subject: When You Want To Master The Clep Test Essay, You Need This Proven Strategy! [print this page] Hands up if you want to spend the first semester of your college years sitting in a composition class. What a surprise - there are no takers!
This might explain why both the Freshman College Composition CLEP Test is the top exam in the College Level Examination Program arsenal. By taking this exam, you can pretty much guarantee you won't have to sit through a yawn-inducing college composition class.
But unfortunately, some test takers are quickly discovering an obstacle in their plans - because it's not so easy to pass the notoriously tough exam.
So if you want to guarantee your pass rate and test your way out of Composition 101, you'll have to get pretty cozy with composition rules, especially when it comes to writing essays!
Your Ultimate CLEP Exam Guide to the Essay Section
Unlike other standardized tests, your essay won't be graded by official examiners. But before you stand up to cheer in excitement, you need to read this next part: instead, your future college professors will be judging your writing skills. As if that wasn't enough to give you a case of anxiety, the College Board also doesn't specify what criteria your professors will follow to grade your essays.
But don't panic just yet - instead, consider these two important points:
*Before taking this CLEP test, contact a professor at one of your potential colleges and ask them how much your writing ability will factor into your overall score (as opposed to your expertise on a subject). This should give you a pretty good idea of what you should place your emphasis on when reviewing any study guide.
*Additionally, see if the multiple-choice section will outweigh the essay section. Again, this will help you to effectively range your study.
Now that we've cleared up these two important facts, let's get down to the good stuff of your test!
Are You Ready to Master Your CLEP Exam Essay?
Ready for some powerful and innovative tips? Of course you are - and we're about to serve them up:
*Never underestimate the power of effective organization. In fact, the best way to approach the essay portion of the Literature and Composition tests is to answer the questions you find easiest first. That way, you'll have plenty of time for the tougher questions. It may seem like common sense, but trust us - it'll help you in the midst of CLEP exam panic!
*Watch out for key words in the essay questions. These exam questions aren't all about proving a point or agreeing with a statement - and if you don't read the directions properly, you stand a very good chance of misunderstanding what the question expects from you in the first place! Watch out for key words such as "analyze", "enumerate", "contrast", "rank", "compare", "demonstrate", "generalize" and "justify", as they'll help you to determine what the professor will expect from you.
*Don't charge ahead and write the essay in one go - in fact, make use of the test center scrap paper by jotting down a quick outline of your proposed argument. Bonus benefit: it will help you keep track of your essay when you're in the midst of end-of-test pressure!
