Algebra CLEP....help!

[judahsma]

I've been studying for the college algebra CLEP off and on for several months. I've been working on this almost non-stop for the past 2 weeks, and I still don't understand what the heck I'm doing. Currently, I'm working my way through "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Algebra", and have watched a few of the standard deviants videos. I'm not sure what else to do (I do NOT want to take this class!) Do any of you have any other suggestions? This is really starting to get to me. Some of the concepts I've grasped pretty easily while working through that chapter in the book, but then I completely forget how to do it when I see those types of problems later. Some of the other things (radicals, factoring, etc.) I'm not catching on to very well. If any of you had problems with this & ultimately passed this CLEP, I would appreciate any other suggestions you may have...or info. on any good (& reasonable) algebra tutors in the Baltimore area! I didn't want to go that route, but I may not have any choice.

[Shadowless]

Like you said, you don't want to take this class, but do you realize if you would have taken the class in an excelerated format you could have completed it in 2-3 months?

[minniemom]

I also plan to take the Algebra CLEP test. I have not started studying yet. I just ordered Practical Algebra: A Self Teaching Guide from Amazon. I also plan to use some different websites that I have found. One of them is GetMath.com. They have quizzes by the chapter so you can focus on the areas you need extra help. I am just not sure which Algebra Clep study guide that I want to use. I have read mixed reviews about them. I will probably just get the one by REA because that worked with my other two CLEP tests. Good Luck!

[judahsma]

Shadowless, I cannot take accelerated courses through the college I'm enrolled in unless I'm able to go to take in-classroom courses (I'm a distance education student). With my job and upcoming course-load, that isn't feasible this semester. I really wanted to test out of this so that I don't have to take the class next semester.

Minniemom, I have the REA Algebra CLEP book, and haven't found it to be very helpful. I really like the Idiot's Guide, but the Peterson's tests seem to cover some things that aren't in there, which has me concerned. The other thing is that there aren't a lot of practice questions for each area, so, if I get the practice problem wrong, there aren't any more to attempt (except the test at the end of the book, and I wanted to work through that all at once as final practice).

[sheeenz]

judahsma,

I felt like I was in the same boat as you a few weeks ago where nothing seemed to be "clicking" with college algebra. True, it would have been faster for me to take the class also, but with work and my daughter, the schedule never matched.

I did algebra success in 20 minutes a day, college algebra demystified, and numerous other study guides such as schaums outlines, and the REA (this one lacked alot of topics such as series, sets, matrices -determinants but useful in gauging time and answering questions). They are all useful if you are in a class. I found they overwhelmed me with several other concepts.

As for the CLEP, what i found most helpful was using the specific exams thread on college algebra clep. Its all about just understanding the key concepts they mention there. Also, there was a link in one of the posts that had a tutorial for the topics I didn't understand, College Algebra Homepage.

Gluck!

[phrogypoop3]

I took this one last week after on and off studing also, I was good in algebra back in school about 7 years ago but I was absolutly not ready for it. The proctor gave me the advice of just making up numbers for x and y and working out the problem and it worked for a while but you need to be ready for this one.

[cudawn]

I have been studying for the Algebra also. I just took one of the REA test and from their scoring scored 65 in the raw score 42 out of 60. Do people who have passed think I am ready or not?