The Most Popular CLEP Exams
Depending on your particular interests and areas of expertise, some CLEP exams may be more useful to you than others. For example, if you took a psychology class in high school, you may be able to pass the CLEP Psychology exam with a little extra preparation. For the most part, if you have an interest in a specific subject and are familiar with the course materials, you should be able to successfully take and pass a CLEP exam in the subject.
Algebra and College Algebra CLEP
Typically, the Algebra CLEP exam covers materials you would have mastered in your first and second year of high school mathematics, while the CLEP College Algebra exam focuses more on content from the third and fourth year classes. These exams are two of the most popular CLEP exams since almost every high school requires several years of mathematics courses, so you probably already have the background of knowledge you need to pass the test.
Literature CLEP
Another popular CLEP exam is the literature test. If you plan to take this test, you may find it helpful to obtain a study guide on the subject. A prep guide will give you some idea about the books and materials that you'll need to be familiar with to do well. In addition, you'll need to know common literary concepts – such as symbolism – and how to apply them. Depending on the requirements of the college you're attending, you may find it more beneficial to take the CLEP English exam which focuses more on the mechanics of the language.
History CLEP
There are a number of different CLEP history exams, including two exams on US History and two on Western Civilization. Therefore, it's best to review the description of each exam and find out which scores your particular college will accept. Depending on your college, you may be able to replace a required element or elective course by taking exams related to different historical time periods.
Spanish CLEP
If you took several years of Spanish in high school, you should be able to pass the CLEP test with a little extra practice. Basically, the exam will test your ability to read, write, and comprehend the Spanish language. This is a great test to take if your college requires a certain number of foreign language credits to graduate. To be successful, you'll want to review a number of college-level Spanish resources so that you have a working knowledge of verb structures and vocabulary.
Other CLEP Exams to Consider
As you review your degree program plan and college catalog, you'll see that there are a number of courses that correspond to CLEP exams. However, depending on your college, you may be limited in the number of exams that you can take and use for credit. In some cases, you may want to take CLEP tests in subjects outside of your major or those that would require the payment of lab fees. For example, if you take the CLEP Chemistry I and II tests, you'll save money on eight credits worth of tuition and lab fees.
CLEP exams can be a great help in terms of saving time and tuition money during your college years. In some cases, you'll find that the most popular exams are easiest to study for – especially if they're related to materials you already know from high school. That said, before taking these exams, you'll need to make sure that any scores you earn can be transferred to your college degree program.
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