Credit Sprint / Study guides / CLEP® U.S. History exam guide

Credit Sprint's Guide to the CLEP® History of the United States Exams

The exams at a glance

There are two exams. History of the United States I covers early colonization to 1877. History of the United States II covers 1865 to the present. Many colleges give 3 credits for each.
Each exam has about 120 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes. Some are unscored pretest questions.
Scores run from 20 to 80. The American Council on Education recommends credit for a 50, but each college sets its own score and credit amount.
Content areas are similar for both: political institutions and public policy (about 25%), social developments (about 25%), cultural and intellectual developments (about 20%), economic developments (about 15%) and diplomacy and transnational interactions (about 15%).
Credit Sprint's periods 1 to 5 cover CLEP® I and periods 5 to 9 cover CLEP® II. Period 5 (Civil War and Reconstruction) appears on both.

The AP® exam is in May and has multiple-choice, short-answer, document-based and long-essay sections. CLEP® is multiple choice only and can be taken any time.
Knowing the AP® periods is the best preparation for either. The CLEP® exams ask more detail-oriented questions on people, laws and movements.
If you took APUSH and missed credit, CLEP® is a second shot that often costs less than a college course.

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".
Check whether the college requires both exams or accepts one, and whether it counts them toward your major or only as electives.
Modern States offers free courses and exam vouchers for many CLEP® exams. Check the current offer on their site.

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.

Pace yourself: 90 minutes for about 120 questions is under 45 seconds each. Answer what you know, flag the rest and come back.
There is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.
For a source or stimulus question, read the question first, then the passage, and look for the date or author clues that place it in a period.

You see your score right away on screen for most exams. Your official score report is sent to the college you choose.
If you do not pass, you can retake after a waiting period (check the current CLEP® policy).