I'm going to lose my score on analyzing lit CLEP

[beastcoast]

So a few months back I was racing around taking CLEPs so that I could walk in the graduation march and ultimately graduate. Well I was 2 CLEPs shy of graduating. Analyzing literature and western civilization. My parents wanted to see that diploma so I tried fitting them into my summer schedule. I finally worked a time that was good for myself and the test administrator to take the Analyzing lit clep. Despite being a community college, my school requires the optional essays. Going into the testing appointment, I expected to take both portions of the exam. But I was also perplexed because I knew both portions would take at least 2+ hours. She had scheduled me for 2:00 and I know she always leaves at 4:00. As I'm checking in she mentions that I didn't specify that I needed to take the essay as well, and I wouldn't have enough time to do it. I didn't call her out on the fact that the essay is required and I should not have to specify that. She clearly slipped there. So I took the computer-based multiple choice section and scored a 66. I was to come back and take the essay portion at a later date. Well her schedule was just not jiving with mine and I was struggling to make something work within my work week. I don't live close to the school either.

That was in July. My work schedule has finally slowed down enough that I can find time to take it. My cell phone was missing the entire month of August, and I only just came back into possession of it. I checked my voicemail and there is a message from her left on the 8th stating that I would only have a few days to take the essay. No email or any other notification.

I have not yet spoken to her but I am a bit frustrated. I need 6 humanities credits to graduate. All of the humanity credit offering CLEPs are difficult, with the exception of Analyzing Literature. Does this mean my 80 dollars was wasted and that I won't even be able to take that particular exam again for a certain length of time? I am leaving the country soon but I need to have these exams done before I go so that I can transfer next semester. I feel like complaining to someone.

[cookderosa]

So a few months back I was racing around taking CLEPs so that I could walk in the graduation march and ultimately graduate. Well I was 2 CLEPs shy of graduating. Analyzing literature and western civilization. My parents wanted to see that diploma so I tried fitting them into my summer schedule. I finally worked a time that was good for myself and the test administrator to take the Analyzing lit clep. Despite being a community college, my school requires the optional essays. Going into the testing appointment, I expected to take both portions of the exam. But I was also perplexed because I knew both portions would take at least 2+ hours. She had scheduled me for 2:00 and I know she always leaves at 4:00. As I'm checking in she mentions that I didn't specify that I needed to take the essay as well, and I wouldn't have enough time to do it. I didn't call her out on the fact that the essay is required and I should not have to specify that. She clearly slipped there. So I took the computer-based multiple choice section and scored a 66. I was to come back and take the essay portion at a later date. Well her schedule was just not jiving with mine and I was struggling to make something work within my work week. I don't live close to the school either.

That was in July. My work schedule has finally slowed down enough that I can find time to take it. My cell phone was missing the entire month of August, and I only just came back into possession of it. I checked my voicemail and there is a message from her left on the 8th stating that I would only have a few days to take the essay. No email or any other notification.

I have not yet spoken to her but I am a bit frustrated. I need 6 humanities credits to graduate. All of the humanity credit offering CLEPs are difficult, with the exception of Analyzing Literature. Does this mean my 80 dollars was wasted and that I won't even be able to take that particular exam again for a certain length of time? I am leaving the country soon but I need to have these exams done before I go so that I can transfer next semester. I feel like complaining to someone.

It's a 90 day window to retest.

[BGSU_Alum_86]

Unfortunately this is a good lesson to those whose schools do require the "optional" essays for any of the lit exams. No test center administrator is going to assume that you require those essays unless you specify that is the case. Those essays cost an additional $10 and have to be ordered from CLEP ahead of time (or after the fact for those who prefer to only have them ordered once they know for certain that they received a passing score on the multiple-choice section). Maybe there will come a day when these exams can be ordered and have them accessible on the computer, but last I heard they were paper/pencil booklets for you to handwrite in.

[cookderosa]

Unfortunately this is a good lesson to those whose schools do require the "optional" essays for any of the lit exams. No test center administrator is going to assume that you require those essays unless you specify that is the case. Those essays cost an additional $10 and have to be ordered from CLEP ahead of time (or after the fact for those who prefer to only have them ordered once they know for certain that they received a passing score on the multiple-choice section). Maybe there will come a day when these exams can be ordered and have them accessible on the computer, but last I heard they were paper/pencil booklets for you to handwrite in.

OMG that's awful- really? I did my essay for composition on the computer- it was a basic plain text screen, kinda like windows notepad. I remember taking a TESC hand written exam that was so terrible I literally had to ice my hand after!

[BGSU_Alum_86]

College Composition is completely different. It is the optional essays offered for all the Lit exams (Analyzing & Interpreting Lit, American Lit, English Lit) and College Composition Modular that are the booklets to handwrite in.

[cookderosa]

College Composition is completely different. It is the optional essays offered for all the Lit exams (Analyzing & Interpreting Lit, American Lit, English Lit) and College Composition Modular that are the booklets to handwrite in.

is that because it's graded by the school that requires the essay? I've never talked to anyone in real life that's completed one.

[Yanji]

If your school accepts the general Humanities CLEP, it's supposed to be pretty easy.

[BGSU_Alum_86]

Cookderosa, those schools who require the optional essays can use them in any way they want, but the CLEP score earned from the multiple-choice section will not change. In the case of one local college which required all of the optional essays, I was told from one tester that they were told the English department just needed to see proof that you really knew how to write -- put it into practice. I would guess that it is similar to a two-step process -- pass the multiple-choice section + prove your writing abilities = skip the class

[beastcoast94]

Unfortunately this is a good lesson to those whose schools do require the "optional" essays for any of the lit exams. No test center administrator is going to assume that you require those essays unless you specify that is the case. Those essays cost an additional $10 and have to be ordered from CLEP ahead of time (or after the fact for those who prefer to only have them ordered once they know for certain that they received a passing score on the multiple-choice section). Maybe there will come a day when these exams can be ordered and have them accessible on the computer, but last I heard they were paper/pencil booklets for you to handwrite in.

the college administers the exam. I didn't go somewhere else to take it. The test facilitator practically wrote the school's CLEP policy

is that because it's graded by the school that requires the essay? I've never talked to anyone in real life that's completed one.

correct.

If your school accepts the general Humanities CLEP, it's supposed to be pretty easy.

I've already completed that one :/

[Tedium]

Your best bet is to suck up the $80 loss and take it again. School administration can move very slowly when dealing with issues like this. If you need the credits now, you should just re-test and specify that you want the essay portion as well. You can re-test after 90 days, so you are good to go, as far as that's concerned.

Sucks, but there aren't a lot of options if you're strapped for time. On the plus side, you already took the multiple choice once, so you should have no issues with it a second time.