6 Actionable Tips to Pass the CLT Exam on Your First Try – An Ultimate Guide!

Are you preparing to secure admission to a college but don’t want to take the SAT and ACT exams? Don’t you know whether you would be able to secure a place without these exams? No worries, students can prepare for a Classic Learning Test. However, passing the CLT exam requires you to prepare for it for weeks and sometimes even months.
According to College Rover, Jeremy Tate, a high school teacher, developed this test in 2015, which is now accepted as an entrance exam by more than 200 schools and colleges. This test is considered the best alternative to the ACT and SAT exams, and is fundamentally different from them, from questioning nature to measuring the student’s abilities.
This comprehensive article will uncover some untold tips for students who are thinking of appearing in this exam. Follow this advice, and passing the exam will not be a jaw-breaking effort for you!
How to Pass the CLT Exam on the First Try? 6 Tips to Consider for Preparation
Passing the Classic Learning Test is not something you will pay attention to every day. The real challenge is that you have to clear it on the first attempt. Failing to do so, all your efforts and test fees will go in vain. Why are we stressing so much to obtain a strong score on the first attempt?
Here are a few reasons why your success is essential on the first try:
- It will enhance your college application.
- It may become easy for you to obtain a scholarship.
- The first attempt’s success shows your in-depth expertise.
- It may act as a confidence booster for you.
However, getting high marks on the first attempt is not possible for students who are working on their current academic tasks, such as assignments or essays. They must focus on one thing, whether contemporary work or preparation.
Individuals who have previously cleared this exam state that students must concentrate on this exam because they can leave their homework hassle to UK-based assignment writing services. These services perfectly curate your assignments, enabling you to focus on your upcoming test.
What could be the strategy for this preparation? Below are some tips for passing the CLT exam; your chances of success on the first attempt will increase significantly if you follow them.
1. Understand the CLT Exam Structure
Before you start preparation for this test, you will need to understand its structure. Many students make this mistake and try to cover major sections of the paper without learning about its structure and format. Usually, this approach leads to failure, and students don’t perform as expected. Please remember that there are three main sections of this exam. These sections are:
- Verbal Reasoning: It’s the most important part of the paper. According to Practice Aptitude Tests, verbal reasoning is the ability to understand a topic through language, think constructively, and apply logic to solve complex questions. If your verbal reasoning skills are poor, you will not be able to perform exceptionally in this section.
- Grammar and Writing: This part evaluates your creativity in multiple ways. For instance, an instructor will check whether you have ticked the correct grammatical answer or not. Additionally, the examiner will also take a look at stylistic understanding.
- Quantitative Reasoning: It will test your mathematical thinking and logic. For example, the examiner finds out if you are a problem-solver or not.
ACT and SAT exams pull data from the latest sources, such as research journals and authors. However, the CLT exam syllabus is entirely different from these tests because it gets data from historical authors, such as Plato, Jane Austen, and William Shakespeare.
2. Practice Active Reading Every Day
How to pass the CLT reading test? It is a common question that students usually ask to secure higher marks in this section. Every student needs to remember that the CLT reading section is not about skimming. Instead, you have to interpret arguments and analyse tone. Additionally, you will also identify themes in passages to secure good marks so that you can get admission easily.
Here are a few tips for you to prepare for this section:
- You will dedicate thirty minutes every day to perform exceptionally in this part.
- Start with the novel “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen. You can select many other novels written by historical writers.
- You can also read the work of Hamilton. “The Federalist Papers” will be a good start for you. You need to know that reading these books will not ensure that the reading section will come from them. The examiner committee can choose any book from famous writers.
There is an effective method that you can utilise for reading. This method is SQ3R, enabling students to prepare quickly and effectively. SQ3R is:
- Survey: You will just scan the text.
- Question: Ask yourself what the passage is about.
- Read: You will read every line attentively.
- Recite: Write all the key ideas of that paragraph.
- Review: You will review your notes every day to sharpen your memory.
3. Master Grammar and Writing Skills
Passing the CLT exam without mastering grammar and writing skills will always remain a dream for you. Grammar is a huge part of this test because it includes various aspects. These aspects:
- Subject and Verb: The examiners will check whether the subject agrees with the verb or not.
- Punctuation: You will have to put every comma, period, and semicolon carefully.
- Verb Tenses: This is the most important part of grammar skills, and a mistake here can decrease the impact of your answer.
- Sentence Structure: The sentence structure must be top-notch. The examiners pay special attention to this structure.
You must be thinking about the best way to enhance your grammar and writing skills. According to the British Council, you need to do grammar exercises and read a lot to improve your grammar skills. Reading good literature, whether historical books or fiction novels, not only enhances your grammar but also improves your writing expertise.
4. Improve Mathematical and Logical Reasoning
Solving this section of the CLT exam is perhaps the most difficult part. Students try to follow traditional approaches to get higher marks. However, this approach does not work in the CLT exam because its questions are entirely different. This part of the exam tests your:
- Logical thinking
- Pattern recognition
- Problem-solving skills under pressure
These skills will be judged through different topics of mathematics. These topics can be:
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Trigonometry
- Word problems
To cover all these topics, you will need a comprehensive strategy from the start of your preparation to the day of the test. Here is an effective strategy that you can adopt to prepare for the mathematical section:
- You can review the lectures of Khan Academy, which is the most trusted and used online platform. According to Khan Academy, millions of students learn at this online educational institute, as the lectures are available in 36 languages. It will allow you to clear your foundational concepts of math.
- A student can utilise past CLT exams for preparation. It will empower them to understand what types of questions usually come.
- You will need to practice mental math and estimations, especially when you are tight on time.
5. Get Rid of Procrastination
Procrastination is the real hidden enemy of everyone, whether students or professionals. We all procrastinate and wait until the last moment to prepare for any activity. However, it will not work for you if you want to pass the CLT exam. You will have to overcome this habit to smooth your upcoming educational and professional journey.
Here are a few tips for students who want to prepare for this exam:
- Consider Your Story: Every student has a unique story that inspires them to perform exceptionally by going the extra mile. For instance, if you belong to a middle-class family or your previous grades are not up to the mark, this can be your golden ticket to show that you are a brilliant student who will achieve bigger goals in the future. You can remember this story every day to end procrastination.
- Exercise: As per PubMed Central, exercise has the potential to decrease academic procrastination. It can make you more fit physically and mentally. Therefore, exercise is essential if you are thinking about CLT preparation.
- Pick a Good Study Location: Picking a good study location is essential, whether you are proofreading your assignment or preparing for the next exam. For instance, you can select a room or a corner of your home where no one comes after every minute. It will be a perfect place for you to focus on your academic tasks.
6. Manage Your Time Effectively
You will have to manage your time efficiently during the CLT exam. Failing to do so means you are going to receive lower marks. Academic professionals recommend that students dedicate specific time to every section. According to the Classic Learning Test, a student has two hours and twenty minutes to complete this test – 20 minutes are for the instructions.
You will be able to complete your test within the allocated time if you follow our time distribution strategy. This strategy is:
- Verbal Reasoning: You will dedicate forty minutes to this section. Spending more time on it means you are leaving less time for other sections.
- Grammar and Writing: You will not spend more than 35 minutes.
- Quantitative Reasoning: If you spend forty minutes on verbal reasoning and thirty minutes on Grammar and Writing, you will have then forty-five minutes for quantitative reasoning.
How Many Questions Are on CLT?
The Classic Learning Test consists of 120 questions. This test is divided into three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Grammar/Writing, and Quantitative Reasoning. Each section contains forty questions and is designed to test the skills of students, from grammar to logical reasoning.
These questions are mostly multiple-choice. They strongly emphasise analytical thinking rather than simple memorisation. Unlike other standard tests, the CLT exam includes passages from classic and historical texts so that students can deeply engage with the material. You will need to work on your literature, grammar, and writing skills to tackle all these questions.
What Is a Perfect CLT Score?
Don’t be shocked when we say that the perfect score for the CLT exam is 120. Yes, it is possible to achieve that score, as most of the time, questions are multiple-choice. If you score 120 on a test, it will demonstrate your proficiency in reasoning and critical thinking. However, getting this score can be a neck-breaking journey because students have to prepare for it for months to achieve it.
You don’t need to worry if you think you can’t score as high. In that case, you will aim for above 100. There could be some educational institutions that may grant you admission if you score below 100; nevertheless, it will question your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
What Are Passing Marks in CLT?
The Classical Learning Test doesn’t provide information about the passing marks. It is the educational institutions that decide whether marks are acceptable or not. Some educational institutes accept marks between 70 and 100, while others strictly say that a student must get marks above 100.
Please remember that getting 60 or 70 marks does not mean that you have failed this test. You can try your best to perform exceptionally and get as high marks as you can. Always consider this test a tool to measure your critical and analytical skills.
Conclusion
Till now, you must have got the idea that getting higher marks in the CLT exam is not an easy task. The three sections and 120 questions will require your dedication and full attention for days, and you can’t work on your assignments.
Sailing both boats will not go in your favour. When affordable assignment writing agencies are there to help you during this journey, why are you stressing yourself? These service providers will work on your homework without breaking the bank. Moreover, they remain available around the clock if you need any immediate changes or want to share additional instructors.
So, getting higher marks in the CLT exam and submitting an error-free assignment is entirely in your hands!
Author Bio
Danny Dyer is a professional assignment writerwho started his academic writing journey in 2014 after completing his master’s degree in business and marketing. Currently, Danny is a full-time writer and helps students of various grades from numerous disciplines. He is working on a mission to enable every student to perform exceptionally throughout their academic career.

Michael Dorrance is a seasoned tech writer with extensive expertise in a wide range of technology topics. His insights and analyses provide readers with in-depth understanding and innovative perspectives in the tech world.