Credit Sprint / Study guides / CLEP® Biology exam guide

Credit Sprint's Guide to the CLEP® Biology Exam

The exam at a glance

• About 115 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes. Some are unscored pretest questions, so don't panic over a strange one.
• Scores run from 20 to 80. The American Council on Education recommends credit for a 50, worth 6 semester hours, but each college sets its own score and credit amount.
• The content splits evenly: molecular and cellular biology (33%), organismal biology (34%) and population biology (33%).

Before you register

• Check your college's CLEP® policy first: the score it requires and the course it gives credit for. Search your registrar's site for "CLEP".
• Finish the free Modern States Biology course to get a voucher that covers the exam fee.
• Check whether a lab component is required separately. Some colleges give lecture credit only.

Test center or at home

• Test centers are often on college campuses. Bring an approved photo ID.
• At-home exams use remote proctoring with an equipment check, an ID scan and a room scan before you start.
• Read the official at-home testing requirements well before exam day.

On exam day

• Pace yourself: 90 minutes for about 115 questions is under 50 seconds each. Answer what you know, flag the rest and come back.
• There's no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.
• Your score appears on screen right after you finish (except for some exams with essays, which Biology doesn't have).

After the exam

• Scores sent to colleges can take a couple of weeks to arrive, and the college may need more time to post credit.
• If you don't pass, you must wait three months before retaking the same exam.
• Use the wait: your mistakes notebook and a fresh study plan will be ready.

Sources: CLEP® Biology · At-home CLEP® exams · Modern States. Policies change; confirm details on the official CLEP® site.