Study Plan
The best way to review material for a CLEP exam
The following suggestions are from people who have prepared for CLEP exams or other college-level tests.
Locate study materials and resources
- Read the "Knowledge and skills required" section of each CLEP Exam Description to learn what you're expected to know. Then, find suitable resource materials.
- Contact a local college that offers a course comparable to the CLEP exam you plan to take. Use the textbook required for that course to help you prepare. Compare the textbook's table of contents to the "Knowledge and skills required" section of the CLEP Exam Description to make sure it covers the same material. To keep your costs low, buy a used textbook or check one out from the library.
- Ask your librarian to help you locate other study aids relevant to the exams you plan to take. These supplementary materials may include videotapes from National Geographic, Nova, and other education-oriented companies; audio language tapes; and computer software.
- Enroll in a preparation course offered by an adult school or college in your area (You should be aware, however, that such courses are not authorized or sponsored by the College Board. Neither the College Board nor ETS has any responsibility for the content of these courses; nor are they responsible for books on preparing for CLEP exams that have been published by other organizations.)
- If you know others who have taken CLEP exams, ask them how they prepared.
- And don't forget that what you do with your leisure time can be very educational, whether it's watching a PBS series, reading a financial newsletter, attending a play, or viewing a film.
Find a good place to study
To determine what kind of place you need for studying, ask yourself questions such as,
- Do I need a quiet place?
- Does the telephone distract me?
- Do objects I see in this place remind me of things I should do?
- Is it too warm or too cold?
- Is it well lit?
- Am I too comfortable here?
- Do I have space to spread out my materials?
Schedule time to study
Not sure when's the best time for you to study? Try this exercise: Make a list of your daily activities (for example, sleeping, working, and eating) and estimate how many hours a day you spend on each activity. Now, rate all the activities on your list in order of their importance and evaluate your use of time. From this perspective, you may find that you can juggle things around a bit or remove the least important activities from your day and devote that time to studying or another important activity, you may discover large portions of time be able to schedule your time in alternative ways.
Establish a study routine and a set of goals
Here are a couple of approaches you can try:
- Establish specific goals such as, "finish reading the first three chapters of the textbook by Wednesday night."
- Write out a weekly schedule and cross out each study period when it is completed.
- Schedule short periods of intense study. For example, follow a regular schedule of several 20- or 30-minute study periods with short breaks between them. This approach is usually more productive than studying long stretches of time.
- Reward yourself as you complete your goals.
Learn how to take an active role in studying.
If you have not done much studying for some time, you may find it difficult to concentrate at first. Try a method of studying, such as the one outlined below, that will help you concentrate on and remember what you read:
- First, read the chapter summary and the introduction. Then you will know what to look for in your reading.
- Next, convert the section or paragraph headlines into questions. For example, if you are reading a section entitled "The Causes of the American Revolution," ask yourself, "What were the causes of the American Revolution?"
- Compose the answer as you read the paragraph. Reading and answering questions aloud will help you understand and remember the material.
