Clep Dantes & ECE Pass Rates

[barbeque22]

I went back to look at the website that shows the pass rates for the tests (only for military test takers). The pass rates seem much lower than for 2006. Has anyone noticed the tests getting much harder?

CLEP SUBJECT (Paper-based) VOLUME and PASS RATE FY07

[MISin08]

Not to pick on the armed services folks, but I understand the exams are free for them, so I wonder if the average pass rates are heavily influenced by people taking the exams on a what-the-heck basis with no study. (They need to know about IC )

[Greggy_D]

Not to pick on the armed services folks, but I understand the exams are free for them, so I wonder if the average pass rates are heavily influenced by people taking the exams on a what-the-heck basis with no study. (They need to know about IC )

I completely agree with your view. If CLEPs were free and there wasn't any consequence for failing.......I'd take as many as I could by just winging it (the first attempt).

[bmills072200]

Not to pick on the armed services folks, but I understand the exams are free for them, so I wonder if the average pass rates are heavily influenced by people taking the exams on a what-the-heck basis with no study. (They need to know about IC )

I have to agree as well. Those pass rates are ridiculously low. I know that some of the exams are difficult, but 13%-21% pass rates on the harder exams are not indicative of the general population...don't stress about it

[CLEP101]

I agree. Being in the Army, I used to take the exams without studying anything a few years back. Most of the time I didn't pass. And I know for sure a lot of my guys did it as well. Many of them tell me that they want to take them to see what is on them so they know what to study and retake the test 6 months later. Believe me I spread the word about IC to everyone that I talk to and to my Soldiers. As you can see, I have not failed a single CLEP/DSST since knowing about IC, following the advice, and studying from it.

[jake.fl.1987]

If that is the case it gives you an idea of which are easiest to hardest. Lets you know how much studying might be required.

Highest percentile to lowest.

Analyzing and interpreting Literature. ----- 64%
Principles of Management --------------- 57%
Freshman College Compisition ------------ 54%
Information Systems & Comp. App. ------- 44%
Introductory Sociology ------------------- 37%
Introductory Psychology ----------------- 34%
History of the U.S. II ---------------------25%
History of the U.S. I ---------------------- 23 %
College Algebra --------------------------- 17%

This might help people who are deciding what exam to try and wing. I must say I was suprised by the college algebra being last. I also thought psychology would have been higher than sociology.

[bat21]

I would not even go by those numbers as a gauge as to which test is easier.

I would go by your personal knowledge, and what you could pick up on quickly.

Do not let those numbers scare you.

[Ronny]

If that is the case it gives you an idea of which are easiest to hardest. Lets you know how much studying might be required.

Highest percentile to lowest.

Analyzing and interpreting Literature. ----- 64%
Principles of Management --------------- 57%
Freshman College Compisition ------------ 54%
Information Systems & Comp. App. ------- 44%
Introductory Sociology ------------------- 37%
Introductory Psychology ----------------- 34%
History of the U.S. II ---------------------25%
History of the U.S. I ---------------------- 23 %
College Algebra --------------------------- 17%

This might help people who are deciding what exam to try and wing. I must say I was surprised by the college algebra being last. I also thought psychology would have been higher than sociology.

I thought psychology was a bit harder than sociology because there's anatomy questions in psychology. I studied for both psychology and sociology for 1 day each and passed psych with a lower score than sociology because I didn't have time to learn the parts of the brain and such. I also felt that sociology was a much better test for guessing, since Karl Marx figures so prominently, I always went with the answer that sounded most like communist propaganda in general, and was rewarded with an extremely high score, lol.

[bat21]

The Politburo salutes you comrade

[cookderosa]

I have to agree as well. Those pass rates are ridiculously low. I know that some of the exams are difficult, but 13%-21% pass rates on the harder exams are not indicative of the general population...don't stress about it

Two quick experiences. First, off this board, the few people I have spoken to who had already taken a CLEP exam didn't study either. I don't really think that the CLEP marketing material encourages "study" because they spin it as "credit for knowledge you already have" type of thing. One gal I work with actually thought studying seemed to be "cheating" in some way. I think some people think of them as SAT-like or like a placement test. Of course, they are mistaken!
Second, a conversation I had with an admissions rep from Kaplan College told me that they accept CLEP exams for pre-req requirements into their business program but that he doesn't recommend it since "no one ever passes those things." He does have a bias, in that the college benefits if a student pays the tuition for pre reqs rather than CLEPping, but I was still shocked by his position.
So......we have to consider the possibility that the people on this board are, in fact, running higher pass rates than average.