6 CLEP/DSST in 2 weeks

[Pzzldmom]

I finished my sixth test yesterday. I have one more to take tomorrow, technical writing...I am not too worried about it though. It will be a total of 7 tests in 16 days and 27 credits.



Kyra

[ShotoJuku]

[SIZE="2"][COLOR="Navy"]Fantastic - Congrats!!

When you're done how about sharing some of the "Priceless" secrets of your incredible success!!

Good Luck Tomorrow!![/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Pzzldmom]

I can share this:

As your tag line says...a pass is a pass...keep in mind a monkey can take any 100 question multiple choice test and score a 20% on it.
So chances are you are going to know some of the questions without having to think about it, probably in the 10%-15% range....that right there will put you at about 35%-40%

You will probably be fairly sure of another 10% and somewhat ok with your guess on another 10% but probably wrong on half of those.

The rest are all guesses.

When you get down to those that you just have no effin' clue you have four choices. Most of the time two of the choice are just not going to be reasonable. So now you can eliminate two and give yourself a 50/50 shot.


If you just keep plugging along with that kind of attitude you will do fine. The difference between a 49 and 51 is not intelligence....and it never will be.


And there is no difference between a 51 and anything higher.


As for studying...I prefer the hit and run method. I study for 30 to 45 minute blocks of time and digest..think as I do other tasks...a load of laundry, cook dinner...clean the kitchen, drive kids around...whatever....something where my body is doing a task, but my mind can replay what I just went over.
An hour or so later...I study again...a completely different block of information...not the same stuff. Never the same stuff. Do the same thing again. And then I try to mentally piece it in my mind...like history..I mentally piece in my mind what the world was like...what was going here..in Europe..etc...or in English, I purposely try to write bad sentences so I can recognize them better. In science...I put things together and group them (which was why I took Sociology and Psychology at the same time) and study them together. It cuts down on my study time and creates a framework from which I can answer both test questions from.

The day before the test, I print out the free Peterson's test and take it and check what I get. Whatever I get I go back and read the answers. (I have found the Peterson's questions to be the most like the actual CLEP tests questions...especially for sociology and psychology.)


Of course I don't discount luck, nerves, caffeine and God. So I usually have to pee while I take the test because I have had a couple of lattes, and I have a nervous tick and sit and jiggle my foot the entire time. I also carry and Icon of St. Athanasisus with me and do several deep breathing exercises before I start and just after I finish.

(I usually finish in about 45 minutes.)


Kyra

[barcotta]

Interesting analysis... I suppose if I were in the mood to argue, I would argue that there is, in fact, at least SOME correlation between scoring well on a standardized test and intelligence...but, that's just me. I will be banking on the monkey theory for Statistics and we'll see how well it serves me. I regard Statistics as a completely new challenge because the subject matter is new (and very different then anything I've studied in 20+ years) and you can't eliminate answers that "look" wrong. In fact, this will be the first standardized test I take where they will have inserted the "correct" answer as an option if you solved the problem in a popularly incorrect manner.

[tvelasquez]

Very nice comments and great run down. Not only have you encouraged me to do more, but you also got me to reply. It's busy people that get things done! - Congrats on a great performance!

[Pzzldmom]

LOL...no kidding...I just graduated with (insert MC voice here for big sounding degree) Associates of Applied Science in Information Technology with a 4.0 GPA. I have four kids and my husband is on the road full time right now. I see him about 36 hours every 3-4 weeks. I am will finish my BA in Network Security and Forensics in May.

But God forbid you should ask me to find my sunglasses right now, I still need to run errands, and my house looks like a truck drove through it.

Ahh well back to studying!


And I do agree with the above poster...there is an amount of intelligence attached to this...but I think a huge amount of it is going to be perseverance and just sheer grit determination......someone told me I couldn't do it at one point. But if someone gets a 49 on a CLEP it was certainly not because they were not smart enough...they need to see where they made their mistake..over confidence, lack of studying or second guessing.

Kyra

[Pzzldmom]

Ok I finished the Technical Writing Test today...not a score I am thrilled with after I had heard how simple it was...but it is still a pass...and a pass is a pass.

I found there to be a lot more questions on there about how to write a technical paper than the English itself...and I found myself with a lack of information...however I applied my theory and just kept plugging away. I just tried in some cases to pick what seemed most plausible.

It would be nice if there were something more helpful and directional for studying the Technical writing test other than a link I got from Learning.org. which really was not all that helpful.


I will say this...if you plan on taking this test make sure you understand:

• The parameters of a technical paper, how it is organized (i.e. intro, body, conclusion, etc)
  
  
• That you know the difference between a conclusion and a recommendation (that came up in at least 8-9 questions)
  
  
• That you understand how direct a paper to an audience.
  
  
• That you know the difference between a business letter, a memorandum and an cover letter and what is included on each and who it is intended for
  
  
• That you understand different types of graphics and graphs and when to use them and when NOT to use them.
  
  
• How and when to use a Table.
  
  
• What an abstract is (in about 15 questions I answered and I had no effin idea)
  
  
• Active voice and passive voice and when to use them in technical writing.

Mostly make sure you know who your audience is in each type of writing...and why that audience is important.


Hope that helps anyone taking it. There is someone who took this same test a few pages back (off the main threads page) who gave a good link for an online book of technical writing...if not for him/her I probably would have failed this test....so THANK!!


With that folks...When my month runs out here I will be done..I don't think you can continue in the forum so until my teenagers get ready to CLEP out of their first two years of college I doubt I will be back...sorry it was so short and sweet, but I appreciate all the great tips I gleaned from this forum and any happy for any help I can pass on.


Kyra

[sgloer]

Hi Kyra--

Thanks for providing feedback and congrats!

And yes, you can continue to use the forum. We'd love to see you around! The forum is free to everyone--members and nonmembers.