The American Government CLEP tests how the federal government is built and how it runs day to day. That means Congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy, and the federal courts, plus elections, parties, interest groups, and the Constitution underneath all of it. College Board splits the exam into five categories, and the weighting is not even. The general breakdown is below.
| Category | Share of exam | What is in it |
|---|---|---|
| Institutions and Policy Processes: Presidency, Bureaucracy, Congress, and the Federal Courts | 30% to 35% | Congress (structure, powers, lawmaking), the presidency (formal and informal powers), the bureaucracy (organization, policy role), federal court structure and Supreme Court authority, relationships between the branches |
| Civil Liberties and Civil Rights | 10% to 15% | The Bill of Rights and incorporation, First and Fourth Amendment protections, equal protection and due process, landmark civil rights legislation, civil liberties as the courts have interpreted them |
| Political Parties and Interest Groups | 15% to 20% | Party functions, organization, and historical development, interest group activities, the electoral process and voting behavior |
| Political Beliefs and Behavior | 15% to 20% | Political socialization, political participation, public opinion, political culture, media influence on leaders |
| Constitutional Underpinnings of American Democracy | 15% to 20% | Federalism and intergovernmental relations, separation of powers, checks and balances, majority rule, minority rights, constitutional design and theories of democracy |
| Questions | 100 multiple choice |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 50 (some schools require 60) |
| College credits | 3 semester hours (typical) |
| Exam fee | $97 |
| Retake wait after a fail | 90 days |
Where should I spend my time studying?
Four things, based on the College Board weights and what we tell every student on our study guide page:
- Institutions first. Congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy, and the federal courts are 30% to 35% of the exam, which makes this the biggest category by a wide margin. Know what each one does and what powers it holds.
- Learn the process, not just the term. Knowing that a pocket veto exists is one thing. Knowing why Congress cannot override one is what the exam is after. Read the explanation on every question, even the ones you get right.
- Know the court cases by what they decided. Seven of the 20 free questions from us are Supreme Court cases, and the names are useless without the ruling attached.
- Learn pacing. 54 seconds per question is enough if you keep moving, so do not sink 3 minutes into one you do not know. Rehearsing at the real speed is what the timed practice tests are for.
For the full topic breakdown and pass-rate history, see the American Government CLEP study guide page. Your subscription also gives you 3 American Government mock exams.