Barely passed Intro to Sociology!

[Pkgrant79]

Ok, so I studied on this site PLUS additional information I could find online and I barely passed Introduction to Sociology with a 53! I honestly didn't think I was going to pass once I had started the CLEP. I'm glad I did some additional studying with the CLEP study guide and other random study sites because the InstantCert practice tests alone would not have cut it for me. Out of 100 CLEP test questions, only a handful were even close to the information and the format that was in the IC practice tests. I am very disappointed especially after doing research and hearing all of the rave reviews this site received. This is my first month with IC and I will NOT be renewing my membership.


- PG

[Tasman]

The format is not the same in the IC compared to the clep tests.
If you are unsure of a course, then you need to study more.
Were you 100% confident going in there that you would pass the course?
How long did you prepare for the exam?
Did you try the Petersons?
Perhaps you need to learn some new study habits...
Not sure if this thread was a review or a moan

At least you passed the exam...

[Pkgrant79]

Most of the questions on the CLEP were nothing like what I learned on IC. I was positive going in that I would pass until I actually started the test and I ended up guessing A LOT. My study habits are pretty good and I usually get good grades because of it. I studied for a month. I haven't tried Peterson's. I just checked out their website and it's $19.95...I'm guessing per test? My post was both review and moan.

[dcan]

Did you check the Specific Feedback forum for the test? It has lots of specific details on each test from the people who just took the test. It will tell you no-joke what to expect and what to study. Some have personal study guides attached too. As an IC member you should have access.

Also, the official CLEP "study guide" is NOT a study guide and should not be used that way. It is an indicator of the type and difficulty level of the questions you will see on the actual test. NOTHING MORE. A lot of people swear by the REA study guides that you can get for about $20 or so, but check the specific feedback forum for each test. For example, for the Marketing test REA is apparently perfect, but for Management it is way off. Read the feedback and use it wisely. THAT is what you should pay the monthly fee for -- the flashcards are just a little frosting on the cake.

[cookderosa]

...but you passed, and there is no such thing as a high pass/low pass. It's the same. Had you scored an 80 how would you have felt? IMO, scoring an 80 means you wasted too much time in the material.

Maybe you need to reconsider your study techniques? Maybe youre not a great test taker? Maybe you memorized instead of conceptualized?

I'm not a great test taker, but the problem isn't for lack of good resources. I think you'll find that your membership, is only one aspect of why the pass rate here is so high. -You found the forum, so be sure to use it. There is no better CLEP forum anywhere on the internet. None. You're here, so get planning your second test and move forward.

I'm ALWAYS shocked at how many questions I don't know, that's probably shared by a lot of people. The idea isn't that you are a master of the material, it's that you can score as many questions as a butt -in-seat student who earned a "C" would score. Clearly you met the mark. Celebrate!

Congrats on your first pass!

[clep3705]

Had you scored an 80 how would you have felt? IMO, scoring an 80 means you wasted too much time in the material.

So very, very true and wise.

[Lindagerr]

It seems to me that you studied the IC questions just enough to memorize those questions that is not the intent of IC or the way to pass the test. You need to understand the material by reading the whole response and understanding it. If you don't fully understand a concept after the question and answer then go to wiki or somewhere else(Khan academy, etc.) and read more about it until you understand it. You need to have learned the subject not just the IC flashcards.

I have been using IC and this forum and the specific exam feedback for all of my exams I have not failed one and my lowest score is a 61. So instead of putting the blame on IC which has MANY success stories why not just ask for suggestions of what you can do to be better prepared for your next test.

[burbuja0512]

Congrats on the pass and I agree with the other comments.

Keep in mind that the Specific Forum Feedback is just as helpful, and sometimes more so than the IC cards. If you read through the feedback on ANY topic, a majority of posts from forum members list out other resources that they used to supplement the cards. IC cards are one piece of the puzzle. For many, they can be a big piece of the puzzle, and for other tests, they're not as helpful.

My formula was generally IC + Specific Forum Feedback + Youtube lectures + Google/Wikipedia.

If I would see something in the cards that didn't make sense, I knew that simply memorizing the fill-in-the-blank wasn't enough for me. I would stop, do some web searching and maybe find a lecture on the topic. IC will show you what you need to know, but it's not just what on the card - the card is a hint as to an area of study that includes the info presented. IC cannot give you the exact questions and answers or they couldn't stay in business and it would be considered cheating.

All that said, my younger brother graduated from COSC years ago and used ONLY IC to study. I asked him if he used other resources or even Google and he did not. However, my little bro is seriously intelligent and probably has amazing test taking skills. He also took all of his tests before many of them were updated to be slightly more difficult.

HTH and don't give up! Also, don't be afraid to go back and read the feedback to see how it could have helped you. Being stubborn will only hurt you in the long run. After all, you don't want to just pass ONE test, you want to pass as many as you set your mind to. Give it another shot. I would have never finished my undergrad so quickly without the specific feedback forum.

[nleamons]

Congrats on passing Sociology! I took that class at the community college and it was a hard class. There have been some great comments on this thread. Perhaps, reading a book or watching a video for the primary source and supplementing that with IC. I started with a recommended book before I used IC. Some may prefer to use IC as the primary source. Earlier I saw Tasman's signatures "Set yourself goals, not limitations” that’s what I usually do when taking classes or studying for tests. When I set goals, I always set the mark a lot higher than the minimum needed to get a good grade or to pass a test. For example, I tell myself, I what to pass by 60 when only 48 is needed.

[Pkgrant79]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I did use a variety of resources. Linda, I wish Khanacademy had a lesson on Sociology because I definitely check out those videos! All of you mentioned the "Specific feedback forum". I thought this was the only forum...?? I searched and found it. I'll give it a try!


Thanks!
PG