Do you have a college-bound student in your homeschool who has been taking CLEP exams? Are you wondering if College Mathematics CLEP would be a suitable option for them to study? Before we dive into the actual exam details, let me share with you our personal experience.
Personal Experience with College Mathematics CLEP Exam
By the time my son finished his junior year in high school, he already had a few CLEP exams under his belt. He also finished Algebra, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus in his math pathway, and so we were looking into a math program that would satisfy his senior year requirements. As all college degrees include a math exam in their curricula, we decided to cover both high school and college credits with College Mathematics CLEP.
Even though he had always done well with other math programs, my son opted for an almost two-semester course as opposed to the official CLEP study guide’s suggested 6-week preparation schedule. He wanted to ensure that his knowledge was adequate not only for the exam for also for life. It teaches, among others, how to calculate interest rates for loans, how to best detect good sales margins, etc. His hard work paid off and he passed well.
Is the College Mathematics CLEP Exam Hard?
This exam is given point 3 difficulty on a scale of 1-5 (one being the easiest and five being the hardest) by most of the students. It proves that this exam is not difficult to pass but requires diligent preparation.
What Is the Passing Rate for College Mathematics CLEP Exam?
The exam answers are transferred to a scaled score. To pass the exam, a score of 50 must be achieved, which is equivalent to receiving a C in a similar college course. (The maximum score is 80.)
In 2017 (the latest possible statistics available at the time of writing this article) 76% of civilian students taking this CLEP test achieved a passing score.
However, to better understand the actual difficulty of the exam, we have to examine the military passing rate. As military personnel get an opportunity to take CLEP exams for free, not all of them prepare for the tests properly thus altering the overall military passing rates. Therefore, looking at the military passing rate of 64% in 2019 gives us a clearer idea of the difficulty of the exam.
What Does This Exam Include?
Following are a few particulars:
- This exam covers material one would find in a one-semester math course taught to non-mathematics majors or majors that do not require advanced knowledge of mathematics.
- Following are the knowledge topics included in the exam:
- Algebra and Functions
- Counting and Probability
- Data Analysis and Statistics
- Financial Mathematics
- Geometry
- Logic and Sets
- Numbers
How Long Is the College Mathematics CLEP Exam?
This exam consists of 60 questions which must be answered within 90 minutes. You will receive 3-6 college credits for this exam depending on the institution of your choice and 1 credit for a high school course.
How to Prepare for the College Mathematics CLEP Exam?
There are many ways to study for this exam and the best option for you will depend on both your student’s learning style and your budget. However, let me share with you how my son studied for this CLEP at age 17. Following are the steps he took:
- He took an online course at ModernStates.org and received the following:
- FREE video and test preparation materials.
- FREE online test questions similar to those in the actual test.
- 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.
This particular Modern States course is EXCELLENT. The professor who teaches it is a highly engaging individual and brings the concepts to life through his lectures. Even if you don’t plan on using a Modern States voucher to cover your exam expenses, I still highly recommend watching these videos.
- We purchased an InstantCert.com membership ($20 a month) to get more preparation practice, which proved to be worth the investment.
- We purchased REA’s official CLEP College Mathematics study book. It is easily available online for as little as $6. We found it to be invaluable as it includes a diagnostic exam plus 2 full-length practice exams accompanied by a 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. They also provide specific information about the areas the student needs to focus on.
Note: For most of the other CLEP exams, we used the REA’s study book only for practicing the actual tests. However, College Mathematics found us going over the entire book from cover to cover to ensure the understanding of the subject. It’s worth it!
Which Materials Should I Use to Prepare for the College Mathematics CLEP Exam?
The actual preparation for the exam and the resources used primarily depend on three basic factors:
1. How much practice does your child need for this particular exam?
As mentioned earlier, my son took several months to prepare for this exam. However, if your student has a lighter work/study schedule and is good at math, a few weeks may be sufficient.
2. Will you pay for the exam yourself or will you opt for a free Modern States voucher?
3. How many CLEP exams have your student already taken and how confident are they in their preparation?
After considering these points, you will be able to determine which study materials to use in preparation for the College Mathematics CLEP Exam. There are many textbooks and online courses available for this exam.
How Much Does It Cost to Take the College Mathematics 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: $90
- 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 (Modern States reimburses you even for the testing center fee.)
In Conclusion
College Mathematics CLEP exam is not very difficult to pass but it requires diligent preparation. No matter which resources you decide to use, they all cover the areas needed to be fully ready to pass. Consistency in studying for this exam is a key to success.
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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