CHSPE Exam Review
If you live in California, and you dropped out of high school and you're finding your opportunities limited by lack of a diploma, there's a solution to your problem. It's the California High School Proficiency Exam, or CHSPE for short. If you take and pass the CHSPE, you'll be awarded what's known as a Certificate of Proficiency. It's important to understand exactly what this Certificate is. It's technically not the same thing as an actual high school diploma, but it is considered to be the equivalent of a diploma. Furthermore, any employer or other organization (such as a college or university) that requires someone to have a high school diploma is required by California law to accept a Certificate of Proficiency in place of a diploma. As you can see, the CHSPE is much like the test for the General Equivalency Diploma, or GED. And there's no reason you can't take the CHSPE and get a Certificate of Proficiency, which will open up a lot more doors for you in the future, and can have a significant impact on your future earnings. What's the CHSPE like? Well, first, it's only given a few times a year, and there is a cost of $85 to take the test. You'll have three and a half hours to complete both sections of the CHSPE, and you are not allowed to bring a calculator.
The first part of the CHSPE is the English portion, which involves 84 multiple choice questions designed to test your reading comprehension, understanding of the rules of grammar and punctuation, sentence structure, etc. There is also a writing part-you'll be required to write a brief essay demonstrating your abilities for clear and accurate communications. The second part of the CHSPE is the math test. You'll have 50 multiple choice questions on all aspects of high school level math, including multiplying and dividing, fractions, decimals, basic algebra and geometry, and your understanding of the basic principles which underlie mathematical operations. There's no reason to put off taking the CHSPE any longer. The longer you wait, the longer it will be before you get your Certificate of Proficiency. And there's no reason to be intimidated by the CHSPE. Yes, it's a challenging test, especially if you've been away from school for a while, but getting a good study and prep guide is one of the keys to passing it.
For additional information, we recommend you check out these free CHSPE resources:
CHSPE Study Guide
CHSPE Language Practice Questions
CHSPE Math Practice Questions
CHSPE Test Information
CHSPE Practice Questions
Commercial Resources for CHSPE Test Preparation (provided for information only, no endorsement implied)
CHSPE Test Study Guide from Mometrix Media
