The College Board administers the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), which offers affordable exams that help students receive college credits. This article covers the CLEP History of the United States I exam, which covers US history from early colonization to 1877.
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What is the CLEP History of the United States I Exam?
CLEP exams are taken by students every year to earn college credits for the things they already know. If you have learned a substantial amount of information about a particular topic through on-the-job training, previous studies, or simple life experience, you can take this one exam and receive college credit as if you took the one-semester course!
By taking and passing the CLEP History of the United States I and II exams, you can skip the US History class at college. This will potentially:
- Allow you to earn three or more college credits
- Save you money because the test is cheaper than a semester at college
- Allow you to graduate on time or possibly to graduate ahead of schedule
- Add flexibility to your degree program
You should check with your college before taking this exam to make sure they will accept your CLEP scores.
Eligibility
The CLEP History of the United States I exam is available for anyone to take whenever they want! There are no age restrictions or educational requirements.
Here are some examples of who takes the CLEP History of the United States I exam:
- College students
- High school students who are preparing to graduate
- Homeschool students
- Adults who are returning to school
- Professionals who want to use the exam results to help advance their careers
- Applicants to master’s degree programs that still have undergraduate prerequisites they need to fulfill
Exam Outline Review
The CLEP History of the United States I exam contains 120 multiple-choice questions and has a time limit of 90 minutes. About 30% of the test will cover events from 1500-1789, while the other 70% will cover events from 1790 to 1877.
Every question on the exam is designed to test one or more of the following abilities:
- Your ability to identify and describe historical phenomena
- Your ability to analyze and interpret historical phenomena
- Your ability to compare and contrast historical phenomena
The exam is split into five main sections:
- Political institutions, political developments, and public policy (30%)
- Social developments (30%)
- Economic developments (10%)
- Cultural and intellectual developments (20%)
- Diplomacy and international relations (10%)
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Registration
You can register for the exam online via the College Board website. The CLEP History of the United States I exam is administered throughout the year on a very flexible schedule.
During the registration process, you will need to pay the $95 exam fee. You will also choose whether to take the exam at a testing center or remotely. If you are taking the exam in-person, you must ensure that you print out your examination ticket once you have completed the registration process.
Test Day
In-person Testing
You should arrive at the testing center at least 15 minutes earlier than the scheduled exam appointment. When you arrive, you will be asked to provide a form of valid, government-issued photo ID, as well as your printed registration ticket.
Before you enter the testing room, you will be asked to leave all personal items in a provided locker. These include your cell phone, pencils, books, notes, calculators, bags, and food items.
Remote Testing
On the day of the test, you should log in to your CLEP account 15-30 minutes before the scheduled exam time. Once you have logged in, you will need to download and install the Proctortrack desktop application. Within this app, you will verify your identity with a face scan and a scan of a valid photo ID. You will also be instructed to use your camera to scan your testing room.
Once the verification process is complete, you will need to open the ETS Online Test application. The proctor will then be able to get you set up and begin the exam.
How the Test is Scored
The CLEP History of the United States I test is scored so that one point is awarded for each correct answer, and you will not have points taken away for any incorrect answers. You will also not have points taken away if you skip a question altogether.
The number of correct answers you have will be your raw score. The raw score will be converted into a scaled score, which is typically in numeric form ranging from 20 to about 80.
Your unofficial score report will be available on your screen as soon as you finish the exam, and an official report will be made available the next day when you log in to your CLEP account.
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FAQs
Q
How many questions are on the CLEP History of the United States I exam?
A
There are 120 multiple-choice questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the CLEP History of the United States I exam?
A
The time limit for the exam is 90 minutes (1.5 hours).
Q
What is the passing score for the CLEP History of the United States I exam?
A
There is no set passing score for this exam. Every college has its own scoring standards.
Q
How much does the CLEP History of the United States I exam cost?
A
The exam fee is $95.
