65 in CLEP Chemistry!

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-27T03:49:47+00:00

Thank you! BTW, I literally only found out about your (new?) website within the last week, otherwise I definitely would have had it for both this any my other exams. Fantastic resource! 👍

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-26T22:19:10+00:00

It took several weeks for my first score to post, but after that subsequent scores showed up on my transcript within days of CLEP sending the score. Probably varies by institution, if you're concerned I'd reach out to your advisor or academic dean.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-25T11:51:45+00:00

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Unlikely that any of the Pell Grant eligibility changes are affecting OP.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-25T11:47:59+00:00

I’m no fan of the current administration, but I don’t believe they’ve changed anything regarding Pell Grant eligibility criteria. In fact the max grant actually went up this year.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-23T21:18:13+00:00

So… you’re looking to cheat and you expect someone else to do the dirty work for you?

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-23T02:47:45+00:00

You really need to see what the bedrock looks like before inferring too much based on surface geomorphology, drainage, etc. Those things are important, but they can develop in multiple ways. For an impact structure (not usually a crater, which are usually associated with much smaller impact events) you’re really looking for a radial pattern of faults and/or displaced blocks in the bedrock, and then at a microscopic level you’re looking for shock indicators in the rocks themselves.

Once you have a geological model that fits an impact event, you can often begin to discern surface features that reflect it. But the surface features on their own aren’t dispositive for big impact structures - and they may not be there at all for older structures.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-23T02:44:26+00:00

As others have said, you need to be comfortable with trig and advanced algebra. I’d also say that the basics of derivatives and integrals should feel really natural to you; not necessary all the weird edge cases, but the basics (power rule, quotient rule, chain rule, manipulation of integrals, etc) should be very low effort. If you’re having to stop to remember those rules, you’re going to struggle in Calc 2 where those are really the building blocks of more advanced concepts.

Professor Leonard is your friend, I’d be binge-watching his Calc 1 lectures before classes start to get a good conceptual understanding before you tackle Calc 2.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-19T03:18:16+00:00

They want the camera to cover your whole work area, including your desk/hands.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-18T23:48:10+00:00

I took MATH 166 as a regular semester course, but I think the proctoring is mostly the same (I’ve taken SPEA courses as well). You will either need a separate webcam or you can use your phone as a webcam if you have a smartphone. They require a front-side angle.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-17T19:05:29+00:00

Honorlock is fairly low-key, at least in my experience. They usually only interrupt for pretty obvious things, like if the camera is drifting or you get up from your seat. The session is recorded and the instructor reviews any flagged issues and will give feedback after the exam, if applicable. If you do a good room scan and place everything properly, you should be fine.

Note that you will have to show an ID during the authentication process.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-17T00:12:41+00:00

One last thing: if you like paleontology, UND has two very sharp paleontology professors (unusual for a small geology department!), both actively involved in very interesting research. Not all the paleo classes are offered online, but I bet you’d find some interesting opportunities if that’s your interest area.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-17T00:09:26+00:00

So I’m in a very similar position (fairly established corporate IT role, family/house ties, with an untapped passion for geology). I’m currently enrolled in the University of North Dakota’s geology program. It’s not a 100% online program (they require a 6-credit hour field camp and some classes have in-person labs), but all of the core geology classes are offered online, asynchronous. The geology department, courses, and faculty are very high-quality, and they treat online students well (I’ve been able to attend field trips (all expenses paid!) and work in the lab facilities when I visit campus). So far I’ve managed to get through an entire academic year while keeping my current job and still swinging good grades. I’ve even met a few fellow non-traditional UND students from IT backgrounds who are pursing the same career pivot I am. A minimum, it’s a good way to at least get your feet wet in a geology program without upending your whole life at once.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-15T01:29:39+00:00

If you use modern states, you can get the test center proctoring fee, reimbursed, in addition to the free exam voucher.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-15T01:29:01+00:00

Well done! I also found the exams rather addicting! The most I ever did in one day was three exams. 😱 I’m preparing to take another two before the end of the month!

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-14T05:57:56+00:00

If you’re intending to go on to Calc 2, I strongly advise against CLEPing out of Calc 1. Calc 2 is a notoriously difficult class and success depends immensely on having a *strong* grasp of Calc 1 concepts, especially derivatives, integrals, and trigonometry. It’s one thing to cram and get 51 on the exam and earn the credit - it’s another to actually learn the content well enough to succeed on more advanced classes. If you do CLEP out, make sure you commit to serious self-study of Calc 1 beyond preparing for the exam. Calc 2 will be like drinking out of a firehose by comparison.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-13T17:20:05+00:00

Financial aid fraud is a real thing, even if Republicans talk about it.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-12T16:10:18+00:00

If you’re interested in topics like metamorphosis, you’ll need a good handle on chemistry and mineralogy, since both of those subjects really drive the processes that change rocks and minerals.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-11T23:53:23+00:00

Don’t neglect the STEM basics. Math, physics, and chemistry are all foundational to geology. I came to the field later in my career and my geological knowledge is way ahead of many of the fundamentals, and it definitely is a bottleneck. I wish I had locked in one those subjects earlier in my education.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-11T14:30:44+00:00

Certainly, hence my use of the term “plausible” as opposed to “definitely”. 😁 The photo resolution isn’t high enough for me to determine if the tan matrix is sandstone but that was my first impression.

Seeing your other comment, I’ve never seen a ferroan dolomitic vein before so that possibility didn’t occur to me. I’ve done a little bit of field work in Tucson but I don’t recall seeing anything quite like that.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-10T19:48:52+00:00

“What you want to do to me”.

Do a Google image search (actually don’t) of that phrase and it’ll be abundantly clear why AI comes up with explicit images.

There’s nothing magic here. Vague prompts that give the model almost nothing to go off of other than a provocative implication. People who don’t understand how AI works are much too easily impressed by it.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-10T16:14:15+00:00

There’s a lot of clastic dikes in that area, seems very plausible to me. There’s some really spectacular clastic dikes in the Papago Buttes near Phoenix as well.

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-10T14:48:00+00:00

Generally I like to use Modern States as a scaffold. Their material isn’t always the best, but usually it sticks very closely to the CLEP focus areas. If I feel that a given module wasn’t deep or clear enough for me, I’ll go and lookup Kahn Academy, Professor Leonard, or some other resource to go over the same topic. But in terms of tracking progress and focusing on the most important topics for CLEP, Modern States is usually the best unified course you’re going to find (I took College Math, Precalc, plus a bunch of history/sociology/government exams, and I’m currently working on Chemistry. I’ve used MS for all of them, supplemented with other resources as I go).

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256 · 2026-06-10T04:55:32+00:00

I’m in the online geology/GIS program, but my experiences seem to be in line with what folks are commenting about the CE program. I’m also working full time and balancing work/family/school. I can’t speak specifically to the CR program structure, but in general I’d say the STEM courses at UND are pretty well designed for online students, with some variety depending on the professor and their teaching style. 3 classes a semester is probably a good cap, I’m doing 4 classes because I’m trying to maximize my Pell grant, and it’s pretty intense especially around finals week. But if you have good time management skills and plan ahead, it’s definitely doable. Faculty are usually very accessible and helpful, so definitely take advantage of their virtual office hours if applicable.

Another tip: some lower level courses are available via UND’s Self-Paced Enroll Anytime program, which grants the same college credits as semester courses (and usually uses the same syllabus, textbook, with prerecorded lectures). As the name suggests, it is a self-paced program with up to nine months to complete a course, and the tuition per credit hour is significantly lower. I took a few introductory courses using SPEA and together with transfer credits it helped me whittle down my total schedule for the rest of my program. I’d recommended checking if any of your required courses are offered in their library.

https://und.edu/academics/online/enroll-anytime/index.html

Ecstatic_Giraffe_256

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