Picture yourself taking the SAT or ACT in a cold classroom with other students first thing in the morning. Now picture yourself at home, taking a similar test that is also accepted in public colleges across Florida. With the CLT exam, a standardized test using classical learning techniques, this is now a reality.
“Students tend to find it less stressful because they have the ability to do it at home,” Testing Coordinator Asha Hanchard said. “This makes it easier for students to apply themselves and get better scores.”
The Classic Learning Test, otherwise known as the CLT is a newer standardized exam, used to test students on their knowledge and understanding of fundamental topics for college preparedness, placing a focus on classical education principles and traditional morals.
In Florida, the CLT is accepted by all public universities for admissions, just as the SAT or ACT are. However, outside of Florida, the CLT may not be accepted. The test is currently partnered with over 250 schools across the nation. It can also be used towards the test score requirement for the Bright Futures Scholarship (score of 96 for 100 percent and 84 for 75 percent) and certain graduation requirements.
“On the CLT test, if students score a certain score in their senior year, that score can be used to replace FSA, FAST or in some cases EOC scores they might need,” English teacher Thisa Tynes said.
The CLT test contains three sections: verbal reasoning, grammar and writing, and quantitative reasoning. Students may also choose to take an optional essay.
It’s shorter than other standardized tests at 2 hours to complete, with the SAT standing at 3 hours long and the ACT at 2 hours and 55 minutes long. Students also receive their scores much quicker.
“I’ve taken the SAT and the CLT and I’d say they’re about the same,” senior Samuel Andelo said. “Personally, I like the format of the SAT better because it has two sections with longer periods of time.”
The “Classic” in CLT emphasizes its classical approach to learning, using historical texts and literature throughout the exam. The exam features moral thought and classical beliefs in their exam, testing students’ knowledge on traditional ethics and classical culture. On the other hand, tests like the SAT and ACT focus on general academic readiness for college and feature more modern texts.
“It was pretty stressful because the stories are long and they ask about how the text could be applied to real world situations,” Andelo said. “Also, I didn’t like that my screen and I were being recorded.”
Students taking the CLT have the choice of taking the exam in person or online, at home. If taken at home, students are required to show their surroundings and share their screen and their faces. This is a feature that makes the CLT different from tests like the SAT and ACT which students can only take in person.
“Honestly, I didn’t want to take the ACT or any of that in school, so I preferred to do the CLT,” junior Sergio Rubio said. “I was doing it for college so I could get a better score. I felt pretty relaxed and it’s at your own pace so it’s not like you’re racing to do it or you feel pressured by seeing people finishing it.”