New people please read the book

[ryoder]

I want to encourage any new clep test takers to get a test prep book like REA and read it cover to cover in addition to doing the flash cards. Even if you think you don't need it, the text will give you a great foundation from which to build.
I would also recommend getting the big clep book which has practice tests for most major subjects. Take half of the test, first thirty questions before studying to see how much you know.
Then go and read the book, retake those thirty questions and you will feel great about how much you learned. Then do the two or three practice tests in the book and finally take the sixty question test in the big clep book.
Then do instantcert flash cards.

This worked for me every time with high grades and very little stress.

[PonyGirl93]

I want to encourage any new clep test takers to get a test prep book like REA and read it cover to cover in addition to doing the flash cards. Even if you think you don't need it, the text will give you a great foundation from which to build.
I would also recommend getting the big clep book which has practice tests for most major subjects. Take half of the test, first thirty questions before studying to see how much you know.
Then go and read the book, retake those thirty questions and you will feel great about how much you learned. Then do the two or three practice tests in the book and finally take the sixty question test in the big clep book.
Then do instantcert flash cards.

This worked for me every time with high grades and very little stress.

:imwithstupid:

....sorry, there was no "I'm with Brilliant" option milelol:

[P00057870]

Especially when starting out!..... After you get back into the swing of studying, you may be able to modify this to save time. Not to mention, unfortunately REA does not have books on every subject you may be interested in testing out of.

[mishmash1]

thank you for the advice!

[burbuja0512]

I totally agree that more than one resource is a great idea, but I also want to point out that I've only ever bought a book for my more difficult topics like Bus Law II, M & B, and Finance.

What I have done is to take the IC cards as a guide to what will be on the test, along with specific forum feedback. Then, I have used Google or Wikipedia to learn all of the concepts that are in the cards.

So.. my advice would be yes buy books if you have the money, but if you don't, use the cards, plus forum feedback, plus online resources. Don't just know the cards, but understand them and the concepts they discuss. If everyone in the specific feedback forum says to buy another book, then do buy it!

Also keep in mind that many exams really are a LOT easier if you've got real-world experience. All of my business tests would have been 100% harder if I hadn't been in the business world for all of my adult life. If a concept is totally new to you, take it very seriously even if many specific feedback posts say that it's "easy." To illustrate that point, here's an example: Spanish was easy for me, but I lived in Mexico for 6 years. That doesn't mean it's easy for you. French would be impossible and incredibly difficult because I studied it for one year back in 1992, but may be simple to someone who lived in Quebec. You get my point..

Good post Ryoder. When you first start off testing, it does sound easy. It's better than taking classes and writing papers, but it is still a ton of hard work and lots of study!