CLEP Prep Boot Camp: The Final Weeks

When the textbook portion of your student’s CLEP exam study has been completed and all the flashcards have been reviewed at least once, boot camp begins. Boot camp can take anywhere from 2 – 4 weeks depending on the subject and how well the material is sinking in. Boot camp involves a systematic review of the Quizlet cards, Instantcert review questions, and a series of practice tests from study guides. We spend about three hours a day preparing for CLEP exam day.

QUIZLET REVIEW

The card sets I make on Quizlet for CLEP study usually consist of at least 1000 questions. My students attempt to memorize these facts as they read the material in the textbook. When the learning phase is complete and the boot camp phase begins, we go through all the flashcards again and mark the ones that have not been fully memorized. Sometimes I copy and paste the ones that need more work into a Word document. I like creating study sheets for review because I am old-school, and sheets can be packed and taken on trips. I have my students review the more challenging facts until they are memorized. The Quizlet cards that I have made over the past nine years can be found under creator DocPaula. You may create your own fact cards or purchase boxed sets of AP cards for various subjects.

FIRST PRACTICE TEST

After a run through the flashcards, the first practice test is assigned. This test serves as a barometer. It will determine strength and weakness areas as well as new topics that need to be learned. CLEP tests cover a broad range of facts so don’t be surprised if new facts appear on the practice tests. They always do! After taking the practice test, we analyze each test question and try to understand the nuances of the wording for the purpose of improving test taking skills. If new concepts or facts appear on the questions or even within the answer options, I research the fact or topic and paste it into the study sheet.

If my student gets a score below 60%, that indicates more work is needed. If the score is at 60% or slightly higher, the student is getting close to readiness, but more work is needed to improve the odds of passing. If the score is higher than 65%, we can breathe a little easier. More practice tests should still be taken if you have them. Just don’t lose heart if your student scores in the 50’s on the first test. We have been there more than once and found that with a little more diligence, higher scores can be achieved on the following exams. Some of the practice tests are more difficult than others too so don’t let one low score deter you. Don’t give up. Study and try another practice test. See my post on Determining CLEP Readiness.

Here is the link to the Instantcert website: http://www.instantcert.com

INSTANTCERT ONLINE REVIEW

I use this resource for reviewing and quizzing if the score on the first practice exam is low. Oftentimes there are new concepts in these questions which help broaden our data base. CLEP tests are broad, and scores improve by using multiple resources. When we encounter a new concept, I paste it into the study sheet. Sometimes we have to find more information on the topic to fully grasp it. I research it on the internet and paste new facts into the study sheet for review.

SECOND PRACTICE TEST

After the Instantcert review is complete, the second practice test is taken. As with the first test, we analyze each question and document new concepts. If more research is needed, we do that too. Hopefully the score will be higher than the one on the first test. The difficulty of practice tests varies; some are more challenging than others. Using more than three tests will hopefully wash out the variability.

ADDITIONAL REVIEW AND FINAL PRACTICE TEST

We review the concepts from the study sheets and glance through a study guide if necessary. I reserve the CLEP exam from the College Board’s CLEP Official Study Guide for the final practice exam. This book is found at our public library.

DETERMINING EXAM READINESS

If the practice test scores are ranging around 65% or higher, then it’s definitely time to schedule the exam. If your student has taken all the practice tests and the scores are ranging in the low 60’s, it may make sense to go ahead and take the CLEP exam if your student is tired and frustrated with the process. A passing score is 50, so the odds are in his favor at this point. My students have been in this position several times and have received scores in the low 50’s which was a relief. There was one case in which my student got a 49 on a CLEP exam. After more studying, she retook the exam and got a 67! Having taken the exam was a benefit. Just remember that you can’t retake a CLEP exam for three months. See my post Determining CLEP Exam Readiness to help you know if your student is ready.

USING PRACTICE TEST SCORES AS A PREDICTION TOOL

The score ranges have worked consistently to make predictions for my middle and high school students. They may work differently for you. Keep in mind, I am working with middle school and high school students. Most CLEP takers have already graduated high school. They have had more test taking experience and education so the predictability ranges will most likely be different for them. Note this when looking through online reviews of the CLEP exams or even CLEP review resources. Read my post Are CLEP Review Materials Trustworthy?

My experience with CLEP testing. I have coached my kids and their friends through 16 different CLEP exams over a period of 9 years. Collectively, they have passed 39 CLEP exams and earned over 159 college credits. I’m still coaching my younger son through his CLEP journey. My high school graduates have received full-ride merit scholarships.

Musing: a period of reflection or thought. As such this post reflects my thoughts, opinions, and experiences on the topic. The choice to home school and the methods you choose are yours to determine.