Oh my was I naive. Having two kids already in college, one that graduated from traditional school and the other I homeschooled for six months before graduating her, I thought I knew it all.
But then I started homeschooling my younger kids. My 7th grader has seriously blossomed during homeschooling and has an insatiable appetite for learning. I seriously can barely keep up. So after talking to my Umbrella Coordinator with my umbrella group that does my documentation for me for the state, provide transcripts and diploma's with lots of support if I request it, we decided to skip her listed grade to 8th grade. I wanted her to continue advanced topics but to gain High School Credit for it.
PREPARING FOR HIGH SCHOOL
Now that meant I had to start her on the road to High School then College. Researching curriculum, pitting it against the state requirements...oh my!
During my research I found out the value of taking CLEP test.
These are the options I presented to my daughter who wants to be a Doctor, but loves computers also. So I suggested she get her 4 yr degree in Computer Science related course and just take her pre-req classes (sciences) for medical school.
1) High School classes + Community College Classes = Dual Credit and Associates Degree (finish AA at 17 yrs old or 11th grade)
2) High School Classes + Community College Classes + CLEP test = BS or BA degree from online Univ. (finish 1st BS or BA at 18yrs old) through CLEP test, Community College Classes and Online College) she'd then be a transfer student at University for 1 year to gain her classes for pre-med.
Tiger Lilly decided she wanted to do Option # 2 (she is very competitive with her sister that did Option #1)
THE PLAN TO CLEP it!
Resource #1
We considered using COLLEGE PLUS (
www.collegeplus.org) which is a service that preps students for taking multiple CLEP test then transferring to online colleges or other colleges that use CLEP for credit. The service test the student to see what fields fit them, gives them prep training in logic, memorization tools (Learning Network tool) and maps out their CLEP to Degree plans. A coach of the same sex contacts them and works with them every 2 weeks. It cost about $3000 for the service.
However, with 2 kids in college at the same time, shelling out the extra money just wasn't possible. I really wanted to use COLLEGE PLUS.
Resource #2
But I found a book by
Tricia McQuarrie named CLEP Lesson Plans. Find book here (http://clepprep.tripod.com/cleplessonplans/id23.html) and she has some free lesson plans on her website here (http://clepprep.tripod.com/cleplessonplans/id4.html). By reading her website and the Chapman Kids website where he explains how he prepped his then 13yr old daughter to CLEP out of courses (http://chapmankids.net/blog/clep-test-prepartion/).
OUR PLAN
So after sitting with my daughter, reading with her the options and the lesson plans above we decided to go for it - the College Plus way by augmenting her High School Courses to help her prepare for the similar CLEP exam.
RELATED CLEP TEST: to take in high school
We will tackle the overlapping test within 4 weeks of each other, combining 'like' subject matter on test that have similar pieces of information within.
How we decided what to take:
1) We researched online Universities that took CLEP test and mapped the degree credits to the CLEP test.
2) We researched Community Colleges and Universities near us where Tiger Lilly wanted to go and saw what CLEP test they accepted and what the credit would be.
3) We decided to take test that coincided with her high school studies.
In this order she will test
9th Grade
CLEP Test Planned
Analyzing & Interpreting Lit (3 college credits)-8 weeks to study
English Composition with Essay (6 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
English Lit no essay (3 college credits) - 10 weeks to study
American Lit no essay (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
Humanities (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
Classes that will help her prepare:
Abeka 10th grade English & Language Arts
Time4Writing SAT essay writing (8weeks)
Analytical Grammar (17 weeks)
Sequential Spelling (use with Abeka spelling program for 24 weeks)
Humanities (free online course Education-Portal.com with book entire school year)
REA Clep Test books for each subjects (8weeks per study session for each test)
InstaCert monthly subscription (daily from the 4th month of studies during REA book reviews)
10th Grade
CLEP Test Planned
College Math (3 college credits)-8 weeks to study
College Algebra (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
American Government (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
US History 1 (3 college credits) - 10 weeks to study
US History 2 (3 college credits) - 5 weeks to study
Western Civ 1 (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
Western Civ 2 (3 college credits) - 5 weeks to study
Classes that will help her prepare:
Abeka US History (and Free online
Education Portal Class)
Western Civilation (Free online
Education Portal Class)
Thinkwell US History
Algebra 1 (taken in 8th grade)
Algebra 2 (Abeka & Foersters 'Math Without Borders)
CLEP Professor Dive CD
Geometry (taken in 8th grade - refresher using Teaching Textbooks)
REA Clep Test books for each subjects (8weeks per study session for each test)
InstaCert monthly subscription (daily from the 4th month of studies during REA book reviews)
11th Grade
CLEP Test Planned
Sociology (3 college credits)-8 weeks to study
Psychology (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
Biology (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
Chemistry (3 college credits) - 10 weeks to study
Pre-Calculus (3 college credits) - 5 weeks to study
Classes that will help her prepare:
Sonligh Psychology (and Free online
Education Portal Class)
Sociology Online Course and Companion short overview book (Free online
Education Portal Class)
Biology (Abeka and Thinkwell taken in 9th grade)
Chemistry (Abeka and Thinkwell)
Pre-Calc (Abeka)
CLEP Professor Dive CD
REA Clep Test books for each subjects (8weeks per study session for each test)
InstaCert monthly subscription (daily from the 4th month of studies during REA book reviews)
12th Grade
CLEP Test Planned
Physics (3 college credits)-8 weeks to study
Natural Science (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
Calculus (3 college credits) - 8 weeks to study
Information Systems (3 college credits) - 10 weeks to study
Classes that will help her prepare:
Physics (Abeka and Free online
Education Portal Class)
Natural Science (Free online
Education Portal Class)
Biology (Abeka and Thinkwell taken in 9th grade)
Calculus (Saxon Calculs with Dive CD and Thinkwell)
Information Systems (Free online course: and Programing with Youth Digital, Homeschool Programming Classes in Java and C)
CLEP Professor Dive CD
REA Clep Test books for each subjects (8weeks per study session for each test)
InstaCert monthly subscription (daily from the 4th month of studies during REA book reviews)
WHY INTEGRATE IT?
I know now how my daughter learns. Finding ways to integrate similar subjects in her coursework, then focusing on one test to study at a time will give her the best benefit.
The positives is that after she's done this, taking the SAT will simply be a breeze. Even taking the MCAT, because she will know the process of HOW TO STUDY and what works best for her.
