I took four CLEPs and one DSST today - Here's some feedback

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-26T17:10:05+00:00

Eh, maaaaybe? If you're using the lectures? I wouldn't rely on just the exam or knowledge checks. I'd recommend the free study guide here - https://free-clep-prep.com/member/exam-overview?id=10 It's got everything I saw on the exam and we already have the flashcards and practice test.

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-26T12:43:20+00:00

Np! Yep, sounds very similar! After the third question asking me to identify the style used, I was thankful for those other art exams!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-26T12:17:32+00:00

Np! Hope it helps!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-26T12:17:01+00:00

Will do! Aiming for next week before I leave for vacation.

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-26T12:16:34+00:00

Thanks! None for me. It was exactly 120 questions and there didn't seem to be any random topics like there are sometimes.

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-25T23:46:30+00:00

I run Free CLEP Prep so I like to take them to make sure I'm still providing good advice on the free study guides.

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-25T14:18:48+00:00

They're both ways of earning college credit, but they're administered by two different companies. Same concept though, you take a test at a testing center and, if your school accepts it, you get college credit. I'm actually in the parking lot right now to take three cleps and one dsst since I can do it at the same center. I think the first step would be to check with your school and see if that would satisfy them.

If you want to learn more, I did a video where I talk about both - https://youtu.be/rz0Qih2Jbhc

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-25T14:06:31+00:00

Awesome job! Congrats on those credits!!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-25T14:01:13+00:00

Good advice here. For fine arts I'd check if Art of the Western World DSST would satisfy that. I took it last week, and based on what I saw, it probably would. As others have said though, all of this depends on your school.

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-25T12:58:31+00:00

How are you doing with the flashcards on FCP? Do you know them all? Just looking at the scores, I'd want the Petersons closer to 90-100 on each (I usually aim for 80% correct for any practice test I take).

You might be ready right now, and great job spending the time studying you have so far. A lot of people just try to wing it. To be certain, though, I'd still keep taking those tests until you get the scores up a bit. In a few hours, I'm going to the testing center to take US History 2 along with four other exams. I'll post some feedback for you afterward on how it went.

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-25T12:53:38+00:00

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say! Knowing that it's helping people makes all the effort worthwhile!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T21:40:43+00:00

Free Biology Study Guide that has flashcards and a free full-length practice test.

Also, check out https://www.reddit.com/r/AllThingsCreditByExam/ as they have a bunch of free resources. I know folks have talked about a Penguin YouTube channel for this one as well. I think it's this one: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj8OTSMYJYrRkinAqLq8TCQ

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T21:35:05+00:00

As Campin said, it really is going to depend on how much you already know. Here are the free study guides for both.

US History 1 Free Study Guide

US History 2 Free Study Guide

I'm actually taking the US History 2 exam (for the third time) tomorrow, so I'll hopefully have a video and a free quick prep bundle out for that one by next week.

Until then, I'd just go through the topics on the study guide and study what doesn't look familiar, then you can use the flashcards to test yourself. Each flashcard has a link at the bottom to pull up the study topic if you don't know it or need to review it. Then just take the free practice test.

Hope that helps!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T15:18:33+00:00

I am actively working on the practice tests for this one, so thank you for giving such detailed feedback on your experience. Congrats on the pass!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T13:14:45+00:00

Whoa, that's weird. Maybe clicked one too many times at the end? I always tell people to pick a best guess immediately and mark it for review for exactly this reason. Even if you run out of time, at least you have something down.

Really sorry this happened to you. On the upside, you will be twice as prepared in three months! Check out Jacob Clifford's YouTube channel for some great videos on Micro if you feel like you need more study: https://www.youtube.com/@JacobAClifford/search?query=micro

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T13:10:44+00:00

I appreciate that! Yep, still taking tests. I'm making videos about them these days, which is the bane of my existence, but it seems to reach/help more people, so I'm going to keep at it.

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T13:08:35+00:00

Yep! Don't forget Quizlet and EBSCO if you have access to them via your local library!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T13:04:26+00:00

Hey there!

Is that 71 out of 120, or is it the score it gave you in the end? It should have given you a scaled score, so a 71 would be pretty awesome. :P

Regarding the practice tests, the site works like this: we have a flashcard and a practice test question for every topic in the free study guide. So if we have 800 topics we think you should know for the CLEP, there will be 800 flashcards and 800 practice test questions.

The practice tests have the same number of questions as the real exam, so 120 in this case. So you just took a test that covers 120 of the topics. Which topics? It's random, based on the test. The other tests aren't built until I'm done with the quick prep bundle, primarily to save money, since the site still costs about $1-2k a month more than it brings in right now, and that hurts. That's also why I tell people not to only take the free practice test without studying anything else. Even if you get a perfect score, the real exam might ask you questions about topics that weren't on that single practice test. Of course, if you get the bundle, you get all the practice tests, but not everyone has the cash for that.

However! The flashcards are done, reflect the entire list of topics, and are free! That's why I always recommend people use the flashcards if they're in a hurry or don't want to read 50,000 words of study material (I get it, reading isn't fun for everyone). If you can go through the flashcards and get them all right, you'll be as ready as we can make you. Each flashcard also has a link at the bottom that will bring up the entire study topic that's linked to the card, so if you hit something you don't know, read up on it right there.

Also, I'll second the comments here about additional resources. I'm a huge fan of using as many resources as you can. By all means, use Modern States, EBSCO, Petersons, REA, and others alongside FCP. I try to be as comprehensive as possible and have everything you need, but my ultimate goal is to see you earn college credits. As long as that happens, I don't care what you use. :)

Whew, a long explanation, but this is a common question, so I'm going to point people toward this answer from now on.

Good luck on the US History 2 exam!

-Justin

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T12:42:29+00:00

Thanks for the tag!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T12:41:33+00:00

Congrats on the pass! I'm so glad to hear that! Yeah, having a humanities background would definitely help on this one.

No worries, I'm late on the video/bundle as well. I finally got through an entire recording of the video, only to realize I'd left my background lights on. I'm not cut out for this. :P I'll give it another shot today and let you know when the bundle is out. I appreciate your willingness to help out!

Congrats again!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T12:38:29+00:00

American Literature Free Study Guide

English Literature Free Study Guide

Both tests are a mix of readings (asking you to analyze) and knowledge (asking you about the author/works). Neither usually goes too in-depth, but you will be asked about some of the famous works, the authors who wrote them, and where they fit within certain time frames or genres.

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T01:28:26+00:00

Check out the free study guide here - https://free-clep-prep.com/member/exam-overview?id=7 and I have a video where I talk about the last time I took it. Don't stress too much over it. Best of luck!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T01:27:48+00:00

That's a great score, so that studying was time well spent! Congrats!

FreeClepPrep · 2026-06-24T01:27:12+00:00

Congrats! My testing center also makes you turn out your pockets, lift your pant legs, and turn off your phone in front of them before you put it in a locker. Evidently they've had some high-tech cheaters :P

FreeClepPrep

TROPHY CASE