We just saw the first exam revision for CLEP Biology since 2001! That is no small thing, so in this post we’ll compare side by side what you can expect with this change.
CLEP Biology Exam
ACE ID:CLEP-0018
| Data Point | OLD VERSION | NEW VERSION |
|---|---|---|
| Dates in use | 07/01/2001 – 03/31/2023 | 04/01/2023 – 03/31/2029 |
| Length | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Questions | 115 | 115 |
| Recommended Credit | 6 (1 year college course) | 6 (1 year college course) |
| Subject | Biology or Life Science | Biology |
| Recommended Score | 50 | 50 |
| Molecular and Cellular Biology | 33% | 33% |
| Chemical composition of organisms Simple chemical reactions and bonds Properties of water Chemical structure of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids Origin of life Cells Structure and function of cell organelles Properties of cell membranes Comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells Enzymes Enzyme-substrate complex Roles of coenzymes Inorganic cofactors Inhibition and regulation Energy transformations Glycolysis, respiration, and anaerobic pathways Photosynthesis Cell division Structure of chromosomes Mitosis, meiosis, and cytokinesis in plants and animals Chemical nature of the gene Watson-Crick model of nucleic acids DNA replication Mutations Control of protein synthesis: transcription, translation, and posttranscriptional processing Structural and regulatory genes Transformation Viruses | Chemical composition of organisms Simple chemical reactions and bonds Properties of water Chemical structure of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids Origin of life Cells Structure and function of cell organelles Properties of cell membranes Comparison of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells Enzymes Enzyme-substrate complex Roles of coenzymes Inorganic cofactors Inhibition and regulation Energy transformations Glycolysis, respiration, and anaerobic pathways Photosynthesis Cell division Structure of chromosomes Mitosis, meiosis, and cytokinesis in plants and animals Chemical nature of the gene Watson-Crick model of nucleic acids DNA replication Mutations Control of protein synthesis: transcription, translation, and posttranscriptional processing Structural and regulatory genes Transformation Viruses | |
| Organismal Biology | 34% | 34% |
| Structure and function in plants with emphasis on angiosperms Root, stem, leaf, flower, seed, and fruit Water and mineral absorption and transport Food translocation and storage Plant reproduction and development Alternation of generations in ferns, conifers, and flowering plants Gamete formation and fertilization Growth and development: hormonal control Tropisms and photoperiodicity Structure and function in animals with emphasis on vertebrates Major systems (e.g., digestive, gas exchange, skeletal, nervous, circulatory, excretory, and immune) Homeostatic mechanisms Hormonal control in homeostasis and reproduction Animal reproduction and development Gamete formation and fertilization Cleavage, gastrulation, germ layer formation, and differentiation of organ systems Experimental analysis of vertebrate development Extraembryonic membranes of vertebrates Formation and function of the mammalian placenta Blood circulation in the human embryo Principles of heredity Mendelian inheritance (dominance, segregation, independent assortment) Chromosomal basis of inheritance Linkage, including sex-linked Polygenic inheritance (height, skin color, etc.) Multiple alleles (human blood groups) | Structure and function in plants with emphasis on angiosperms Root, stem, leaf, flower, seed, and fruit Water and mineral absorption and transport Food translocation and storage Plant reproduction and development Alternation of generations in ferns, conifers, and flowering plants Gamete formation and fertilization Growth and development: hormonal control Tropisms and photoperiodicity Structure and function in animals with emphasis on vertebrates Major systems (e.g., digestive, gas exchange, skeletal, nervous, circulatory, excretory, and immune) Homeostatic mechanisms Hormonal control in homeostasis and reproduction Animal reproduction and development Gamete formation and fertilization Cleavage, gastrulation, germ layer formation, and differentiation of organ systems Experimental analysis of vertebrate development Extraembryonic membranes of vertebrates Formation and function of the mammalian placenta Blood circulation in the human embryo Principles of heredity Mendelian inheritance (dominance, segregation, independent assortment) Chromosomal basis of inheritance Linkage, including sex-linked Polygenic inheritance (height, skin color, etc.) Multiple alleles (human blood groups) | |
| Population Biology | 33% | 33% |
| Principles of ecology Energy flow and productivity in ecosystems Biogeochemical cycles Population growth and regulation (natality, mortality, competition, migration, density, r- and K-selection) Community structure, growth, and regulation (major biomes and succession) Habitat (biotic and abiotic factors) Concept of niche Island biogeography Evolutionary ecology (life history strategies, altruism, and kin selection) Principles of evolution History of evolutionary concepts Concepts of natural selection (differential reproduction, mutation, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, speciation, and punctuated equilibrium) Adaptive radiation Major features of plant and animal evolution Concepts of homology and analogy Convergence, extinction, balanced polymorphism, and genetic drift Classification of living organisms Evolutionary history of humans Principles of behavior Stereotyped and learned social behavior Societies (insects, birds, and primates) Social biology Human population growth (age composition, birth and fertility rates, and theory of demographic transition) Human intervention in the natural world (management of resources, and environmental pollution) Biomedical progress (control of human reproduction, and genetic engineering) | Principles of ecology Energy flow and productivity in ecosystems Biogeochemical cycles Population growth and regulation (natality, mortality, competition, migration, density, r- and K-selection) Community structure, growth, and regulation (major biomes and succession) Habitat (biotic and abiotic factors) Concept of niche Island biogeography Evolutionary ecology (life history strategies, altruism, and kin selection) Principles of evolution History of evolutionary concepts Concepts of natural selection (differential reproduction, mutation, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, speciation, and punctuated equilibrium) Adaptive radiation Major features of plant and animal evolution Concepts of homology and analogy Convergence, extinction, balanced polymorphism, and genetic drift Classification of living organisms Evolutionary history of humans Principles of behavior Stereotyped and learned social behavior Societies (insects, birds, and primates) Social biology Human population growth (age composition, birth and fertility rates, and theory of demographic transition) Human intervention in the natural world (management of resources, and environmental pollution) Biomedical progress (control of human reproduction, and genetic engineering) |
Predicted Changes
The biggest changes that can happen to an exam were NOT observed here. We did not see a change in the distribution of topics, number of credits, number of questions, or time allowed. That leads us to conclude that the changes were simply in the questions or question bank. In other words, an old question was replaced with a new question but should be of similar content and similar difficulty.
Example: an old question asking 4+5 could be replaced with a new question asking 6+5. There is no change in content or difficulty but the “actual” question was changed.
What this Means for Your Homeschool
This is the best kind of change because it means we can CONTINUE to use our existing test prep resources. We can conclude that it is ok to use any CLEP Biology prep resource with a publication date of 07/01/2007 and newer.
Official Page: CLEP College Biology
