Peterson's CLEP Success (Book & CD-ROM)

By Peterson's Staff and Peterson's

Book Overview

CLEP Success is the most comprehensive guide for the 5 General CLEP tests. Packed with practice tests as well as thorough strategy and subject review, this guide is a complete CLEP prep solution.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0768924790
• ISBN13: 9780768924794
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Peterson's
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 1.0" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Good but not Excellent

I purchased this book first for CLEP exam prep. First, I was intimidated to know how much I've forgotten. Then I purchased Comex and Cracking the CLEP books after reading some of the reviews, and those books were really great. Compare to this Peterson's book, actual exam was much easier, only a few questions were on-per with questions in this book. It's been a while since I studied math, but I got the score I needed. I recommend to use Comex book and Cracking the CLEP first then use this book's review part as suppliment.

English CLEP so far...will comment more later

I passed the English Composition CLEP today using this book. It was not the only resource I used, however. I rated it four stars, but would rather give it 3.5, because there are so many practice tests included that you can drill yourself quite a bit. With two pre-tests (one for each part of the exam) a subject review, and two more post-tests, your progress is easy to track. The accompanying CD has differing tests from what are given in the book also. The answer key doesn't always do a good job of explaining why a certain answer is best, especially on the CD (where there are no explanations, just a correct/incorrect statement - VERY frustrating). There were a couple of answer mistakes also, and before you think I'm exaggerating or beginning to sound bitter, some of the answers did not apply to their questions in any way whatsoever. It was as if the wrong set of answers were put with the wrong set of questions. While minor, these kinds of mistakes make a person start to doubt the rest of the book. The review in the middle is useful, however. English Composition is the only subject I've tested in using this core requirement study guide. I will update this review when and if I pass other CLEP exams using it. I've taken the History II and the Analyzing Literature CLEPS also, and this test was the most difficult (even though English was one of my better subjects in school). It's been 20 years since I was in a classroom, and with a week and a half of study, I passed. That should say something for the content of this book. Although, Purdue University has wonderful language writing resources on the internet, which I also used. I recommend this book in preparing for the English Comp CLEP, but I also recommend Strunk's "Elements of Style", as almost everything in that book applied to the grammar on the test. (It's also an excellent reference book for future classes.) This isn't the 5 star study guide I expected when I ordered it, but I'm glad I purchased it. **Updated 8/25/05** Since originally writing this review, I have taken the Social Sciences & History CLEP based on the materials provided within it. I passed this CLEP also with room to spare, and was happy with the overall review information. I think the exam was more economics-oriented than this book's practice tests demonstrated, but it was helpful in passing, and gives a nice body of info to review from. I also enrolled for 2 weeks at InstaCert, and while this helped in some respects, most of the test was economic/historic in nature...which is already contained in this review guide.

Natural Science Study Guide overdone.....

I was intimidated when I first read through the guide and thought about how much I really forgot about the natural science subject. But after actually taking the Natural Science Clep I realized that the actual test was a LOT easier than the material that the petersons guide covered. In fact, much of what was on the test was what one would have learned in taking high school biology, chemistry and physics/earth science classes!It was a good review of the subject matter, but Peterson's actually went WAY overboard with the comprehensiveness of the Natural Science guide. Only about 30% of the guide was actually on the test. I gave it 4 stars because I think it deserved more than a 3 for effort. But perhaps it did deserve a 3 because it wasn't focused enough on the actual material. I've heard from several resources that Princeton Review's Cracking the Clep (4th edition) was a lot more accurate in gauging how well you would do on the test and overall provided a better review.For the CLEP natural science test, concentrate on answering ALL of the questions for that exam. There are appx 120. Do your best to answer ALL of them. That's part of the reason why I scored a 61 on it (natural sciences CLEP). The more you answer, the more points you can earn (no negative points for wrong answers). ...CLEP Humanities test: Lots of pictures and types of art to identify. Also lots of authors to various different works you must match up. I figured I could "wing it" like the rest of the general exams. I was wrong. (note that 120collegecredits.com had a much better guide for this, and I should have used that one instead) I ended up getting a 47 on it, not bad for almost all educated guessing. I DID make it all the way to the end, putting an answer down for each question. That's probably why I even came so close in the first place.Social Sciences and History: scored a 58. Again, very general in nature. Lots of high school stuff. The book was OKAY in covering it all.English Comp w/ Essay: I actually used Sheryl Spencer's guide and found it a lot more concise and practical. AGAIN, very basic test that guages your ability to find grammatical errors and construct an essay. ALWAYS elect to do the version WITH essay when taking the test (there is one without essay). The one WITH essay is actually easier. I already took an english comp class in school, but was looking for extra credits to fill my arts/science credits.BTW, I never used the CD-ROM, only the practice tests in the printed book. I've tested out of over 30 CLEP/DSST/ECE exams worth over 100 college credits!!! This is not including appx 20 credits that I have for military experience. Overall, 120collegecredits.com is the way. Or e-mail me yourbestfriendjax@mail.com for more information on how I am living proof that a Bachelors can be completed the www.bain4weeks.com way :)

Overview at its best

The best thing about this is the overview after each section. There are over 100 test questions, so you at least have more than what the test gives you to practice with. The CD rom is an added bonus and really has some great practice questions, the way the answers are shown is even better, with the little explanations. However, the overview is fantastic. While it can't give you everthing, it gives you 99% of what you will need to know. That is really what you need to study because once you takee the test and know the right answer the test sort of become obsolete. The questions are good for timing yourself and gettting yourself ready to be able to skip the harder questions and answering ones you know are pretty sure of. Overall, this is the best book I have seen for the Clep yet.

CLEP Success

This book is great! It was easy to follow and I highly recommend it to anyone taking a CLEP test.