Ready to pull my hair out - humanities clep help

[tresmom]

I have been studying until my brain hurts. I have listened to almost all the vangonotes audibles for humanities. I have one book left to listen to. I have gotten 100% on all the IC flashcards so I thought I'd take a practice test to see if I was ready. I have the REA clep book with the disc that came with it. I haven't reviewed the book yet as I wanted to take the test to see where I stood. Anyhow, I just took the practice test and did horrible. I got a 41% (score 45) and I was guessing on most of the answers! I just took a clep test for growth and development and did really well on that one so I am quite frustrated with this.

Is this REA test like the real test? If it is I think I'm in big trouble. I am a good student, but have a very hard time with poetry and seeing the deeper meanings in things, metaphors, etc. I am very literal with my reading and have almost always been a nonfiction reader versus fiction. Most of the questions on this test were what is the meaning in line x, y, or z. How the heck do you study for that? Anyone have any suggestions. I was wanting to take this test this week, but it is clear that I am going to need more time. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

[76erfan]

I have been studying until my brain hurts. I have listened to almost all the vangonotes audibles for humanities. I have one book left to listen to. I have gotten 100% on all the IC flashcards so I thought I'd take a practice test to see if I was ready. I have the REA clep book with the disc that came with it. I haven't reviewed the book yet as I wanted to take the test to see where I stood. Anyhow, I just took the practice test and did horrible. I got a 41% (score 45) and I was guessing on most of the answers! I just took a clep test for growth and development and did really well on that one so I am quite frustrated with this.

Is this REA test like the real test? If it is I think I'm in big trouble. I am a good student, but have a very hard time with poetry and seeing the deeper meanings in things, metaphors, etc. I am very literal with my reading and have almost always been a nonfiction reader versus fiction. Most of the questions on this test were what is the meaning in line x, y, or z. How the heck do you study for that? Anyone have any suggestions. I was wanting to take this test this week, but it is clear that I am going to need more time. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

I used SpeedyPrep to pass the CLEP Humanities exam. I didn't know about InstantCert at the time. I just went full throttle until I couldn't take studying anymore. I passed with a score of 58.

[frankiebleyes]

I'm not sure if the humanities test is on the practice clep test site, but if it is I would strongly recommend that you take each of the three exams and then review each answer carefully for the right answer. I did this on a couple of tests that I was unsure of and it pulled me through. Best of luck.

[ryoder]

I would have started with reading the entire REA book before trying to take practice tests.
Just relax, sit down with the book, read it on the treadmill etc. Set aside 4-5 hours to read the book and then take the practice test one. Mark all the answers you get wrong and read the detailed explanations for each.
Then go back and retake the practice test again. Do this until you score a 95%.
Then hit up practice test 2 and keep repeating this process until you score 95% on all the REA practice tests.
Then go and do other practice tests like instantcert or speedyprep.
If you think that sounds like too much time, compare that with sitting in a college course for 3 hours per week for 15 weeks and doing homework assignments, required readings, group projects, midterms, finals, quizzes and all of the driving and parking at the university.

[tresmom]

I used SpeedyPrep to pass the CLEP Humanities exam. I didn't know about InstantCert at the time. I just went full throttle until I couldn't take studying anymore. I passed with a score of 58.

Thank you. I actually found speedyprep right after I posted here. I signed up for them as well. It's interesting because their questions are really different. I figure using both will help.

[tresmom]

I'm not sure if the humanities test is on the practice clep test site, but if it is I would strongly recommend that you take each of the three exams and then review each answer carefully for the right answer. I did this on a couple of tests that I was unsure of and it pulled me through. Best of luck.

I will check that out. Thank you.

[tresmom]

I would have started with reading the entire REA book before trying to take practice tests.
Just relax, sit down with the book, read it on the treadmill etc. Set aside 4-5 hours to read the book and then take the practice test one. Mark all the answers you get wrong and read the detailed explanations for each.
Then go back and retake the practice test again. Do this until you score a 95%.
Then hit up practice test 2 and keep repeating this process until you score 95% on all the REA practice tests.
Then go and do other practice tests like instantcert or speedyprep.
If you think that sounds like too much time, compare that with sitting in a college course for 3 hours per week for 15 weeks and doing homework assignments, required readings, group projects, midterms, finals, quizzes and all of the driving and parking at the university.

I am going through the book now. It doesn't sound like too much. I was just frustrated because the questions were so much of interpreting poetry versus authors, names, etc. Today I am going through and making a list of all the major composers & their time periods as well as all the authors in the back of the REA book and their works. I do very well with memorizing facts, but the application part is more challenging. I figure if I can nail down all the terminology and authors though that will leave less of the test that will be challenging. I am feeling a lot better this morning now that I got a good night sleep.

[ShotoJuku]

Relax and don't over think this or outsmart yourself; this exam is well within your reach. The REA and COMEX books are great. They plus the IC FLASHCARDS will assure you a PASS!