Just as there are many kinds of students, there are many kinds of test takers. This was beautifully illustrated for me just today!
My friend, Cameron (Aubrey's brother), and I went in to the testing center together, each of us vying for precious college credits. He was taking the Human Growth and Development CLEP and I was taking Social Sciences and History CLEP. These are, of course, completely different tests, but the preparation methods should be about the same for both, right?
Wrong! They could hardly have been more different.
I am the kind of student who studies to death. I probably took four to five weeks on this one test. I started by answering the questions in the CLEP Official Study Guide, then moved on to the Comex book (taking pages of notes), taking the pretest at the end of that. I then went forward with three Peterson's practice tests. Still wasn't feeling very confident. So I read through some of the book again and retook the first Peterson's test. I finally scheduled my test for ten o'clock this morning, and read through most of my notes on the way to the testing center. I was sweating and nervous through the majority of the test.
Cameron, on the other hand, is the kind of student who infuriates people like me. He is enrolled in CollegePlus!, so his coach is urging him to take a test every two weeks. He read the REA book for his test, took a pretest and might or might not have taken a couple more yesterday. He was cool and confident this morning--didn't even bring along the book to brush up before the test. He was calmly texting my brother whilst I fretted over what room they would put me in.
And guess what: we both passed! I passed with a 71 and he passed with a 51, but the fact is that we both have just as much of a right to those college credits. Amazing, isn't it?
Whether you're like me (beating a dead horse and never thinking you're prepared enough, passing by a wide margin) or you're like Cameron (flying by the seat of your pants and passing by the skin of your teeth), you still have a great chance of earning credits through CLEP.
Just do what comes naturally to you, develop a system that works, and make it happen!
Happy CLEPing,
