CLEP Social Sciences and History Exam: Overview

The CLEP Social Sciences and History Exam is designed to test your knowledge of American and world history, economics, anthropology, sociology, political science, and other aspects of the social sciences and history disciplines.

Overview

The exam covers the subject matter taught in introductory-level colleges courses. It includes 120 multiple-choice questions, all of which must be answered within the 90-minute testing period. You don’t need to get a perfect score, and there are no penalties for wrong answers, so it’s to your advantage to answer all the questions.

Social Sciences 60% and History 40%

The test apportions specific percentages to each topic. The History Exam represents 40 percent of the overall test, with U.S. History comprising 17 percent of the questions, Western Civilization 15 percent, and World History 8 percent. The Social Sciences portion represents 60 percent of the examination, which includes 13 percent Government and Political Science, 11 percent Geography, 10 percent each for Economics, Psychology and Sociology, and 6 percent Anthropology.

Study Tips and Strategies for The CLEP Social Sciences and HIstory Exam

You only need to get over 50 percent of the answers right to pass the CLEP exam in most cases, so it’s a good idea to concentrate on the Social Sciences portion, since this represents 60 percent of the total test questions. If you provide correct answers to most of these questions, you’re almost certain of getting a passing score. Check with your particular college or university to find out the actual passing score you’ll need to obtain credit. (Some students are tempted to “wing it” when taking a CLEP exam, but be warned: you’ll need to do some studying if you really want to pass!)

Test Prep Tips

There are many ways to prepare for the examination, but one of the best is the test-study-retest approach using study materials of your choice and answering between 60 percent and 70 percent of the provided study questions in this material. You can find many resources for CLEP preparation by performing an online search. There are also printed materials available to help you pass the CLEP examination. For example, you can find textbooks for each topic in a your public library or at a local college bookstore. And you can find practice tests online, which will help you determine the areas in which your knowledge is strongest and which areas will require more attention and study.

This list of a few free online Social Science and History resources will get your started. There are many more resources available, as mentioned above, so be sure to do your own investigation to find the learning materials that best suit your needs and that you are most comfortable with.

Recommended Exam Prep Resources

• Study Online, Take Real-Time Practice Tests - Pass your CLEP using no books and attending no classes.
• Free University Project Social Sciences and History Page