I have learned that if I have gotten good at IC (as in, done all the sections 4+ times) and have done supplementary research by reading at least one in-depth book, plus supplementary online research for stuff that's confusing, that has always been adequate. Sure, my scores vary, but I have never gotten lower than a 61. I can go into any test feeling decently confident because I know my preparation has been thorough. At the very least I can make educated guesses that very often turn out to be right.

So to answer your question.....yeah, you're just being paranoid, LOL! hilarious Keep studying, but don't cancel your test. You'll be fine.

[ladybugjessi]

I just took the Intro the Psych clep yesterday. I passed with a 72. I used instacert almost exclusively. I did look up the things I did not quite get Like Karen Horney's Neurotic needs and Kohlberg's morality in a text book. If you did great on instacert you ought to do just fine. Relax
I did awful on the peterson's practice test.:o

[killerkitty]

Hi all!
thanks for all the great advice, i'm just doing some last minute studying before I head downtown to the testing center. I'm pretty confident I'm gonna pass, I'll let yas know, even if I don't pass!
cya!!!

[killerkitty]

Hey guys!!!!!!!
Well I just got back from the testing center,
and guess what,
I passed! YYYYYYYesssss,
I got a 63!
I'm sooooooooooo excited!
Of course I thought I did horrible, I was second guessing myself the whole time and there was some material I hadn't studied, and I got really depressed toward the end thinking I was definitely going to fail, and I would totally lose my motivation to CLEP anymore.
But I passed, and I have a lot of you guys on here to thank!!!! Really, I, I, I love you man! hehe.

So what CLEP do I take next???? Decisions, decisions. Whew I'm spinning.

Well I'm out 'til Sunday, cyas!
-killer

[ctumbleweed]

Congratulations on your first CLEP pass! Great score! Welcome to your new addiction of testing out.

[gcalvin]

Way to go! I had a feeling you'd do fine. If you have the Official Guide now, take some practice exams and see where you are. You might find you are ready to take one or two exams without any prep at all. Analyzing & Interpreting Literature is one that a lot of people (mostly people who read a lot for fun) find quite easy.

-Gary-

[killerkitty]

Hii,
thanks a lot all! yeah i'm really excited to start doing more tests!

I've already started studying for the intro to sociology clep, i might try to take that and analyzing and interpreting literature in a couple of weeks. i figure i might as well get the easy ones out of the way.

I might be enrolling in TESC soon also since I qualify for grants.

this is gonna be fun,
i could definitely get addicted to testing out!!!!