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| | == A Word About College Board Exams == | | == A Word About College Board Exams == |
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| − | Finally, a word about College Board exams. This course will give you the foundation -- if you like -- for taking three different College Board exams (usually a student takes only one of the three): the [[CLEP]], the [[AP]], and the [[SAT II]]. | + | Finally, a word about College Board exams. This course will give you the foundation -- if you like -- for taking three different College Board exams: the [[CLEP]], the [[AP]], and the [[SAT II]] (rarely would a student take all three). |
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| − | The CLEP is a multiple-choice exam that is recognized by most (but not all) colleges as a way to earn college credit. It costs about $89 and is administered on computers at local colleges, usually once a month. It is the least biased of the three exams, and not much advanced planning is needed to sign up for it. It is convenient to register and take. In U.S. History, the CLEP exam is 120 multiple-choice questions with five answer choices per question, and it must be completed in 90 minutes on a computer. All questions should be answered because there is no penalty for wrong answers, and your final score is provided immediately upon your completion of the test. | + | The CLEP is a multiple-choice exam that is recognized by most (but not all) colleges as a way to earn college credit. It costs about $89 and is conveniently administered on computers at local colleges, usually once a month. It is the least biased of the three exams, and not much advanced planning is needed to sign up for it. It is easy to register and take. In U.S. History, the CLEP exam is 120 multiple-choice questions with five answer choices per question, and it must be completed in 90 minutes on a computer. All questions should be answered because there is no penalty for wrong answers. Your final score is provided immediately upon your completion of the test. |
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| | On the CLEP U.S. History exam for college credit, the questions are allocated among these topics: | | On the CLEP U.S. History exam for college credit, the questions are allocated among these topics: |
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| | :Economic history - 10% | | :Economic history - 10% |
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| − | On the CLEP exam for U.S. History I, roughly 1/3rd of the questions relate to the time period of 1492 (discovery by [[Christopher Columbus]] to 1789 (the beginning of the federal government of the [[United States]] under the [[U.S. Constitution]], while 2/3rds relate to 1789 to 1877 (the end of [[Reconstruction]]). | + | On the CLEP exam for U.S. History I, roughly 1/3rd of the questions relate to the time period of 1492 (the initial voyage by [[Christopher Columbus]]) to 1789 (the beginning of the federal government of the [[United States]] under the [[U.S. Constitution]], while 2/3rds relate to 1789 to 1877 (the end of [[Reconstruction]]). |
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| − | The SAT II in American History is an inexpensive multiple-choice exam that takes only an hour and is given at high schools on Saturdays once a month, October through June, with registration available online at www.collegeboard.com . No college credit is given for it, but it is used for college applications to recognize achievement and seek scholarships. The SAT II is the cheapest of the three exams, but also the most politically biased in its selection of questions. The subject mater of this exam is similar to the CLEP but there are a bit more questions about economics and fewer on social history than on the CLEP exam. The breakdown of questions by time period for the SAT II exam is this: | + | The SAT II in American History is an inexpensive multiple-choice exam that takes only an hour and is given at certain high schools on Saturdays once a month, October through June, with registration available online at www.collegeboard.com . No college credit is attained by it, but it is used for college applications to recognize achievement and seek scholarships. The SAT II is the cheapest of the three exams, but also the most politically biased in its selection of questions. The subject mater of this exam is similar to the CLEP but there are a bit more questions about economics and fewer on social history than on the CLEP exam. The breakdown of questions by time period for the SAT II exam is this: |
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| | :Pre-Columbian history to 1789 - 20% of the questions on the SAT II history exam | | :Pre-Columbian history to 1789 - 20% of the questions on the SAT II history exam |
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| | On both the CLEP and SAT II exams, the biggest portion is devoted to politics, mostly concerning what happened in the federal government in [[Washington, D.C.]] '''''If you master political history, then you will excel on both exams'''''. | | On both the CLEP and SAT II exams, the biggest portion is devoted to politics, mostly concerning what happened in the federal government in [[Washington, D.C.]] '''''If you master political history, then you will excel on both exams'''''. |
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| − | The AP, or Advanced Placement exam, is given only once a year early in May at local high schools, and is more expensive. It includes both multiple-choice and essay questions, and is used by more colleges to give credit for courses. The student must sign up for it long in advance, and make arrangements with a nearby high school. | + | The AP, or Advanced Placement exam, is given only once a year early in May at local high schools, and is more expensive. It includes both multiple-choice and essay questions, and is used by more colleges to give credit for courses. But a student must sign up for it long in advance, and make arrangements with a nearby high school. |
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| | Unfortunately, all of the College Board exams omit military history. There are virtually no College Board questions about battles. | | Unfortunately, all of the College Board exams omit military history. There are virtually no College Board questions about battles. |