Clep Biology
The biology clep test consists of 115 questions with a time limit of 90 minutes. The required score for passing is a 50 or higher.
The cost to clep biology is $77 plus a fit sitting fee. The sitting fee fee will range based on where you are taking the test in what the testing center charges, however, of all the client test that I personally took I never found a sitting fee to be more than $20. Keep in mind that military can take clep tests for free with tuition assistance, be sure to check with your school counselor for details.
In order to clep biology you need a familiar with areas of molecular/cellular biology, populational, and organismal that are taught in a typical undergraduate college class. This test is longer than most clep tests and therefore requires you to have more knowledge and to be will answer the questions faster than most other clep tests.
The challenge with the biology test is that they expect you to have the knowledge and understanding of biology they expect you to know what you would normally learn in the entire year not just a semester like clep test.
My personal recommendation, is that unless you have strong background in biology, I would not take this test. The reason, is that there are so many other clep tests that are much easier, provide the same amount credits, take less time to study for, but only test you on the equivalent of a semester’s worth of knowledge not an entire years working knowledge. Not to mention this test is quite a bit longer than other clep tests.
If you have a strong background in biology the good news is that this particular test, because of the difficulty and length, is worth 6 credit hours.
34% will be on Organismal Biology
33% will be on Molecular/Cellular Biology
33%will be on Population Biology
You will need to have knowledge of facts processes and principles of biology as well as understanding the means by which information is collected, how it is interpreted, and how to hypothesize from the information collected in order to draw an educated conclusion which then allows you to make further predictions. You will also need to have an understanding around human endeavor with social consequences.
Here is the breakdown of the 3 parts of the test with some more detailed and permission of what you need to be prepared for:
33% Molecular and Cellular Biology
Chemical composition of organisms such as origin of life, the structure of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids. The properties of water, as well as simple chemical reactions in bonds.
You will need to be familiar with structure and functions of cell organelles, properties of cell membranes, as well as have an understanding of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell.
Another aspect you’ll need to be familiar with his Enzymes. You need to study Roles of coenzymes, Inhibition and regulation, Inorganic cofactors and Enzyme-substrate complex. Cell divisions with the structure of chromosomes and Mitosis, meiosis and cytokinesis in plants and animals will be part of the test.
The final aspect of molecular and cellular biology section of this test will be in areas such as, DNA replication, mutations, viruses, transformations, structure or structural and regulatory genes, an the Watson-Crick model of nucleic acid.
34% Organismal Biology
angiosperms: structure and function in plants.
Be sure to be familiar with leaf, flower, stem, root, seed, and fruit structure and function.
Food storage and translocation as well as mineral and water absorption absorption and transport.
Plant development and reproduction: Tropisms and photoperiodicity, Growth and development: hormonal control, Gamete formation and fertilization and Alternation of generations in ferns, conifers
and flowering plants
Another influence in this part of the clep fan will be emphasis on vertebrate youth within animals. You’ll need to know major systems, Homeostatic mechanisms, Hormonal control in homeostasis and reproduction as well as animal reproduction.
Principles of heredity such as Multiple alleles (human blood groups), Chromosomal basis of inheritance, Mendelian inheritance will be part of the test as well.
33% Population Biology
Principles of ecology in areas such as energy flow and productivity in ecosystems biogeochemical cycles cumulative gross structure of regulation, habitat concepts of niche and island biogeography and evolutionary ecology are all included in the section.
You also need to know and be familiar with the principles of evolution the history of evolutionary concept, natural selection, adaptive radiation and evolutionary history of humans as well as principles of behavior within society and stereotypes.
Sample Test Questions
The following sample questions do not appear on an actual
CLEP examination. They are intended to give potential
test-takers an indication of the format and difficulty level
of the examination and to provide content for practice and
review. For more sample questions and info about the test,
see the CLEP Official Study Guide.
1. Chromosomes are located in a nucleus in which
of the following?
I.
II.
III.
Viruses
Prokaryotes
Eukaryotes
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
I only
II only
III only
I and II only
II and III only
2. Meiosis of a diploid cell results in
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
one tetraploid cell
two diploid cells
two haploid cells
four haploid cells
four diploid cells
3. Neurotransmitters contained in vesicles enter the
synapse through
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
binary fission
translocation
diffusion
exocytosis
endocytosis
4. Which of the following pairs of organisms have
the closest evolutionary relationship?
I. Bacillus thuringiensis
II. Telmatobius peruvianus
III. Bacillus cereus
IV. Cereus peruvianus
V. Mesoplodon peruvianus
5. Which of the following best describes the primary
C. A room-temperature environment
D. A humid environment
E. A windy environment
function of chlorophyll in an organism?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
It is the primary hydrogen acceptor in
glycolysis.
It is the storage form of starch in plants.
It enables transpiration in woody plants.
It provides nutrients to cells by circulating
through the vascular tissue.
It absorbs light energy to power oxygen
production.
Questions 6–7
Students in a biology class designed an experiment to
measure the effects of the environment on transpiration.
The data are shown in the table below.
Effects of Environmental Conditions on
Transpiration
2
Environmental Water Loss (mL/m/hr)
Condition
Standard room 4
Bright light6
Wind8
Misting around plant2
Polluted environment3
6. Which of the conditions served as the control?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Standard room
Bright light
Wind
Misting around plant
Polluted environment
7. Based on the results of the experiment, water
movement through plants occurs most rapidly
under which of the following conditions?
A. A cloudy day
B. A bright light
8. Human blood pressure data, such as 120/82,
provide which of the following kinds of
information?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The force needed to open the heart valves
The force of the atrial contractions
The pressure of the blood against the walls
of the arteries
The pressure of the blood as it travels in
veins
The rate of blood flow in the aorta
9. Which of the following kinds of organisms
are best adapted to habitats that are
frequently subject to unpredictable and severe
environmental fluctuations?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Organisms with very specific diets
Ectothermic organisms
Top predators
Keystone species
r-selected organisms
Credit Recommendations
The American Council on Education has recommended
that colleges grant 6 credits for a score of 50, which is
equivalent to a course grade of C, on the CLEP Biology
exam. Each college, however, is responsible for setting
its own policy. For candidates with satisfactory scores
on the CLEP Biology examination, colleges may grant
credit toward fulfillment of a distribution requirement,
or for a particular course that matches the exam in
content. Check with your school to find out the score it
requires for granting credit, the number of credit hours
granted and the course that can be bypassed with a
passing score.
Answers to Sample Questions: 1-C; 2-D; 3-D; 4-B; 5- E; 6-A;
7-E; 8-C; 9-E