Failing a CLEP Exam

My student failed his CLEP test … now what?

Fails are never easy. Let’s just get that out of the way. And if you were the one facilitating the study, then you are feeling responsible. It may not be much of a consolation that your student probably learned a ton, may have enjoyed studying in a group, and earned high school credit.

But knowing what happens next can sometimes help students recover faster and learn from the experience. For a hesitant student, knowing the impact of a failed exam can help them take that first step and sit for an exam they might otherwise shy away from.

Fast Facts

Pass or fail, scores on CLEP and DSST exams are not figured into your grade point average (GPA). If you do not score high enough, nothing is logged on your college transcript indicating failure.

Test-takers can re-take a CLEP exam after a 3-month waiting period. In general I only recommend retesting if a student has already graduated high school, or has time outside of their normal study day to review and retest.

Students can re-take a DSST after a waiting period of only 30 days. If your student’s first score was close to passing, consider retesting soon. Especially if DSST is running one of their “retest for free” specials.

What is a Passing Score?
Individual institutions determine credit awards and set their own passing score guidelines. Many will accept the recommended minimum passing score set by the American Council on Education (ACE).

* For CLEP, passing is 50, within a score range 20-80.
* For DSST, passing is 400 on a scale of 200-500. DSST scoring details.

Unless the subject requires a written essay (such as College Composition), your score will be auto-calculated and you’ll get your results as soon as you complete the exam.

Check if DSST is running their Second Chance Promotion for a FREE retake. GetCollegeCredit.com

Before testing, let your student know that you are celebrating after the test. You are proud of their fortitude to complete an honors high school study and that is worthy of celebrating, no matter their score.

For my own family, the first fail helped them become more determined to “dig in” to their studies. Group studies also afforded a bit of peer pressure (in a good way). I count both (fails and group studies) as the beginning of our family’s success with this method of earning college credit!

In fact, working through the failure is just as important as preparing for the exam. Your student is learning to build college-readiness skills and a fail can clue you both in to areas that need addressing.

My student who struggled the most with the study-test process realized that he needed to adapt his studies to fit his learning style. His first failed practice test was our red flag. Without that struggle, he would not have identified and made the adjustments necessary to help him become the successful college student he is today.  

Through facilitating several study groups, I have confirmed that there is no one-size fits all issue for why students fail, however there are some common reasons that you can investigate. Doing so allows you to encourage and reassure your student that you will work together to achieve a more positive result next time.  

The Hallmarks of a Well-prepared Student

First, wait a few days before addressing these items with your student. They may be defensive after receiving a low score and want to retreat for a day or two. Don’t let them sulk more than that! Clepping is a process, not a one-time test. Then investigate. Take the lead, but engage your student. Let them know you are investigating the process, not their smarts. Look for areas that need boosting or a new method and give them confidence to move ahead.

While Completing the Course

Ensure that all assignments were 100% completed, that any chapter quiz was completed, and wrong answers were reviewed.

When I facilitated study groups, I found it helpful to put a process in place for each of these items that I personally signed off on for each student. My eyeballs had to see each completed assignment. I used group review games to flag if a student’s knowledge did not match their at-home chapter quiz scores.

Preparing for the Test

Students should have received scores of at least 60% on two separate practice exams prior to sitting for the official test. Wrong answers should have been reviewed. It is best to simulate a timed test-taking environment to give students practice with timed tests. This can also demonstrate that content knowledge and vocabulary are test-ready.

When one of my students received a low score on his first practice test, I sat next to him to review each question. I had him read the question aloud. What I learned was that he struggled with the vocabulary. I would not have identified comprehension/vocab as an issue without being present and hearing him read the questions.

This review also identified weakness in his ability to transfer information from reading to knowledge. Reading words on a page was not enough, he needed to engage with the information through labs, games, group dialogue, drawing diagrams, etc. for it to be solidified. This is why his test scores were low even though his assignments were done well.

Official Test Day

Review test procedures and talk about test jitters. Remind students:
1. Don’t rush: read every question, think of your answer, now read all the answers.
2. Don’t worry that other members of your group may finish before you. There are no rewards for finishing fast.
3. One point is awarded for each correct answer on a CLEP exam. Points aren’t deducted for wrong or skipped answers. This means that you should do your best to answer each question. So, if you draw a blank on a question, it’s better to guess than not answer.

Starting with DSST

Looking for a place to start? The World Religions DSST is a popular first DSST exam. Read my curriculum review.

I hope that gives you ideas for moving ahead! Remind students of how often Abe Lincoln failed before hitting his stride. Failing is not what they will be measured by. The story they tell is what they did next.

---

Please share this article with friends and introduce them to
Credits Before College.  

Copyright © 2019 Cheri Frame – All Rights Reserved.

Category: Blog, Teaching/CLEP-Prep