question of sociology exam for experienced ppl

[snazzlefrag]

I have never taken a CLEP course before, so I dont really know what to expect. However, I am using InstantCerts sociology guide as well as a book I bought to read over. I have learned all the concepts that instantcert tests me on, however when answering the questions out of the book, I miss about half of them, and some of them are not related to anything that instantcert goes over. Could someone tell me if knowing the concepts instantcert teaches is enough to pass the sociology clep? And why might this be?

Thanks for your help and replies

Hi Spazz,

Welcome to the board.

I can confirm that, for most people, Instantcert is enough to pass CLEP Sociology. I would consider Sociology to be among the easiest of the 22 exams I have taken so far.

Regarding the test you took in the textbook...

CLEP exams are designed to test your knowledge of the CENTRAL CONCEPTS of each subject. In addition to the core topics, Professor X in New York might teach his students various 'peripheral' concepts, and Professor Y in Oregon might teach his students an entirely different set of 'peripheral' concepts.

In addition, course texbooks are re-printed almost every single year (mostly for financial gain). So, in order to keep making money they must constantly be including new information, covering additional topics, adding new concepts. There are any number of different textbooks for each subject, and any number of re-prints of the very same textbook.

As you can see, the number of permutations of all those variables for just one subject is mind boggling.

It would be IMPOSSIBLE for one standardized, 90-minute exam to test our knowledge of every conceivable concept that every professor in every college, or every textbook ever printed could potentially cover.

Therefore, these exams narrow each subject down to the most important concepts that are likely to be taught in virtually EVERY college course, and included in virtually EVERY textbook on the subject.

There may well be certain questions which cover so-called 'peripheral' topics. But the vast majority of the questions on each exam will stick very closely to the central topics and concepts.

Instantcert strives to present enough of these central topics and concepts to, hopefully, allow us to pass each exam. Compact study guides such as REA, COMEX, Cliff's Notes etc., also strive to do the same.

So, if you study Instantcert thoroughly and then take a test in any one of the hundreds of 'non-standardized' textbooks, or were to sit an exam in any of the thousands of college courses offered by professors nationwide, it is very likely you WOULD encounter a LOT of questions not covered by Instantcert. A textbook can cover whatever it likes, and a professor can ask questions based specifically on what HE taught his students in one particular class (and even that might change from semester to semester).

The CLEP exams have no such freedom...and therefore, you will be much less likely to encounter questions that are not 'mainstream' or central to the subject's major concepts.

Anyway, that was rather long. I hope I have explained it adequately.

The bottom line is...As a matter of pure logistics, CLEP can only test you on the central 'standardized' concepts of each subject. Therefore, study guides such as Instantcert only need to present the central concepts....and it should be enough to pass (all other things being equal).

There are some subjects where Instantcert alone might not be enough to pass (or at least to pass well). Where this is the case, you should be able to find ample recommendations for supplementary resources made by members of this board.

There is also wisdom in studying more than one resource no matter which exam you are preparing for.

I hope that helps,
Snazzlefrag