A Study Guide for the College Composition CLEP Exam
The College Composition Exam
A CLEP exam is a college-level competency exam that gives you college credit if you pass. The College Composition CLEP exam contains 55 multiple-choice questions (with 50 minutes to complete them) and 2 essays (with 70 minutes to write them.) In total, the exam is 125 minutes long.
The multiple-choice portion will focus on your ability to understand things like grammar, punctuation, passive vs. active voice, as well as your skills with revision, integrating source materials, proper citation, and rhetorical analysis. The first essay you write will be on whether or not you agree with the statement that will be provided. The second essay will require you to synthesize two sources into one coherent argument.
Studying for the College Composition CLEP Exam
Before you start studying, figure out what you already have a grasp on. You can use the official CLEP practice test or take a practice test through Peterson’s to assess your current knowledge. If you score a 75% or higher, we believe you have a good chance of passing the actual exam, even if you don’t do any additional studying.
To best prepare for the essay portion of the test, find a friend and have them give you an essay prompt, thirty minutes, and then a grade based on the rubric (which is available here.) (Keep this between us until your friend has graded your paper, but you’re aiming for at least a 4 on a scale of 1-6.)
Next, you’ll want to pick one (or ideally more) resources to help prepare. Some of your options include:
REA Books. This resource will have practice questions, a comprehensive overview of the subject, and study strategies.
Modern States. Not only is this resource free, it includes detailed courses available to study for every CLEP exam, all created by experts in their fields.
College Board Official Study Guide. The official CLEP guide provides a good overview of the test, but isn’t as helpful in explaining the concepts you need to learn.
SpeedyPrep Flashcards. While it is 30 dollars a month, the flashcards are very comprehensive. They even guarantee a refund if you still fail your exam after achieving a 90% mastery.
Quizlet. While admittedly not 100% reliable, it’s free. With Quizlet you are able to create your own flashcard sets or use public sets already created by other people who have studied for the exam.
As you use your resources, doing practice tests and essays every few days/weeks is a great way to track your progress and see what you’re doing well, while also showing you areas you may want to focus on. While not a guarantee, once you start scoring 4s and 5s on your practice essays and getting over 75% on the practice tests, you’re probably ready to book your exam.
Remember: if you don’t pass the first time you take the test, that’s okay; you can take it again. I failed my very first CLEP test, but was able to pass it the next time. In the end, you are still saving yourself time and money by taking a CLEP exam over a class, even if you take the test more than once. (And, you have a much better idea of what to expect when you take it the next time.) Even so, we wish you all the best with your CLEP exam and hope that you are able to pass it your first time.
