Is your teen currently studying high school biology? If so, let’s plan to add in some CLEP prep so they can take the CLEP Biology exam at the end of their class. If they took high school biology last year, it’s not too late and they don’t have to take the class again- skip ahead to test prep!
CLEP exams offer people of any age the opportunity to pass a multiple-choice exam that could end up saving time and money later! CLEP exams can be taken at home or a testing center 24/7/365 and when you use the resources below, there is no (or very low) cost to take the exam!
My family and I have passed at least 25 CLEP exams through the years, and the best prep has always been when we used a layering technique. (if you have Homeschooling for College Credit, refer to Chapter 5)
My philosophy differs significantly from most, who will warn you to “check CLEP policies of your future college before taking a CLEP exam.” I couldn’t disagree more – that’s silliness! First of all, if you even KNOW where your teen will go, that’s awesome, but most of you won’t, and to be sure, that college may change its policy between today and enrollment. I urge your teen to take EVERY exam that lines up with their homeschool classes EVERY semester and EVERY year until they finish high school.
The cost is $0 (when you follow the voucher program below). The risk is $0. The retake for failed exams is $0. Failed scores are never sent to future colleges. If your student took high school biology, they should try this test.
(P.S. This test will likely come in to a college program as a non-science major biology, so for a STEM student this would be an elective or not at all, but don’t let that prevent them from testing. This is an excellent warm up biolgoy for them, and, it may qualify them for direct placement into the biology they need for their degree!)
I have yet to hear a single good reason NOT to take a CLEP! Even if the credit ends up not being part of a degree, there is absolutely no harm in having this credit “in the bank” for later. Passed exams are held for 10 years or until used. Get that credit!
Layer 1: Official Exam Guide
A new exam guide is published by The College Board every year, and while you don’t need your own copy, I highly recommend it. You can find these new or used at Amazon, thrift stores, the HS4CC Marketplace on Facebook, and even by swapping with other homeschool parents. Most of the time you can borrow a copy from your public library, but new they are under $30 and contain every full-length practice test for every CLEP, so it’s a very good book to have on hand.
PRO TIP: Photocopy the practice tests so you can use them with your other teens or resell them later to another family.
Layer 2: Textbooks
This is your high school curriculum. If your student is currently studying Biology, you’re already covered. Learning biology slowly and carefully BEFORE taking a CLEP is important. If you’re planning for a high school Biology curriculum and haven’t started yet, my advice is to stick with the major homeschool textbook companies that you’ve used in the past and like. Almost any high school biology curriculum will work, and YES, you can use a religious curriculum to take this secular exam, you’ll just need to be sure your student knows how to answer questions so they can get the question correct, even when it differs from their personal beliefs. ALWAYS use the lab if it is part of the curriculum, and always add it when it is an option. Here are a few ideas:
| Secular | Religious |
|---|---|
| REAL Science Odyssey – Biology Level 2 | Apologia – Exploring Creation with Biology (3rd Ed) |
| BioZone Biology for NGSS or AP | Science Shepherd Biology |
| Mr. Q’s Advanced Biology (Classic Science Series) | Bob Jones University Press (BJU) Biology (5th Ed) |
| Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding (BFSU) | DIVE Biology with Lab (Used with BJU or Apologia) |
| Oak Meadow Biology | LIFEPAC Biology (Alpha Omega Publications) |
| Easy Hard Science: Online Honors Biology | Guest Hollow’s High School Biology (Christian Version) |
| Khan Academy – High School Biology | Easy Peasy All-in-One Biology with Lab |
Layer 3: Multimedia / Video
Use the free online videos to dive into any content your high school curriculum doesn’t cover.
Layer 4: Test Prep
In order to get your CLEP exam cost and proctoring fee covered, you have to have your teen complete the Modern States Biology course. Not only will this give them targeted test prep, but the voucher means your out-of-pocket cost for this CLEP is $0! My recommendation is to wait until they are finished or nearly finished with their high school course before jumping into the test prep program. Learning is slow, test prep is fast. Your teen can do their Modern States course in a week or so, but it should be done close to their test. ModernStates.org
Layer 5: Practice Tests
At one time, I had REA Guides for every CLEP on my homeschool shelf! REA Guides have the best practice tests because they are the only company that has a comprehensive “why” next to every answer. In my opinion, knowing “why” you missed a question is more important than getting a question right but not knowing why! REA Guides are also targeted exactly to the most current version of any exam.
REA Guides, when purchased new, include an online code that can add an extra layer of prep by giving you access to a diagnostic. If budget is not a concern, buy new. It will cost about $25 and you’ll get the diagnostic in addition to the practice tests.
You can buy and sell CLEP materials in the HS4CC Marketplace, a group on Facebook. It’s our private group created for the Homeschooling for College Credit community!
