ONE SCHOOL-YEAR PLAN
The safest approach to prepare for a CLEP exam is to use a college textbook and spread the material over a school year. I divide the number of chapters in the book by the weeks I wish the school year to be. School years tend to range between 30 – 36 weeks. Most college textbooks are designed to fit into a 16-week semester. So, if the college textbook has 16 chapters, then you will study a 1/2 chapter a week over 32 weeks. I then factor in a 2 – 4 week boot camp review at the end. For a basic overview of this plan read A Sample CLEP Year. This approach allowed me turn certain subjects into a more traditional course complete with tests.
TWO SCHOOL-YEAR PLAN
For my third child, I started US History I in the seventh grade and spread it over two years, 1/2 the book each year. I felt this was a gentle way to introduce CLEP studying. Since most middle schoolers learn early American history, I figured he could learn it with a college text and move along at a manageable pace. The pace was slow enough to add in parallel American literature works and get a start on that CLEP too. The two-year plan is best for younger students and perhaps for CLEP exams worth 6 credits. This plan, like the one-year plan, allows for a more traditional approach by adding graded material like tests. Read Determining Grades for CLEP Courses for ideas on how you can create a DIY CLEP “course” with gradable material.
CONDENSED STUDY PLAN
On a handful of CLEP exams, my older daughter was able to skip the textbook and study a collections of facts to pass a CLEP exam. She did this in a matter of one month or less depending on the exam. The way she pulled this off was by studying 4 -5 hours a day. She used study guides and researched facts she did not know. She wrote down new facts to memorize. This plan is best for a seasoned CLEP taker who is self-motivated. For more details on this plan read CLEP Short Cram Plan.
POST COURSE CRAM PLAN
My older daughter took a high school biology course but certain topics were absent or not deep enough for a college level exam. She supplemented the material using study guides as a reference to help her determine what was missing. A college textbook was also used for supplemental reading, graphs, charts, and illustrations. If a student has already taken a high school course and wants to attempt the CLEP, I’d recommend this approach.
The two CLEP exams that can possibly be passed after taking a few English courses without serious study include Analyzing and Interpreting Literature as well as the College Composition Modular exam.
To determine if your student is close to passing a CLEP exam read my post on how to determine exam readiness.
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.