CLEP can be a fantastic addition to any homeschool program. For students that want to earn a lot of inexpensive college credit in high school, CLEP edges out dual enrollment and Advanced Placement. In order to successfully plan multiple CLEP exams into your student’s homeschool program, you’ll need to understand the depth of knowledge needed to be successful. Through my homeschooling journey, I’ve found that CLEP exams tend to represent one of two exam types:
(1) Individual subjects
(2) Cumulative subjects
Individual Subjects
An individual subject is one that you can approach with no pre-existing knowledge about the subject, and your teen can study it from scratch inside of a semester or two. Think of these subjects as fitting neatly in a box. An example of an individual subject is Introductory Psychology. A student can begin studying Introductory Psychology using a homeschool curriculum, a discarded college textbook, a video series, or even lectures on Youtube. The expected level to pass the course (and the CLEP) can easily be mastered inside of 1 semester.
Cumulative Subjects
A cumulative subject is one that requires prior knowledge, sometimes extensive prior knowledge. An example of an exam in this category is College Algebra. In the case of College Algebra, you can’t begin the study of the subject without previously learning math through at least Algebra 2. Students who have started PreCalculus will be stronger candidates to pass the College Algebra exam. Therefore, if your teen is currently completing Algebra 1, you’ll have to wait to bring the College Algebra CLEP exam into your homeschool schedule.
1 Month? 1 Semester? 1 Year? 4 Years?
In order to choose the best time for your teen to take a specific course/exam, you need to know where it best fits into your homeschool program. Learning a year of college-level biology might actually take a year! Fluency that generates 9 college credits in French might take 4 years of high school French. Studying Introduction to Sociology might only take a month. It’s possible that some subjects may never fit perfectly into your homeschool program, and may serve your teen best after they’ve graduated high school. Remember that graduating high school with even 1 college credit puts them ahead, so try not to think of this planning with the same sense of urgency you’ll find with adult learners. High school students who earn CLEP credit are well ahead of their age-mates!
The following classification is my opinion based on my experience with each of these exams. Your teen’s individual aptitude, ability, and level of knowledge will influence where and when these exams fit into your homeschool.
Individual Subject Exams
American Literature
English Literature
American Government
History of the United States I
History of the United States II
Human Growth and Development
Introduction to Educational Psychology
Introductory Psychology
Introductory Sociology
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648
Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present
Biology
Information Systems
Introductory Business Law
Principles of Management
Principles of Marketing
Cumulative Subjects
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
College Composition
College Composition Modular
French Language: Levels 1 and 2
German Language: Levels 1 and 2
Spanish Language: Levels 1 and 2
College Algebra
College Mathematics
Natural Sciences
Pre-calculus
Calculus
Decide for Yourself
Humanities
Social Sciences and History
Financial Accounting
Chemistry
There’s a TON of helpful CLEP content on this website! Here are some of the best posts:
My Top 10 CLEP Prep Tips for PARENTS
CLEP for 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grades
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