American Government CLEP Study Guide
The American Government CLEP offers 3 credits. It covers all the workings of the US government including the three branches, constitution, policy process, federal government, politics, interest groups, civil liberties, and federal court system. Depending on the areas of study students have already completed or their strengths, this exam can be one of the easiest or hardest. It has been rated at a 4 by many students as one of the hardest exams due to the comprehensive categories required for learning. For others who are fresh out of high school it is simply reviewing the terms and taking an exam after a few hours of study.
Some of the information on the exam is going to be known by students. It is impossible not to know a few amendments, the Bill of Rights, Constitution; at least in an abstract form. It is possible to get a 50 by going in with what you know and guessing, but taking it seriously ensures you are prepped and getting the best grade possible; if your institution even awards a letter grade for CLEPs
Exam Day Specifics
This CLEP exam is 100 questions. Test takers are given 90 minutes to complete the exam. There are differing passing scores based on the institution one is applying the credit to. ACE states a passing score is 50. Excelsior requires a 69 to earn an A on the exam in order to apply the credit. Check with the institution to see what must be earned.
The cost of the exam is usually $100, with an $80 fee for the test and $20 sitting fee. This will depend on the exam location. It is also possible for some students to receive Tuition Assistance for the exam.
Helpful Exam Tips
Even though students have studied many of the terms and information on the test, may even be good in history, as well as watch government based TV shows, the American Government CLEP still requires some study time. How long you should study is determined by what you remember about the government and how it works, as well as how you do on a practice exam. Let the practice exam be a guide to what you need to study more of. There are a few practice exams: Peterson and those from the REA books are the two I recommend. Take one or both and then study the areas that were weak for you.
For those who are taking this exam you may find it easier to start with History of the United States I and II.
The exam breakdown will help point students in the right direction for topics to study. Here is a brief tip list:
Court cases
Amendments
Parties and groups
Branches and departments
Powers
Supreme Court
Philosophers
Entitlement programs
Committees
Study Resources
Plenty of study resources can be found on the internet like InstantCert, which offers flash cards, access to a forum to ask questions, and study guides. You may also want to look for the AG online study guide at PinkMonkey.com. It has been stated as a good source. Additionally TheCapitol.Net has a glossary of congressional and legislative terms that will help students prepare.
Study resources do not require a giant textbook, but more of a targeted approach such as the above sites or cliff note versions of things like the Bill of Rights.
You can also watch the Standard Deviants DVD.
In terms of Wikipedia for study, it would be best to avoid this resource. There have been known issues since it is a volunteer powered website. While the owners do work to ensure proper citations and the quality has improved over the last few years, you still have plenty of other resources that contain all you need to know.
Academic resources and flash cards are a great way to prepare, not only because they offer what you need to know but for the accuracy of the materials.
Detailed Breakdown of Exam Questions
The exam is broken into different sections of study. The majority of the exam will focus on presidency, congress, institutions and bureaucracy processes. Approximately 15 to 20% of the exam is spent on civil liberties and rights, and federal courts. Another section, up to 20% is interest groups and political parties. The exam also focuses about 15% on constitution topics that make up the American democracy. Lastly about 10% is focusing on political behavior and beliefs.
It is best to study the US Constitution including the Bill of Rights and Amendments.
You should also understand the breakdown of the judicial court system including the different types of courts. You should know which court cases go with which courts, the appeals process and the responsibility of the court.
It is important to know many of the landmark Supreme Court cases. You can find these online. Of particular importance is Gibbons v. Ogden, Brown v. Board of Education, Marbury v. Madison, Plessy v. Ferguson, and Miranda v. Arizona. There are certain to be many other cases that will be questioned on the test, but this gives an idea of specific exam questions.
Also understand the executive branch including which departments have what powers and responsibilities. Both the senate and house legislative processes including how it works, the term limits, powers, and responsibilities must be known in detail.
Learn the different departments of the Federal Government with regard to things like the Treasury, State, Justice, and Department of Interior. You should be able to state what they do, why, and basically an overview of the details.
Closing Information
The American Government CLEP exam is something any test taker can pass. It will require study. It is not something to hope you can pass unless you already pass the study pretests without issue. Your fore knowledge on this test is going to be a great help, but it is definitely important to study appropriately.
Personal Thoughts
When testing out of my degree, on average I walked out of a testing center with a score in the lower 60’s. But not for this exam, I scored a 52, despite having used the same resources and dedicated the proper amount of study time that I thought suitable after having read other’s experiences. I had no interest in the subject while studying, nor did I pay any attention in high school. Let this be a warning to those who have a similar background as me: if so, don’t take this one too lightly!
Leave a Reply