Grow your HS4CC program with CLEP® When You Adopt Layered Preparation

Layered Preparation: When you take the HS4CC approach to CLEP exam preparation, you’ll end up with a robust and solid approach worth both high school and college credit.

The best strategy we’ve found after tens of thousands of homeschoolers have successfully passed a CLEP exam is to layer CLEP prep material with your regular homeschool curriculum. When done this way, your teen gets the best of both worlds: a rock-solid honors-level homeschool class and an opportunity for free college credit.

This is a stark contrast to the approach that learns a subject from scratch using only “prep” material. In this approach, your student learns deeply and slowly with college credit being the frosting on the cake.

This method awards high school credit regardless of whether or not they pass the CLEP.

Layer 1

• For the PARENT: The official guide is the lowest cost way to get an outline of each exam and an official practice test for EVERY exam. You don’t need the newest version. Official Exam Guide
• For the TEEN: The Official CLEP APP  Official College Board CLEP study guide app! *FYI, these questions are the same as you’ll find in the paperback.
• For BOTH: CLEP Guide 16 pages Printed by The College Board.  This is a free 16-page guide and a “must read” before taking any CLEP exam.

Layer 2

• For the PARENTS: Use your favorite high school curriculum brand. Where available, choose a company’s “college prep” version of the high school text. You can also add a college text for enrichment reading, but it is more important that they complete the whole course than the brand.
• For the TEEN: Use an REA Guide alongside your text to capture the most important points of each topic. REA Guides are specifically aligned to CLEP. If you buy a new REA Guide (as opposed to used), it will include an online access code with extra resources. You can also find REA Guides at your library.

Layer 3

• For the PARENTS: video resources can round out their understanding in a way that adds a rich understanding of a subject. Look for documentaries on Netflix, Great Courses, YouTube or other sites.
• For the TEEN: Crash Course is a totally free video-based mini-courses that teach you the minimum you have to know in a subject. Perfect for visual learners, but fast-paced.  I suggest taking notes

Layer 4

• For the PARENTS: The Modern States course combines CLEP prep and a voucher that pays for your CLEP exam and proctoring fee. This is not the curriculum, it’s more of a summary-prep-style course. There are videos and reading assignments, but the only thing the teen has to do to get the voucher is pass the quizzes. When you create your teen’s account, each teen will need their own account. Be CAREFUL! Your teen’s name and email address must appear exactly as they will on their CLEP registration.
• For the TEEN: As you take a quiz, reflect on your understanding. If you do not understand the topic, use the reading or video offered in the course. Retake the quiz until you score 100%.

Layer 5

• For the PARENTS: Practice tests are really helpful in determining your teen’s readiness. Since the pool of test questions is huge, you can’t get a good idea of their readiness using only 1 test. I recommend 2-3 GOOD practice tests (with scores of 60% or better) before attempting any exam. Never reuse a test!
  • CLEP Official Guide: Will include 1 practice test (not reliable if your teen is using the app because they will have already seen the questions)
  • REA GUIDE: Will include 2-3 practice tests
  • Peterson’s CLEP: 3 full-length timed exams. (subscribe for 1 month, approx. $30)

The HS4CC strategy for CLEP exam preparation involves integrating CLEP preparation materials with the regular homeschool curriculum. This layered approach aims to provide students with the benefits of both a robust honors-level homeschool class and the opportunity to earn free college credit through CLEP exams. By incorporating CLEP-specific resources alongside your standard curriculum, students can achieve a well-rounded understanding of the subject matter, earn high school credit, and increase their chances of passing their exams.