Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Save time & money and get your degree
Go through this book, take all practice tests, and prepare to get college credit for around $20 a credit hour total cost, on any subject you get near 50% correct answers. You can get 3 to 6 accredited credits per test.I have done this.All colleges I know accept CLEP tests for credit.These credits become a part of your permanent transcript.

So, try all the tests you think remotely possible, then skip all the boring required 101 and 201-type courses so you can take welding, basket weaving-- the fun stuff.Or, of course, just take a year or so off of your college time and expenses.

On the practice tests that I did fairly well on, I went to the college library and checked out a Study Guide for the equivalent course.Psych 101 is Psych 101--it doesn't matter which study guide you use.Sign up for the test, review the study guide for a couple of weeks, and in 90 minutes on test day, you'll have 3 credits.Bam.Let's see---90 minutes vs. 4 1/2 months....hmmmm....

This plan is best if you are fairly good at taking multiple choice tests and you have background knowledge you can bring to the test.I think it would be particularly good for kids just getting out of high school, although my life experience was great prep also.I had no idea I had absorbed so much business law, for instance.

Somewhere around the 50% correct mark is where you earn college credit.The way CLEP works is they test their tests on recent college graduates from around the country who have earned a degree in the particular subject.Because they aren't testing against a specific book or class, then general subject knowledge is what you need.

This is no good if you already have your AA degree, or all those basic courses, because a CLEP test is only good for lower-level credit (100 and 200 level courses.)So do it early in your college career.

The only place I found that would provide upper level credits from testing was Regents College, which is now called Excelsior, and I have no idea if they still have the same policies.Upper level credits were not from CLEPS, though, but from the GRE exams.(Up to 30 credits per exam, upper and lower level, depending on your score.)Regents also gave a grade equivalent for the CLEPs, depending on your score.Made my GPA more realistic.

Give it a shot.I recommend the first time, just take one test, and one of the easier subjects for you.You will naturally do (slightly) better on the 2nd and further tests, after experience with the first one.After the first one, though, you can take two tests in one day.I think most colleges only give them once a month or so.

I think its wrong for colleges not to tell people about this, but also, there are other sources of college information besides the college itself, and no one talks much about it.I understand colleges are afraid of losing the income that semester or two you *won't* be taking, but why no one else recommends it I have no idea.Many people stress when taking tests, and cannot imagine voluntarily taking one.Still, many people can face a test with equanimity, and for them, its a great option.

For the few bucks a previous-edition book costs, it is certainly worth a try.

dittany

Not what I expected
The College Board CLEP Official Study Guide, 19th Edition (Clep Official Study Guide) (Purchased on 04/07/2008)
I expected a much more comprehensive study guide.I should have bought the subject specific study guide.My fault for believing all the hype of the advertizement.I am sure I would have been much happier with the CLEP study guide for Biology as I wanted for my son.

CLEP official study guide - the best test prep resource
If you plan to take CLEP tests to receive college credit for material you are already somewhat familiar with or can study on your own, this is THE book to use. With this book, I was able to earn over 54 semester credit hours in less than four months. These credits transferred directly to the college I was attending and I was able to complete my degree four semesters earlier than I would have otherwise. This book has study guides and sample tests for ALL of the CLEP tests available.

There are other CLEP review materials out there that cost more and don't cover as much ground. I tried them too and they were a waste of my time.

Bottom line: Stick with the study guide published by the people who writeand grade the CLEP examinations.

Study Guide??? I don't think so.
This book calls its self a study guide, but it is really just a collection of pre tests. It can give you a quick and easy idea if you should put the money out to take a full test. After having tried 2 of the tests for the sections that I was thinking about taking the tests for, one made me feel like it was worth taking the test, and the other section made me feel like the money I spent on this book saved me from wasting money and time on taking the second test. As far as the Study guide part, the first 25 pages are the general guidelines for any type of test, relax, look for key words, etcetera. They then have lots of examination guides, one for each test, and an answer key. The only help they give you for each test, is to suggest that you study from a good college text, and check to see that the text covers all of the topics listed for that test. Is it worth buying? I think if you are considering taking more than one test, it is. P.S. If you're reading this, good luck on your tests.

Better exam books out there
These official guides are never the best but are usually where people start on finding out about college exams.The best book I found can be downloaded off the getyourcollegedegree website and not only gives information on CLEP but also how to get almost your entire degree using exams. I have accumulated over 63 credits myself. ... Read more

Product Description
This test preparation book contains three practice testsfor each of the following CLEP General Examinations: Humanities,Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences and History.Alsoincluded are four practice tests for the English Composition exam,including two sample essays with analysis.Each test is based uponthe most recently administered exams and includes every type ofquestion likely to be encountered.For students taking any of the fiveCLEP General Examinations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Truly a Great Exam Review
I was very satified with this purchase.It was instrumental in helping me prepare for both my Math and English placement exams.

helpful guide
it was a good review book.it contains a lot of information to study but the questions were like quizzzes to see what you remember.it has no complete exam to time yourself with.i studied for the social science and history clep for two days and got a 55.so it did the job for me, if you study it longer you'll get a higher score (which is recommended).

Not bad, but questions are too easy
I bought this book and studied it for 3 days to take my CLEP in Biology. I took the tests and did well. I read the material, and I also reviewed "Cracking the CLEP"

When I went to take the actual CLEP, I found the questions on the test to be much harder than the ones in the books. Be that as it may, I passed the CLEP with a 65 out of 80, so I guess it got me through the test.

Good news.Bad news.
GOOD NEWS:

This book gives full and complete explanations for all correct answers on the practice exam in the book.It also gives full explanations about the incorrect answers as well.Because they MAY come up on the actual test.

This book allows you to study for FIVE CLEP tests.


BAD NEWS:

Because the book is so large, they did NOT have room for a section to give you BASIC information on a subject before the practice test.Most of the other books in this series have a study section, BEFORE the practice exam.

However, this book alone will help you pass if you have prior knowledge of a subject that you are testing on.If you do not have knowledge of the subject in question, use this book, plus one or more of the other test books mentioned in other reviews.

information does not match on the exam
I failed the clep exam of social science and history just using this book. I studied for 5 months before taking the exam. The questions you will see on the exam is totally different to the information of the book. I am a pretty good test taker and i have no education background of social science and history. I think this book just only can be the reference guide. If you want to pass the test choose another book. ... Read more

Product Description
The Princeton Review knows that acing the CLEP is very different from getting straight A's in school. The Princeton Review doesn't try to teach you everything there is to know about every subject -- only the techniques that you need to score higher on the CLEP. There's a big difference. In Cracking the CLEP, The Princeton Review will teach you how to think like the test makers.

This is accomplished by teaching you how to:
Eliminate answer choices that look right but are planted to fool you
Avoid the tricky Restructuring Sentences and Analyzing Writing questions on the English exam
Tackle he Humanities exam by using clues in the questions
Crack the algebra problems by "plugging in" numbers in place of letters
Ace thew Social and Natural Science exams by tailoring your review to the tests

*This book includes five full-length diagnostic exams that will predict your score on the CLEP. The questions in these tests are exactly like the ones you'll find on the real CLEP, and every solution is fully explained.

Contents include:

I Orientation
What is the CLEP?
Basic Test-Taking Techniques
II How to Crack the CLEP General Exam in English Comp
Overview of the English Comp Exam
Grammar Review
Question Types
The Essay Question
TPR Review Sample English Comp Exam
Answers and Explanations to the English Comp Exam
III How to Crack the CLEP General Exam in College Math
Overview of the College Math Exam
Math Review
TPR Sample College Math Exam
Answers and Explanations to the College Math Exam
IV How to Crack the CLEP General Exam in Humanities
Overview of the Humanities Exam
TPR Sample Humanities Exam
Answers and Explanations to the Humanities Exam
V How to Crack the CLEP General Exam in Social Sciences
Overview of the Social Sciences Exam
TPR Sample Social Sciences Exam
Answers and Explanations to the Social Sciences Exam
VI How to Crack the CLEP General Exam in Natural Sciences
Overview of the Natural Sciences Exam
TPR Sample Natural Sciences Exam
Answers and Explanations of the Natural Sciences Exam
VII CLEP Subject Exams
Overview of the CLEP Subject Exams
... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Cracking the CLEP, 4th Edition (College Test Prep)
I studied out of three of the CLEP prep books and this one is by far the best!It gives you insight into things to spend your time studying and items that will probably not be on the test.After taking the sample tests, you go to the answer page and it not only tells you the right answer, but why it is right and why the other ones were wrong.This guide really helped me to pass the Humanities test!I definitely recommend it to anyone needing to CLEP tests.

Awesome review
I used this for the College Mathematics CLEP last week.I studied for about 3 weeks and got a 71.The material in the book was even harder than the exam so I was extremely well prepared.I am going to take the English Comp tomorrow and will update with my scores.

Coping through the CLEP
This is a good basic guide to taking the CLEP tests. However, it lacks the type of practice tests that I expected.Overall it answered many of my questions.

Humanities and Natural Science CLEP's
Stop looking "THIS IS THE BOOK"!!I took both of these exams within one month and passed both with more than enough room to spare.Alot of questions in this book are ACTUAL questions on the CLEP exams.Also study the answer explanations as they also present themselves in question form on the CLEP.This book was my main study guide (and happy I did) - I also used Petersons and REA but found that the questions on their practice tests were much more difficult and deeper than those on the CLEP.
So if you are CLEPing - DO NOT HESITATE to buy "CRACKING THE CLEP" - it will give you the knowledge base, the confidence and A PASSING GRADE.
GOOD LUCK to all CLEPers and THANK YOU authors for this book!!!!

Great help!!!!
I cannot encourage you enough to take the CLEP test.Cracking the CLEP is a great resource to help you do so.What makes this book great is that before the book's practice test, there is a section that tells the main concepts that are going to be on the test (which they will be).The book gives test-taking tips at the very beginning of the book which are very good.I passed the general mathematics test with a score of 61, the English composition test with a 61, and the natural science with a 64.You only need a 50 to pass.(Roughly, on the tests I got 2/3 of the questions right ... you only need to get roughly 1/2 to get a 50 which a passing score).

I also bought this CLEP review book."CLEP General Exams w/ CD (REA) - The Best Test Prep for the CLEP Exam (Test Preps) (Paperback)"The reason is that the Cracking the CLEP (while it has a good practice test) only has one practice test.This book has 3 to 4 practice test for each CLEP test (i.e. 4 for math, 4 for English comp., 3 for for natural sciences).Also this book, has you take its tests on a computer with a CD-ROM, which helps becuase you take the real CLEP test on a computer.This book does not tell you what to study for the test, there are just the tests, so you will need the Cracking the CLEP book for that.

ps. Don't know if this applicable for you, but the natural sciences tests cover 50% Biology, 50% physcial science.There is a CLEP test just on Biology and I passed it with a 63.Thus, if you can pass the Natural sciences test, and your school also has a Biology requirement that you can CLEP, definitely buy the REA Biology CLEP book and take the test.The only thing that makes the Biology test difficult is that there are some graphs and charts on it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

12 percent of questions/answers are wrong on the English section.
I am a former English teacher; now I am an editor with the US Army.My boss, also a former English teacher, is a senior editor.

One of our young Sergeants is using Peterson's 8th edition to prepare for the CLEP test. This morning, both my boss and I have been helping this soldier understand why some of her answers to the book's English sample test were incorrect. We editors have discovered that the book identified at least two wrong answers as "correct."So far, we have found one incorrect answer per page. There are eight questions per page. I believe that means that 12.5 percent of the questions have the wrong answer listed as the correct answer.

Are the folks at Peterson's careless about the accuracy of their books because they assume that only unquestioning students and non-English speakers use them? Are they too cheap to hire experienced English teachers to write their questions?

And what is going to happen when the Sergeant gets to the math section, where I wouldn't know if the book was giving wrong or right answers?

Shame, shame, Peterson's.

MC

not as helpful as I thought
The university I am attending actually recommended this book as a study guide for the CLEP exams. I thouroughly studied the natural science section. I learned a lot, but to my surprise when I took the test, a lot of the material on the exam was not covered in this book. Needless to say, I did not pass. Maybe the other sections are closer to what is covered on the exams.

Good but not Excellent
I purchased this book first for CLEP exam prep.First, I was intimidated to know how much I've forgotten. Then I purchased Comex and Cracking the CLEP books after reading some of the reviews, and those books were really great.Compare to this Peterson's book, actual exam was much easier, only a few questions were on-per with questions in this book. It's been a while since I studied math, but I got the score I needed.I recommend to use Comex book and Cracking the CLEP first then use this book's review part as suppliment.

English CLEP so far...will comment more later
I passed the English Composition CLEP today using this book. It was not the only resource I used, however. I rated it four stars, but would rather give it 3.5, because there are so many practice tests included that you can drill yourself quite a bit. With two pre-tests (one for each part of the exam) a subject review, and two more post-tests, your progress is easy to track. The accompanying CD has differing tests from what are given in the book also.

The answer key doesn't always do a good job of explaining why a certain answer is best, especially on the CD (where there are no explanations, just a correct/incorrect statement - VERY frustrating). There were a couple of answer mistakes also, and before you think I'm exaggerating or beginning to sound bitter, some of the answers did not apply to their questions in any way whatsoever. It was as if the wrong set of answers were put with the wrong set of questions. While minor, these kinds of mistakes make a person start to doubt the rest of the book. The review in the middle is useful, however.

English Composition is the only subject I've tested in using this core requirement study guide. I will update this review when and if I pass other CLEP exams using it. I've taken the History II and the Analyzing Literature CLEPS also, and this test was the most difficult (even though English was one of my better subjects in school). It's been 20 years since I was in a classroom, and with a week and a half of study, I passed. That should say something for the content of this book. Although, Purdue University has wonderful language writing resources on the internet, which I also used.

I recommend this book in preparing for the English Comp CLEP, but I also recommend Strunk's "Elements of Style", as almost everything in that book applied to the grammar on the test. (It's also an excellent reference book for future classes.) This isn't the 5 star study guide I expected when I ordered it, but I'm glad I purchased it.

**Updated 8/25/05**

Since originally writing this review, I have taken the Social Sciences & History CLEP based on the materials provided within it. I passed this CLEP also with room to spare, and was happy with the overall review information. I think the exam was more economics-oriented than this book's practice tests demonstrated, but it was helpful in passing, and gives a nice body of info to review from. I also enrolled for 2 weeks at InstaCert, and while this helped in some respects, most of the test was economic/historic in nature...which is already contained in this review guide.

Overview at its best
The best thing about this is the overview after each section. There are over 100 test questions, so you at least have more than what the test gives you to practice with.

The CD rom is an added bonus and really has some great practice questions, the way the answers are shown is even better, with the little explanations.

However, the overview is fantastic. While it can't give you everthing, it gives you 99% of what you will need to know. That is really what you need to study because once you takee the test and know the right answer the test sort of become obsolete. Thequestions are good for timing yourself and gettting yourself ready to be able to skip the harder questions and answering ones you know are pretty sure of.

Overall, this is the best book I have seen for the Clep yet. ... Read more

Product Description
Included in this book are three full-length practice examswhich provide detailed explanations to all exam questions and are basedon the most recently administered CLEP subject examination inPrinciples of Marketing.Also included is an extensive review of all theimportant facts, concepts, and theories of marketing that will beencountered on the exam.For adults who are planning to enroll incollege and are looking to gain credit for Principles of Marketing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Helped...
This book was a great help for me. I used it in conjunction with instantcertonline cards and did very well on the Marketing clep.

If youre thinking about it, do it (buy it)
This book is worth every cent. The book explains everything that you need to know. The test was much like the study guide tests, basic world problems and you figure out which one is "more right." The study guide tests were kind of lame cause there were so many answers which were all of the above are true, or all of the above are false. Other than that it was awesome. I studied for 3 days and passed with a 55. 55 is the worst score I have gotten with the help of these guides, I blame it on the test questions and their "more right" approach lol. I thought I was going to get high-70's as I was taking the test, I was very confident with the questions caused they seemed so common sense after getting a basic understanding from the guide, but oh well. Overall great book, one less class to worry about.

This is all you need for this CLEP Exam
This book is great for passing the CLEP.The only advice I would give you is to take the practice test and then look at the explanations first. Don't read the book and then take the practice tests.Take the tests and figure out what you need to work on and read over that portion and you will do great. I procrastinated and didn't study until about two days before the test and I made a 62. This book is all you need.

A Must-Have study guide for CLEP Marketing exam.
I reviewed the content and practiced the exams.I found the questions to be right in line with the questions when I took the actual CLEP exam.I passed the exam with a very high score.

Worth the money, but...
This book is a good book in the sense that you have 3 real practice tests and the chapters are very short.This book omits marketing tactics used for the internet.If you have a basic understanding of micro/macro economics, that is definitely going to help you on this test.Overall, an easy CLEP exam that doesn't require an inordinate amount of study time to pass. ... Read more

Product Description
The CLEP, or College Level Examination Program, is a battery of tests given as a set of college entrance exams to adults returning to the classroom after an absence of several years—perhaps after working at a full-time job or raising a family. This updated manual presents three full-length sample examinations in each of the test areas covered in this book and provides answer keys, a scoring chart, and answer explanations for all exams. It also presents subject reviews in five CLEP test topics with additional practice and review questions. Test topics covered are the English Composition Exam, the Humanities Exam, the College Mathematics Exam, the Natural Sciences Exam, and the Social Sciences—History Exam. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

What's here is good, but not complete - Humanities
Any study guide should be considered just a sample of what MAY be asked, and this is very true regarding the humanities section. I recommend using several sources in addition to this one.Just tested out and barely made it. My rough guess is that 10% of the 140 question test had content related to what was in the sample tests.

Good luck, JJ

Okay, except for the typos
I have used a number of study guides for taking CLEP tests and this one was pretty good, except for one major problem: there were a lot of typos.Names were misspelled, letters were jumbled on the multiple choice answers and also on the Humanities practice tests, some of the pictures they were using were so dark and small that I could not make them out.
Overall, it was a good purchase since it gave me a better idea of what I needed to study. ... Read more

Product Description
This year, thousands of students will test out of classes by taking a CLEP test. With over 2900 colleges and universities that accept CLEP tests as credit, it has never been easier to complete your college education quickly. CLEP tests save you class time, money for books and tuition and shorten the path to your degree.Our study guides are a helpful way to learn the information for the CLEP test in the most condensed manner possible. This study guide is 101 pages long and includes 60 sample test questions. You too can pass this popular CLEP test. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

AWESOME! I PASSED!
This study guide was very helpful...without it, I don't think I would have passed the test. A must-have for anyone taking the CLEP. ... Read more

Product Description
Earn up to two years (60 hours) of credit at more than 2,800 participating colleges and universities Every year more and more students save countless hours and dollars through the CollegeLevel Examination Program. These comprehensive examinations are used to award full college credit for demonstrating college-level achievement in a variety of areas and subjects. This official guide developed by the sponsors of the CLEP Exam includes sample questions (and answers) for all thirty-four examinations-the only guide to do so-as well as a list of study resources and test preparation guidelines. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

OK for review
I bought this book with the intention to take the exams at college, but it seems that most colleges do not accept these advanced placement exams for graduation credit?

Best single reference for CLEP
If you are exploring the CLEP and want to buy just one book, this is it. Unlike some other preparation books, this one has 20-50 sample questions for ALL the available tests. It also lists topics covered in the test, and an estimate of the percentage of the test devoted to each topic. One effective strategy for using this book is to take the sample tests, without studying, in the subjects you know something about, and then pursue the ones you do best on. The book gives the correct answers for each sample question, but does not provide explanations or instruction in the subject.

could use more sample questions
This book is a very good overview of what to expect on both the Clepsubject and general exams.It goes into depth on test timing, scoring, andscore averages.It has sample questions from every test; as well as thebreak down of question subject matter.It goes a little bit into teststrategy, and touches on about everything you need to know.I recommend itto people who have never taken a Clep exam, or are not sure if a Clep examis right for them.I do wish it had more sample questions for each exam.

Not to good to be true
CLEP and DANTES has helped me to get ahead in college. If you are nottaking advantage or the program you are crazy. This book will open doorsthat no one will tell you about!! The cost is small and the results arehuge!!!!!! Buy this Buy this!!!!!!!!!!!!

This book was a big help!
I really got my money's worth out of this book.By using the example tests, which were very similar to the real CLEP tests, I was able to decide which tests I was ready to take.I saved over $1500 by being able to getcollege credit for what I already know instead of having to take classes. If you're heading back to school after spending time in the work force,this is an excellent tool. ... Read more

Product Description
This study guide is designed to prepare you to take theEnglish Composition CLEP examination. Everything you need is containedin this book. It has lesson plans, exercises and sample tests. Giveyourself your best chance to pass the test and get credit when you goto college. This book is published by the company with over 30 yearsexperience with the CLEP program. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Too basic!
The book reflects a very basic grammar. The test was 10 times harder than the sample tests that were on the book. I would not recommended at all.

Great Book!
This book is a great refresher for English Comp. I passed the test with a 500 using this book and the Cracking Clep book. The practice exams in the book helped a lot! The exams in the Cracking Clep book are great also, and there are also helpful tips to help you pass, especially on the essay section.

YEAA! 97th Percentile!
I LOVE this book! I totally failed AP English in high school, and I never went back to studying English after that(I hated English after AP English Lit!) until this CLEP exam came up. I also suggest you also buy Diana Hacker's english reference since it has a good review, as well as REA's general practice test books. But this book alone was my CLEP English bible- there's a brief review which is enough for someone who knows English well, but if you're like me, I'd also get another good grammar book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (34)

Just Barely Enough
Not enough info.... had to refer to other sources... The Cliff Notes Sociology is very good. I purchased it from this site as well for under $ 5.00 All in All I studied for about a week.. scored a 52 passing is passing...

Great overview of sociology
I studied using this guide as my primary source about 2 hours a day for 6 weeks and scored a 74/80. I am happy with the purchase, it was very well written and informative. The practice tests in the back are priceless for self assessment.

Adequate Preparation
I just took the Sociology CLEP and passed with a 58.The REA study guide was the only preparation I used and studied for about 8 hours over 5 days.I did pass, but I was not supremely impressed with the study guide.There were many demographic questions on the actual CLEP that were never covered in REA's study guide.Examples would include male vs. female increase of population (over 85 years of age) and exact percentage of upper middle class citizens in the US.These are very technical questions that you can't always reason out.I had passed all three REA practice tests with scores over 70 so I was suprised when taking the test at the amount of questions I was not confident in.

That being said, I did pass with a B so the book did accomplish it's task.If you wanted to feel 100% confident at test time I would use a secondary source in your studies like a used Sociology test book.

Good luck!

Book is written in horrible English
I used this book and Wikipedia to study and passed the exam with a 70. However, the book is written in a way as to discourage reading, describing simple concepts with unnecessary complicated words and sentences. This is one of the poorest CLEP review I have used so far.

Good enough to pass the CLEP Jan 2010
It does seem that this book is missing some of the up to date facts and figures that the CLEP exam is looking for but I passed today with a 70 and all you need for credit is a 50.So I highly recommend this book. Take all the practice tests.You learn more from the explanations of sample questions then you do from the actual content of the book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (13)

great review tool
i am an advanced student of spanish and think this books serves as an excellent tool for reviewing an extensive array of language rules, from the very simple (numbers, dates, math signs) to the more complicated (uses of subjunctive)and the tricky (appropriate choice of verbs for "to become").Because it's coverage is wide, but not deep, it does not serve as a tool for learning basic spanish.Great book to add to a learning spanish library.

Excellent
I passed my CLEP Spanish exam because of this book. It's thorough, well organized and effective. The practice exams were very close to the real thing.

The book also includes audio CD's which are essential to preparing for the listening portion of the exam. I would not take a CLEP test without this guide.

Decent but poorly written
I used this book and passed my spanish CLEP exam, so I can't complain too much.I agree closely with the reviewer who said "Fair But Full of Errors."The most useful part of the book are the practice tests and the quizzes for different grammar review areas. It was easy and quick to run through all the review sections and do all the review problems in between taking the practice tests.My practice test scores went up a little (but not a lot) after going through all the review material. The scoring of the practice tests seemed a bit strange to me--you could loose 30 of 130 points and still get a "perfect" 80, which doesn't seem realistic to me (and my actual test score was lower than my practice test scores).It was frustrating, however, to find quite blatant errors in the book and really misleading or poorly worded explanations.Of course this is written as review for people who should already know spanish, but nonetheless, quite a few times it had me shaking my head in confusion or anger, only to look it up in a normal spanish book and find it clearly and simply explained.

For example, one practice question went something like: "El ladron fue (muerto/matado) por el policía."After having paragraphs of useless information explaining all the other questions whose answers were obvious, the answer key only says something like: "The correct answer is "muerto" because muerto is the past participle for matar in the passive."Confused, I looked up matar and morir in every dictionary that I have, and it's always matar-matado, morir-muerto.What gives?Well, I finally went onto a couple online grammar forums, and this is apparently a subtle grammar exception for this particular word, and even native speakers have trouble explaining it except to say that they agree that either you use muerto for matar in the passive and only in the passive, or you avoid the whole issue by using asesinado.Digging deeper, I found that the real answer possibly has to do with an antiquated use of the word morir as a transitive verb, which happens to have its vestiges left in the passive tense only.Mabye every dope already knows this, but I think the the book should have used a couple more sentences to explain this, or it should not have used such an unusual exception in their quiz.In a book where there are so many mistakes, I initially took this bad explanation as a flat-out error.

The practice tests for the reading part were very similar to the actual test, if not slightly harder, which is the way to err on a practice test.The listening portion, however, was WAY harder than the actual test.In fact, I personally found the listening portion of the practice test very disheartening because it went so fast and used such advanced topcics that I simply could not keep the topics and all their details straight in my head (you only get to listen once).The real test, however, stuck to very simple subjects and had relatively easy-to-remember questions and quick answers.The only thing difficult about the real CLEP test is that the volume was much too low and the quality was really scratchy, so it was difficult in that regard.Luckily, I brought my own earphones to the test because if I hadn't, the cheap, test-supplied earphones would have been insufficient to hear anything.

I found out, much too late, that Peterson's offers practice tests online--you can even get them free through some library websites.The Peterson's reading comprehension tests were ever so slightly simpler than the CLEP exam tests, which is a slight disadvantage, but the listening portion was right on target!After I did a couple practice tests on the Peterson's website, I was feeling much more better about myself and more confident about the test.And it left me praying that the real test would be more like Peterson's than the REA book.And it was, in the listening portion anyway.

Good review book!
I needed to take the Spanish CLEP exam. Growing up in Miami, I am somewhat fluent in Spanish, but was worried about the exam. I got the flu the week before my exam was scheduled, so I actually had only two days to study! The book and the CD (only one is included with the book, not two) helped me tremendously. I passed the exam and earned the six credits in foreign language I need to graduate. If you're an English-speaking native looking to take the exam without at least some Spanish background basics, I wouldn't suggest the book; however, for those of you beyond basic Spanish, this is the book to get.

A Good Reference for CLEP
The student I worked with passed the CLEP on the
first shot with a grade above minimum passing and a
94 on the NYS Regents. This book is highly recommended.
There are 3 lengthy exams which you should complete.

The front of the text has a lot of good stuff on the
following:

o adjectives and adverbs
o present indicative, preterite, imperfect and conditional
tense structures
o present participle, reflexive pronouns, the infinitive
and subjunctive etc.

The CLEP exam is a bit different from the NYS-Regents in
Spanish. The Regents is more conversational.On CLEP,
you must understand the grammar COLD !There is no
getting around a thorough understanding of the language.
Remember that colleges will be waiving credit based upon
your performance on this exam. Some colleges may require
that you submit a writing sample in Spanish after you pass
the CLEP exam.

Overall, the book is an excellent acquisition. Passing the
CLEP can be worth thousands of dollars toward the college
degree. In addition, colleges view the CLEP as prima facie
evidence that you can do college work.

Dr. Joseph S. Maresca ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Came in better condition then stated!
I would highly reccomend this seller. The product arrived in better condition then they stated it was in.CLEP Official Study Guide 2010

Used CLEP Book, Like New!!!
Wow, I live half way around the world, and I just recieved my CLEP Book in less than a week! It is used, but it is very GREAT shape. Thanks!

Doesn't tell you how well you will score
While this book has tons of practice problems that are written in the same format as those used on the CLEP tests there isn't mutch else on this book that is not already found on the college board website. When I bought this book I thought I could take a practice test like in the SAT college board books that would give me a reliable score range so I could know how much more I would need to study in order to do well on the CLEP tests. I ended up using my AP prep books for the CLEPs I took and did well but my purchase of this book was a waste of money.

I would recommend getting this book only if you have not take a subjects corresponding AP test so that way you can know what the MC questions are like, otherwise look to other test prep books to see what score ranges you can expect since the test is graded on a curve.

Good for general information, but that's about it.
Get general info and a practice test for each available CLEP test. Good for what it is, but don't expect any in-depth info for any subject. A good place to start if you are interested in easy college credits.

Somewhat helpful
I was very disappointed in this product. The book indicates that it is a study guide. It only gives a sample test with an answer key at the end. This is hardly a study guide. I expected information about what specific info should be reviewed for the test. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Wasn't very helpful for me
I'm sure this book has been very helpful for others, but it certainly was not for me.I studied the areas needed in this book and when I got the the test there was nothing from the book on there. ... Read more

Product Description
This updated test preparation manual covers all sections of the CLEP, with model tests in all five subjects and with all topic reviews expanded and updated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Shame on you Barron's!
I bought this book for the English Comp. section.It contained so many grammatical and technical errors that I cannot recommend it. There were numerous typos, explanations for answers that did not even match the question, answers contained in non-underlined portions of the question, and a number of other problems. Unbelievable that all this is found in a book that is supposed to be used as a study guide for *English Composition*!I could possibly accept this obvious lack of proofreading in a Math or Science study guide (well ok, probably not).I cannot go on enough about how poorly done this was.Shame on you Barron's and the three authors responsible for the Eng. Comp. section!

Don't waste your money, I'm returning mine to the store
I bought this book as an impulse at a book store, wanting to CLEP the English Composition exam. Unfortunatly, this book is riddled with technical errors throughout. I took the initial exam, missing several questions like I suspected. But the reason I missed some of the questions was because the answers were wrong. At page 62, I had seen enough errors to make me want to return this book. Don't buy it, try something else.

How did this get past the proofreaders??
I picked this up in a bookstore for my English Composition CLEP test, and got through four pages, finding three typographical errors in the example questions--before I realized that they were unintentional.Unacceptable, for sure.

There are too many typographical errors in this book
This book has too many typographical errors. I used 3 books,Cracking the Clep(Princeton),Clep English composition(Comex),and Barrons. The first two are GREAT books that provide the background(nuts and bolts)needed to passthe english test. Barrons has plenty of sample questions,but lacks englishgrammar review material. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Too many errors spoil this work.
Barron's, a noted name in study aids, has slipped with this book.As one example, the English Composition trial test contains enough typographical errors to sway my test results by nearly twenty points!For someone trying to honestly evaluate whether or not to take the CLEP rather than the actual course, this is wholly unacceptable.

I sincerely hope that this editorial carelessness is corrected in future versions, and that future editions are up to Barron's normally high standards. ... Read more

Product Description
Every year more and more students save countless hours and dollars through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). These comprehensive examinations are used to award full college credit for demonstrating college-level achievement in a variety of areas and subjects. This new edition offers valuable advice from The College Board about how CLEP can help shorten the path to a college degree. With free CD-Rom, this is the only study guide that helps prepare students for the CLEP computer-based test. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

This 2003 CLEP Official Study Guide has a lot of substance!
Though only used copies of this CLEP Official Study Guide are sold it still has a lot of substance. If you have ever done IT or worked as a secretary in an office before, than the knowledge you gained there plus the review in this guide for the CLEP Info Systems and Computer Applications exam should be more than enough to get a passing score on that CLEP test. For other CLEP exams this book can be used to supplement other study guides such as CLEP History of the United States I (REA)- The Best Test Prep for the CLEP Exam (Test Preps) and CLEP History of the United States II (REA) - The Best Test Prep for the CLEP (Test Preps). This is an excellent resource for sample questions for all the CLEP exams. Whether or not the information in thie CLEP Official Study Guide 2003 Edition will be enough to help you pass any particular CLEP test depends on your prior backround knowledge of the material being tested in the corresponding CLEP test.

Other books are better!
While it is true that this book does contain some sample questions, so do other books available on Amazon. Several other books are much, much better than this one. The sample computer test information is free at collegeboard.com.If you are well versed in your area of study, then this book may help with sample questions.

However, if you need to study and can not afford to waste money with every clep book, that this is the wrong book for you.

If you have limited funds, and want a better study guide, purchase "Cracking the Clep" Princeton Review. You get alot more information for your money.

Other books that are better than this one are the Comex books and the study books from REA.

All of these books are available on Amazon, and will do you better than this book. If you can afford to buy every book, and need a comfort zone, than by all means, get this one too.

Just don't expect any of the questions in this book to actually be on the test. They won't.You need to either know or learn the concepts that the questions represent.

Worthless CD - Why Did They Bother?
While this book does a good job of covering the questions and subject matter of the 34 CLEP examinations, the fact that the administration of the exam is now computer-based creates a desire for practice experience that simulates the actual test environment. Students who select this book expecting that the accompanying CD-ROM will include such simulated practice exams will be in for a major disappointment, however, because the CD contains little more than a canned orientation to the computer interface. The publishers don't help much by adding a somewhat vague description of the CD's content in the text; and on the actual CD there are menus that go through subject areas and subject exam titles, but they all lead to the same generic tutorial that has nothing to do with the subject content!! It's like you're being conned. For the 2004 edition, the College Board should make a simple choice: omit the CD (and drop the price of the book) or put real practice exams on it.

CLEP 2003
I found this CLEP guide to be somewhat helpful. One good point is that it prepared me for the actual test format. The CD is not very useful - it basically just shows you how to navigate the computer-based CLEP exam.

CD was a disappointment
While the tests appear to be comprehensive in the book, the CD was a total disappointment. There are no sample questions on the CD at all, only a tutorial for taking a multiple choice test on the computer.

Another disappointment was the lack of relation between the results on the practice tests and what is necessary to pass the tests. While the book has shown me a couple of areas I need to study, I don't feel it is preparing me to take the tests.

Wish me luck!! ... Read more

Product Description
Barron?s just-published test preparation manual for the CLEP?or College Level Examination Program?has now been augmented with a CD-ROM that offers a Computer Adaptive test that virtually replicates the actual test-taking situation. With its three pencil-and-paper style practice tests and answers, the book serves as an excellent review of all CLEP subject material. However, most students who prefer to recreate actual test-taking conditions will choose this brand-new combination book-and-CD-ROM, which gives them the most complete CLEP test preparation available anywhere. This software offers timed and untimed computer versions of the tests presented in the book. The test is scored automatically when the test-taker completes it. In addition, the manual presents subject reviews plus pencil-and-paper sample exams in English composition, the humanities, math, the natural sciences, and social sciences--history, with answer keys and explanations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Barron's CLEP is garbage
I have been trying to study for the English Comp test. I used the provided CD. I took the Sample Test 1 (with scoring), when I finished it said "Go to answer key." But there is none and when I went looking for it all of my answers are gone. 90 minutes completely wasted! DON'T BUY ANY BARRON'S PREP BOOKS FOR THE CD! They are garbage and don't work. I have tried several experiments trying to find any answer key. It just doesn't exist -- it's a lie, and all your answers are lost forever.

-Kurt-

BTW, we should be allowed to put no stars. None are deserved here.

Too many errors
In the English Composition preparation section, there are four practice tests to help you. The problem is that there are too many errors in the practice test questions. One answer tells you that "colonies" should be singular to agree with the singular verb, but the verb is plural in the question. Another answer tells you that "they" should be singular, but there is no "they" in the question. Also many of the sentences which Barron says are correct are poorly written and often lack proper punctuation. One run on sentence was called a dangling modifier. It is quite frustrating, to say the least.

I don't rate it one star because the effort put into this work is impressive, but I do recommend a revision of this book. It is desperately needed.

Some helpful info; many mistakes
I actually picked this book up at the library for some early prep for a state subject-specific test I'll eventually have to take (not for the CLEP).However, while I know this is harder than anything I'll have to take, the questions are definitely difficult and cover all the different aspects (I was focusing on the social science area).However, there are many erros in the answer key.The detailed answer is correct but the letter corresponding to it may not be.My favorite question was:

From 1845 to 1855, a considerable number of the immigrants to the U.S. came from:

A) China B) Ireland C) Greece D) Russia E) Spain.

Ireland, you say.WRONG.The answer according to the book is Germany.I have to admit from glancing at the other sections, I think the social sciences is easily the hardest.Anyways, it's worth getting if you are to take the CLEP probably but beware of mistakes.There probably is something better and more concise out there.

High Marks for a good review book
I needed a review book for the math CLEP. One of my friends recommended the Barrons CLEP review book.It turned out to be a very good recommendation.The types of questions in the book were almost identical to the types of questions on the test.There were no surprises, no types of examples or problems I had never seen before.Even the percentage breakdown the book described of the various problems was pretty accurate. There were 60 questions on each of the three practice exams in the book plus the book provided an additional trial examination. Plenty of practice that allowed me to sharpen my question/answer skills. I didn't notice any typo's in the answer part. The book also gives a brief explanation of each answer.This is where I though the review book was a little shallow. When I was familiar with the material, the explanation of the answer was fine. When I need more depth in the answer, the review book didn't have it. Well, it's a review book, not a text book so I did not lower my rating. Needless to say, I had a scale score equal to an 'A' on a 6 credit CLEP College math test. ... Read more