The Whole Ed Catalog

American Literature - Credit by Examination - CLEP

CLEP exams are an excellent way to satisfy literature requirements, because the sheer volume of reading required in a two-semester course can be quite overwhelming. It is much less arduous to start very early, allow plenty of time to absorb the material, then take the exam before classes begin. There are two general requirements in literature courses. The obvious one is a basic knowledge of the content of the assigned readings. Equally important is the acquisition of the basic skills of literary criticism.

The College Level Examination Program ( CLEP ) is administered by The College Board, which also administers the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). There are currently some 2900 colleges and universities that grant credit based on CLEP exams. Each institution sets its own policy regarding CLEP credit, so you should check with the school you plan to attend for details.

Brief test descriptions for these exams are available online, but more detail can be found in The CLEP Official Study Guide 16th ed.

Before seeking out and diving into "one or more anthologies", we strongly recommend that you pick up How to Read a Book and/or How to Read Literature Like a Professor, both of which are excellent, and will give you a foundation in critical reading. You may want to take the CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature test if the college you are attending will grant credit for both courses.

A Handbook to Literature is the "secret weapon" you'll need for the portion of the test dealing with historical background, social settings, authors and their relations to other literary works and influences on them. It covers both American and English Literature.

We strongly recommend that you look over Charlie Crouch's "Listmania!" article for some shortcuts.