Understanding the Introductory Psychology CLEP Test

Many baccalaureate degrees, such as education,Psychology CLEP test is multiple choice; in addition,
psychology, and nursing, require that studentsthe examinee is given 90 minutes to complete the
complete an introductory level general psychologyCLEP. ACE, The American Council on Education,
course. This course is typically a three hour course,recommends that colleges and universities accepting
meaning that students will spend three hours in theCLEP exams to grant three semester credit hours
classroom each week during a normal semester. Infor a student who achieves a score of 50 or higher
addition to being present during lectures each week,on the Introductory Psychology CLEP test. In order
students will be expected to complete work outsideto prepare to take this exam, students must first
of class such as writing and research assignmentsfind out what material and topics they need to study
and studying for tests and quizzes. Betweenin order to gain the knowledge level required to
commuting or walking to class, attending class, andobtain a qualifying score. The Introductory
completing required work outside of class, a threePsychology CLEP test covers the following thirteen
hour introductory psychology course can be quitedifferent topics: history, approaches, and methods;
time consuming. Many students may not know thatstates of consciousness; learning; cognition; biological
their college or university may allow them to take abases of behavior; sensation and perception;
standardized test, known as a CLEP exam, instead ofmotivation and emotion; social psychology; statistics,
having to take their introductory level psychologytests, and measurement; psychological disorders and
course.health; treatment of psychological disorders;
CLEP (College Level Examination Program) allowsdevelopmental psychology; personality. Examinees
students to earn credits through demonstratingmust have a thorough knowledge of these topics
college level knowledge on standardized exams inincluding theories, terminology, and core principles. In
subjects such as social sciences, science,addition to knowing theories, principles, and
mathematics, business, foreign language, and history.terminology associated with the 13 topics, the
Over 2,900 colleges and universities grant credits toexaminee must possess comprehension, analytical,
students who earn qualifying CLEP test scores. Withand evaluation skills and be able to apply knowledge
each exam costing only $72 to take (plus a smallof the topics to various situations and problems.
administration fee), CLEP can provide an inexpensiveStudents can use a variety of CLEP prep methods to
way to earn college credits. In addition, becausestudy for the Introductory Psychology CLEP test,
students can often prepare for these exams in asincluding CLEP study guides, college psychology
little as a few days or a few weeks and take thetextbooks, or online study programs.
test on their own schedule, CLEP can provideStudents who must take an introductory psychology
significant time savings. Even students who have littlecourse as part of their undergraduate degree
or no background knowledge of psychology canrequirements may be interested in taking the CLEP
quickly prepare for the Introductory Psychology CLEPtest instead of attending the actual course. College
exam. Students interested in taking the Introductoryacademic counselors can be excellent resources for
Psychology CLEP test should first understand thestudents who are interested in learning how they,
structure of the test and the subject matter that willtoo, can use CLEP tests to quickly and affordably
be covered.earn credits toward their undergraduate degree.
Each of the 95 questions on the Introductory