Need advice for a newbie, help is appreciated!

[dan88123]

As I've graduated a semester early in high school, I want to take this time to test out of some clep courses that will count toward my degree. My first one to knockout is U.S. History 1. So far I've been studying about 4 days and I recently took a REA test and got 50% right however they gave me a score of 59. I feel as though I know a lot of history however when I took the practice test I felt as though I didn't know a significant amount of the info, and I'm wondering if the REA test and scores are an accurate representation of the actual test, and if some of the questions are the same. Thank you!

[ShotoJuku]

If you can pass REA (and Petersons) practice exams (with room to spare) you should be ready to sit the real exam.

[dan88123]

thank you mucho!

[dcan]

Congrats on graduating early!

Did you look at the "scaled score"? If so it is only an approximation of what the College Board will award for that % correct on the "real" test. CLEPs are scored from 20-80 with a normal passing score of 50, which is equivalent to a "typical C-level college student who just took the same type of class", so a 59 is probably about a B-equivalent I would guess.

FYI check the Specific Feedback forum (link in sig) for test-specific feedback, including which study guides are the best. REA may or may not be ideal. For example, for my upcoming marketing CLEP it is perfect but for management it is reportedly very far off the mark.

Also go to Amazon and buy the Official CLEP Study Guide. It's about $15 and has example tests for every CLEP test offered. Make sure you get the all-in-one $15 book, not the $10 book for each test. And despite the name it is NOT a study guide, it is only sample tests, but they are extremely close to what you will face on the exam in terms of level of difficulty and depth/breadth. Most of us like to use it as a "last" test a day or so before the real one to make sure we know what we are getting into.

[dan88123]

Yah thanks! US history 1 is what I'm taking as Im trying to knockout as many courses as possible so I can get done with Engineering school as fast as I can and IUPUI/Purdue only require a 50. What you mentioned sounds good, and from what you told me, Ill look at the form (I think many people said the REA for "US History is good) study a final time from what most people suggested and retake the REA tests and to top it off take the test from the official clep study guide as I rented it at the library yesterday. So you mentioning it's a good study tool is reassuring!

[dcan]

The official guide is dead accurate since it's made by the people who make the CLEPs.

Note by accurate I do not mean the questions are on the actual test, rather it is a very realistic simulation of the test.