If your homeschooled student is following the dual-credit study path, History of the United States I CLEP exam will most probably be one of the first college exams they will encounter. When my son took it, he was only 14 and this was his first CLEP exam ever. It was a new experience for both of us and we were determined to make the best of it.
Is US History I CLEP Exam Hard?
The simple answer is, “No.” Even for the students who do not particularly enjoy history, they will be able to pass this exam. The reason being is that as an American citizen, your child has studied the history of the United States since kindergarten. Even though they may not remember all the details, they have at least very general knowledge of the early American society and most of their preparation will seem more like a review rather than studying new material.
Like every exam, however, it requires preparation; and the quality of your student’s preparation will determine their chances for passing. According to the statistics, in 2017, 69% of US History I takers passed this exam satisfactorily.
What Does US History I CLEP Exam Include?
This exam covers the period of early colonization to 1877. The study materials are divided into 7 sections:
- The Colonial Period (1500-1763)
- The American Revolution (1763-1787)
- The United States Constitution (1787-1789)
- The New Nation (1789-1824)
- Jacksonian Democracy and Westward Expansion (1824-1850)
- Sectional Conflict and the Causes of the Civil War (1850-1860)
- The Civil War and Reconstruction (1860-1877)
How Long Does US History I CLEP Exam Take?
The exam must be completed in 90 minutes and contains 120 multiple-choice questions.
How to Prepare for US History I CLEP Exam?
There are many ways to study for this exam and the best option for you personally will depend on both your learning style and your budget. Let me share with you how my son studied for this CLEP. Following are the few steps he took:
- He studied US history in 8th grade by using U.S. History Detective Book 1. This laid a solid foundation to his overall understanding of the American colonization through the Reconstruction Era.
- We purchased REA’s official CLEP History of the United States I study book. It is easily available online for as little as $7. We found it to be invaluable for the following reasons:
- It includes a straightforward study text broken down into short chapters and subchapters.
- It includes 3 full-length practice exams both on paper and in an electronic format. Each answer is accompanied by detailed explanation of why the particular answer is correct while the other ones are not.
- The practice exams give the student an excellent pre-official test experience of how it “feels” to take the actual test as well as provide specific information about the areas the student still needs to focus on.
- He set up a FREE account at ModernStates.org and received the following:
- FREE video and text preparation.
- FREE online test questions similar to those in the actual test but different from the REA’s study book.
- FREE CLEP exam voucher.
- REIMBURSEMENT for the college test center fee.
Please note that Modern States have very specific conditions under which you can receive their FREE voucher:
- You must watch their training videos and read their study materials.
- You must pass all their practice tests.
My son would probably tell you that he found the videos slightly boring and only skimmed through the text, however, the review questions were priceless and the FREE CLEP exam was certainly worth every minute spent on the Modern States website.
How Much Does It Cost to Take US History I CLEP Exam?
Depending on how you decide to sign up for the exam, your expenses may look similar to the following two scenarios:
Option 1: You choose to pay for the exam yourself:
- CLEP exam registration fee: $89
- College testing center fee: $25 to $40 (Depending on which college you choose to take the exam at.)
Option 2: You choose to enroll in Modern States: $0
Why Did My Son Cover So Much Material in Preparation for the United States I CLEP Exam?
You may notice that some programs prepare you for the exam much faster than the path we had chosen. However, we had opted to really dig deep into the US History for two main reasons:
- This was my son’s first CLEP exam and we wanted to make sure he felt confident taking it.
- This was his last chance in school to learn US history and we wanted to make sure that a strong foundation remained with him for the rest of his life.
I trust the information in this article has helped you to make your own decisions concerning History of the United States I CLEP exam. Whatever means of study you choose to follow, rest assured that the exam is very doable when diligent preparation is applied.
Have you found this article helpful? Please let us know how your student has prepared for their exam. Also, if you would like more information about other CLEP exams, please leave a comment below.
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