A MULTITUDE OF CLEP PREP RESOURCES
There are many available resources to prepare for a CLEP exam from study guides to complete online programs. Reading reviews on these resources is a helpful way to learn if a particular one will work for your student.
CLEP EXAMS ARE BROAD IN COVERAGE
It is recommended by the College Board that a student use multiple resources to prepare for a CLEP exam. Oftentimes CLEP resources boast that they alone can produce a passing score. The risk with this assumption is that you may not pass. Then you will have to add additional materials and wait three months to test again.
HIGH SCHOOLER VS ADULT LEARNER
Most people who take CLEP exams are adult learners. They have had more classes and tests than a high school student. Many have had college courses. These are the students who write reviews. The reviews are written from their perspective which is not the same as a high schooler’s. What may be easy for an older, more experienced student may not be as easy for a high school student. Seek out reviews that parents of high schoolers or the high schooler has posted.
REVIEWS MAY NOT PAINT A COMPLETE PICTURE
When someone reviews material or a course, they usually don’t include important details about their experiences with the subject for many reasons. Perhaps they already had a college level history course which they failed; the CLEP is an attempt to salvage college credit in history.
Reviewers are not always honest either. It’s difficult to report personal shortcomings like failing that college history class. Finally, a reviewer may not have the time or interest to write a thorough review. Unfortunately, we tend to assume that the reviewer’s situation is similar to ours or that they used only one resource: the one they are reviewing. When there are holes in a review, readers are left to make assumptions which may be incorrect. Look for holes before giving a post complete merit.
CONSIDER THE COURSE
If an online CLEP prep program posts reviews, they are most likely hand-picked reviews to promote their business. It’s best to find outside reviews of a business. Search for threads that review CLEP materials to get an unscreened perspective. I have discovered ugly reviews of online programs that promise success in a short amount of time. Reviews on Amazon are not screened to protect the product being reviewed. Read through as many as you can for a more accurate assessment.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Reviews have been a critical tool to help me pick CLEP prep material. I spend a great of time researching CLEP resources. I have learned to place more value in reviewers who have a similar situation as ours and those who include many details about themselves. Some of these CLEP exams take a lot of effort and there may not be a shortcut for your student. As the saying goes if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably not true.
My experience with CLEP testing. I have coached my kids and their friends through 15 different CLEP exams over a period of 8 years. Collectively, they have passed 38 CLEP exams and earned over 156 college credits. I’m still coaching my younger son through his CLEP journey. My high school graduates have received full-ride merit scholarships.