THE CRAM PLAN
The short cram is preparing for a CLEP exam in 4 – 6 weeks plus or minus a week on each end. Ideally, the student studies at least 4 hours a day for 5 days a week. A textbook is optional.
PURPOSE OF THE CRAM PLAN
Sometimes a student needs to fulfill a particular credit quickly (like a high school senior) or simply wants to accrue a lot of college credits over a short period of time. A short cram is good for students who are striving for an early associate or bachelor degree. It’s also good for students who want to apply to a college that accepts a lot of CLEP credits. And let’s not forget the driven, super-nerd who studies for sport. Read Bachelor Degree in the 12th Grade.
THIS PLAN IS FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE:
- good study and test taking skills
- taken previous CLEP exams (opt)
- had a previous course in the subject being studied (opt)
- the ability to stay on task for at least four hours a day
- good research skills
STUDY RESOURCES
The ideal resource for a short cram is a complete set or sets of reliable facts. The facts could be in flashcard form or question form. CLEP study guides should also be used for fact review and for a source of practice tests. AP study guides can be a helpful too. Study guides can possibly serve as your main source of facts depending on the CLEP exam and student knowledge. Remember that CLEP tests cover a broad amount of information so it’s best to broaden your pool of resources (i.e., use more than one). See my posts on individual CLEP subjects for the specific resources we used.
HELPFUL RESOURCES:
- InstantCert online (question format) (complete and reliable)
- AP flashcards (complete and reliable)
- Quizlet flashcards (not always reliable or complete)
- REA CLEP study guide (fact review and practice tests)
- CLEP Official Study Guide (provides 1 practice test) (available at library)
- College textbook (to look up facts)
- Cliff’s Notes online review
CREATE A STUDY PLAN
Read CLEP Boot Camp: The Final Weeks for ideas on how to structure and execute a condensed review.
GATHER FACTS
Research certain topics you come across to deepen understanding and gather more facts. Look them up in a college textbook or online. Create a document of additional facts to memorize.
DETERMINE CLEP EXAM READINESS
Read Determining CLEP Readiness to help assess if your plan is producing the required results before diving into the exam.
THE BEST CRAM EXAMS
Principles of Marketing, Principles of Management, Introduction to Sociology, and Educational Psychology (after taking Psychology), Analyzing and Interpreting Literature, and College Composition Modular. My older literature-loving daughter who had developed excellent study habits and is very driven, crammed in American Literature, English Literature, and Humanities in addition to the previous ones listed. Her primary study resources were InstantCert and REA Study Guides. I would not recommend a short cram for the literature and humanities exams if your student is not excited about literature.
My experience with CLEPs. 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.