As more and more universities return to requiring test scores be submitted, students must once again think hard about whether they should take the SAT or ACT. In some cases, however, there is a third option, another standardized test which purports to be equivalent to its more established peers: the Classic Learning Test.
In this article, we’re going to explore what this test is, how it works, and how it compares to its better known counterparts. Our goal is to help you understand this as an option, and to determine if it’s a good choice for you and your goals to take this test. Let’s jump right in!
The Classic Learning Test
This is a much more recent test than its compatriots, having first been developed in 2015. It was specifically designed as an alternative to the SAT and ACT, and seeks to assess the same basic skills.
The CLT has three sections:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Grammar & Writing
- Quantitative Reasoning
As with the SAT and ACT, there is an optional essay section, though just as most colleges do not require the essay from those tests, most do not require it here either. The test may be administered either at home or in school, and is done online, with remote proctoring used to ensure academic honesty.
The test takes two hours to complete. The goal of the test, according to their website, is to measure a student’s intellectual capacity and aptitude, rather than a mastery of specific material. The test costs $69 to take, but it is free to send scores to colleges. The CLT is scored from 0-120, and they index their scores by comparing them to SAT and ACT scores.
In general, the questions asked by the test are comparable to those asked by the SAT and ACT; to read a passage and find key points, to solve math equations, and to demonstrate your understanding of grammar and syntax.
The largest difference between the CLT and its peers are the passages it draws from for students to analyze. While the SAT and ACT tend to draw from contemporary sources, the CLT takes its passages entirely from classic works of literature, with a specific focus on Christian thinkers and authors. This is due to the core philosophy of the CLT being a focus on classical literature, indeed, this is why the test is named the way it is.
The Classic Learning Test and Colleges
Unlike the SAT and ACT, the CLT is far from being universally accepted. They have several hundred partner colleges, but this is still a small fraction of the total number of universities in the US.
The schools which do accept the CLT tend to be small Christian universities, though the state of Florida has also decided to accept the test in its public university system’s admissions. This is likely due to how new the CLT is; only having been introduced a decade ago, it is far from the universal acceptance of the SAT or ACT.
For the schools which do accept it, it functions much like the SAT or ACT in admissions, being weighed the same way. While the CLT claims to be a better indicator of a student’s intellectual aptitude than the other tests, it is not held in any higher or lower regard by the colleges which accept it.
Should You Take the Classic Learning Test?
In general, we do not advise students to take the CLT. This is not because of any inherent flaws with it as a test, but as a matter of practicality; quite simply, not enough universities accept it, and it offers no major structural advantages over its competitors. Thus, any student taking the CLT would also have to take the SAT or ACT, and their time would be better spent preparing for one of those tests.
This is a cyclic issue; colleges don’t accept the test because not many students take it, and students have no reason to take the test until it is more broadly accepted by colleges, especially top colleges. This is unfortunate for the company which administers the test, but such is often the case when a new player enters a well established industry.
Unless the CLT begins offering something which the other tests do not, it is unlikely to ever gain widespread adoption. This is always the case with companies which seek to enter or disrupt a well-established market.
An example of how this can work well is Duolingo’s English proficiency test. A relatively young company, Duolingo was competing against the likes of TOEFL and IELTS, both well-established English proficiency tests, accepted near-universally by universities. What Duolingo did, what set them apart, was that they offered their test fully online, without the need for a long registration ahead of time or the need to travel to a testing center.
This set Duolingo apart from its competitors, and drew students to it, even if it wasn’t accepted by as many colleges immediately. Colleges took note, and the more students who took the English proficiency test, the more colleges accepted scores from it, alongside TOEFL and IELTS. While it is still not universally adopted, Duolingo English proficiency scores are now accepted at a majority of colleges, including top schools.
Standardized tests are and remain an important part of the admissions process, with colleges using them as a set benchmark by which to judge students. The Classic Learning Test is another such test, though it is far newer and less widely accepted than its peers.
Unless and until the CLT manages to offer something the others tests do not, it is unlikely to be widely adopted, by either colleges or students. While there is nothing wrong with it as a test, we do not recommend students take it, as your time would be better spent preparing for the SAT or ACT, which you will need to take even if you do consider the CLT.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has given you a thorough introduction to this test, and its place in college admissions. While we do not recommend students take it, it is an option for some students and universities, especially if you are only intending to apply to Christian colleges. As with every other standardized test, study and practice is the best way to maximize your score, and in so doing increase your chances of college acceptance. If you want help preparing for this or any other test, Ivy Scholars can help. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can make your life easier.
