Which Test Prep Book To Choose?

They say not to judge a book by its cover....

You've decided to take a CLEP test, you've picked one out, and you're gearing up to study. But which study book should you choose? There are a multitude of options. Type "English Composition CLEP Study," for example, into Amazon.com and you'll find almost thirty results! That can be a little overwhelming.

Well, you'll be happy to know that every CLEP test has at least one study book made specifically for it, so you won't have to scramble to find a suitable textbook or Dummy's guide (which I've had to do for several DANTES tests)! Here's a rundown of the top test-specific study guide makers:

Research and Education Association (REA): These guys are clearly the industry leaders. I use their books every time I can! With up-to-date books on every single CLEP topic (with the exception perhaps of French and German languages), written by qualified professionals, they provide complete, expert, well-written products--most of which now come with practice tests on CD to simulate the actual test-taking experience! There are usually two or three practice tests for every study book. Baseline: If you're looking for a reputable, solid study guide, look no farther

Comex Systems: This is another pretty popular publisher, but their most recently published book was in 2010. I've had less experience with this publisher than with REA, but have used Comex to pass a couple of CLEPs. Some reviewers say that a Comex book is OK, but needs supplementary information, while others insist that it's all you need. There are frequent reports of the book's questions not lining up with the questions on the actual test. I was personally frustrated with the small number of practice questions. Baseline: Comex guides are usually good for studying a test's general content, but not so great for preparing for the test itself.

The #1 thing you must look for in a test prep book is a multitude of positive reviews! There are quite a few "ripoff" book series out there purporting to be professional guides, when they're really poorly-written and unhelpful. Don't fall for these! Go for the ones that have solid reviews from people who have actually passed the CLEPs you want to pass.

Of course, there are other guide makers (Ace the CLEP, CLEP Exam Secrets Test Prep, Jack Rudman, Perfect Score Software), and this isn't a comprehensive list. But really, why would you go with a lesser-known book when the "big guys" are so good? The lesser-known books aren't necessarily cheaper than the better-known ones, so there's really no excuse not to buy the quality, well-reviewed guides!

                                                                                                Happy CLEPing!

How is a CLEP Scored?

It's a college level test, so they have to develop some incomprehensible new scoring system just to look cool. OK, granted, they probably have better reasons than that, but it seems to me that it would be so much easier if they just based it all on percentages. Ah well, if I ruled the world....

The Raw Score

This is the initial scoring system (the one you'll never see), where each correct answer counts for one point, and there is absolutely no penalty for incorrect or unanswered questions (a really good reason why you should always answer every question, even if you have no idea what they're talking about). If you get 70 questions right on a 120-question test, then your raw score is 70. 

The Scaled Score

This is where things get complicated. Your raw score is now translated into a more "sophisticated" scaled score by a statistical process called "equating". I picture it as a magical little machine into which you insert a perfectly logical number and a weird scores pops out from the other side. This number will always be somewhere between 20 and 80. The ACE (American Council on Education) recommended passing score is 50 for most tests, but the actually credit-value for your test's score varies greatly by test and college.

When Your CLEP Scores Don't Matter