Taking a CLEP Practice Test
If you're a junior or senior in high school, you may have considered taking a CLEP test in order to test out of some college level courses. Taking a CLEP test can be a great way to save money on college tuition, but you must get a good enough score in order to receive these benefits. Therefore, preparation is key, and one of the best ways to prepare is with a CLEP practice test.
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP), offered by the College Board, is a series of 90-minute multiple choice exams that tests a student's knowledge in specific subjects gained through special interests, independent research, high school course work and professional pursuits. CLEP tests give you the opportunity to earn credits or advanced placement at a vast majority of the United States' colleges and universities.
Your score on the exams can be anywhere from 20 to 80, but you'll need to score at least a 50 to earn these credits. Of course, the higher your score, the more college credits you'll be able to earn. For example, a score of 50 can get you eight college credits and a score of 62 can typically get you 12 credits at many institutions. It's best to check with the college you plan to attend to make sure they accept CLEP test results before you sign up to take the exam – imagine taking the test, only to find out that your scores aren't usable!
With so much at stake, it's important to spend time preparing for these exams. One of the best ways to prepare is to take practice tests in the subject you hope to test out of. You can find CLEP practice tests both online and offline to suit a variety of scheduling needs. Check with your guidance counselor to find out if there are any testing sites near you that offer practice testing. There may be a small fee associated with these centers, but the opportunity to experience the actual test setting will be invaluable. If there are no testing centers in your area, consider taking an online practice test.
CLEP practice tests are meant to simulate the real CLEP examination experience. This can be very valuable to you for several reasons. A practice CLEP test gives you a direction for structuring and completing your preparations for the real test, and it gives you a better understanding of what to expect and on exam day. When you take a practice CLEP test, you'll get a better idea of what your weaknesses are, giving you time to address these with additional preparation and test-taking strategies.
These practice tests can be a very valuable part of your study plan, but only if you give yourself enough time to use them properly! If you only spend a day or two on test prep, you won't have enough time to implement the valuable feedback a practice test gives you. Give yourself several weeks or months to adequately prepare for the CLEP tests and you'll find yourself feeling more comfortable and confident when the exam day rolls around.
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