Natural Science CLEP

[dhanna]

This has been my strategy for the NS CLEP:

Watch Khan Academy Biology Videos
Use IC Flash Cards

That should give me a solid base for Bio (half the test)

What should I do to prepare for the other half? What is on the other half?

Also-

There are so many videos on Khan Academy on Physics and Chemistry, as well as Astronomy. If Im just dabbling in each of those categories for NS, which videos do you recommend I watch? Id watch them all but theres little time...

[Westerner]

These are the KA Biology videos I watched for NS:

—some of the Evolution videos to get familiar with what they say (as a side note, there was very little, if any, Evol. on the Clep)
—most of the “Cell Division" playlist (these were SUPER-helpful)
—first 4 of the “Heredity & Genes” section
—first 5 of “Tree of life”
—most of “Cellular Respiration”
—"ATP,” “Photosynthesis,” “Light Reactions 1,” and “Calvin Cycle”
—ones on the major systems & organs in the body (don’t have to go deep into the Neurons stuff)
—first 2 of “Immunology” + “Inflammatory Response”

I had just studied a ton on Chemistry because I wanted to take that Clep but because of time, decided to go with NS (which turned out to be more fun anyway). So I already knew the Chem I needed. If I had to pick out the best parts of KA for it, I’d say the "Orbitals and Electrons," "Periodic table, trends, and bonding,” "Chemical reactions (stoichiometry),” and "States of matter“ playlists (not saying you should watch every video, but he really does a good job explaining those concepts).

There was very little Physics on the test. Physics 4 Kids is good.

I would also recommend the Periodic Table of Videos for the Chemistry and Sixty Symbols for the Astronomy parts of the Clep. (These videos are much shorter and good for review since these topics won’t be heavily covered on the Clep.)

[Lindagerr]

Westerner had a lot of good pointers there. The only thing I can add is read the specific exam feedback. People usually post there when things are fresh in their mind.

[akulbe]

How hard was the Natural Science compared to other exams you've taken? I have to pick a physical science test to take...

Three CLEPs and three classes to go, and I'm *DONE*.

College Mathematics - which I'm *VERY* nervous about. (even if I was an ace at math, I think I'd still be nervous)
Intro to Sociology - not really nervous about this one. I still want to do good on it.

I'm scheduled to take these on Friday.

Then, after these... I need another one for a science. I just don't know which one to do.

[Westerner]

How hard was the Natural Science compared to other exams you've taken? I have to pick a physical science test to take...

Three CLEPs and three classes to go, and I'm *DONE*.

College Mathematics - which I'm *VERY* nervous about. (even if I was an ace at math, I think I'd still be nervous)
Intro to Sociology - not really nervous about this one. I still want to do good on it.

I'm scheduled to take these on Friday.

Then, after these... I need another one for a science. I just don't know which one to do.

Not sure if you're addressing me or not, but I'll answer anyway Natural Sciences was kinda hard only because I hadn't studied Biology recently, and half of the Clep questions are on that topic :eek: Thank God, I was able to learn enough to pass with a decent score. The NS Clep was the only science test I took, but if you need another you might want to do the Biology CLEP, because you'll have studied a lot of Bio for the NS Clep anyway The Environment and Humanity DSST is a science test that I've heard to be fairly easy.

As for your other tests, neither Sociology nor College Math are that hard. Trust me, I was SO nervous about CM and ended up scoring over 10 points higher than I'd expected!

[hudcap]

The NS Clep was the only science test I took, but if you need another you might want to do the Biology CLEP, because you'll have studied a lot of Bio for the NS Clep anyway

My advisor has just informed me that the Biology CLEP and the Natural Science CLEP duplicate each other as per a recent change in Excelsior policy

A word to the wise - don't take any tests before getting approval from your advisor

[Zombie]

I think I disagree. I don't know from Excelsior advisors, but at my B & M school I rely on a "Certification Crosswalk" and information about the minimum amount of school (in-person or Internet) credit I need. To search out an advisor during the inter-semester periods is difficult.

Taking Biology looks--and is--much more rigorous than taking NS, so even if your marginal (credit) return was 0 for now, a prospective employer would notice the progression. Plus, future programs and endeavors might insist on Biology.

I use the "will I more likely than not need it?" standard and let the chips fall where they may. This lets me get on with studying InstantCert, and even more important, learning.

[Westerner]

My advisor has just informed me that the Biology CLEP and the Natural Science CLEP duplicate each other as per a recent change in Excelsior policy

A word to the wise - don't take any tests before getting approval from your advisor

Oh yes, always check with your school! Thanks for bringing this up, yehudadavis

[George T. A. P. D. III]

I just took the test about 5 days ago and passed with a score of 61. I studied off and on for about six weeks and after I took the test I felt that I could have taken and passed the test with only 1.5/2 weeks of hard study. For study resources I used the REA CLEP guide to NS, OCSG, Cliff notes on chemistry, and Peterson's PT.

After I took the test I felt kind of distraught that I had wasted so much time on Peterson's Practice Tests...needless to say they are junk when dealing with this specific test. If I had to start over and choose only one resource for this test it would be the REA book, It was invaluable to me for the NS CLEP; however, if anybody does use the REA NS I would recommend that they use a different resource for the chemistry section of the test...if I hadn't used a different resource for that specific part I probably would have gotten a worse grade then what I did. If you have a chance to take the OCSG (official clep study guide) test I would recommend that you do so, it is very close to the real thing. I did not (only one video) use Khan academy so I do not know how helpful those video's are...I tried to watch one but when the guy took a stinken 15 minutes to explain the first law of thermodynamics I called it quits...maybe next time.