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Exam Overview
Exam Overview
The Classic Learning Test is given by Classic Learning Initiatives. The CLT described in this guide is the exam for 11th and 12th graders; younger students take the CLT10 (grades 9–10) or the CLT3-8. The test is designed to measure reasoning and aptitude rather than a particular curriculum, and its reading passages come largely from great works of literature, philosophy, history, and science.
Test Format
120
Multiple-choice questions
3
Sections of 40 questions
2 h
Testing time (plus a 10-minute break)
1–120
Total score range
| Section | Questions | Time | What It Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Verbal Reasoning | 40 | 40 minutes | Reading passages from literature, philosophy and religion, history and founding documents, and natural science |
| 2. Grammar/Writing | 40 | 35 minutes | Revising underlined portions of passages: grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills |
| Break | — | 10 minutes | The only time you may leave the testing room |
| 3. Quantitative Reasoning | 40 | 45 minutes | Arithmetic, algebra and functions, geometry, data and probability, and logical reasoning, without a calculator |
| Optional essay | 1 prompt | 30 minutes | Offered only at in-school online administrations; not scored |
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Answer choices | Four choices (A–D) on every question; choose the one best answer |
| Scoring | Each section is scored on a 40-point scale; the total score ranges up to 120. Scores are based on correct answers only, with no penalty for wrong answers. |
| Calculator | Not allowed. Scratch paper is provided, and a "Show Formulas" button in Section 3 displays a formula reference. |
| Delivery | Online with remote proctoring at home (laptop, desktop, or tablet; no phones; LockDown Browser), or at school on dates arranged by the school |
| Fee | $112 for the remotely proctored CLT, including Student Analytics and unlimited free score sharing; schools set their own pricing for in-school testing |
| Score release | Remote tests: the third Wednesday after the test. In-school online tests: usually the following week. Paper tests: about 30 days. |
| Retakes | Take the CLT as many times as you like, but only once per test date |
| Accommodations | Request at least four weeks before the test date; accommodation status is never shared with colleges |
The Three Sections
Verbal Reasoning
Several passages, some paired and some poetic, each followed by a set of questions on main idea, details, inference, vocabulary in context, the author's purpose and tone, structure, and argument.
Grammar/Writing
Passages with numbered, underlined portions. Choose the best revision or NO CHANGE. Other questions ask about transitions, adding or deleting sentences, the order of ideas, and the purpose of the passage.
Quantitative Reasoning
Problems that reward reasoning and number sense more than long calculation: algebra, functions, geometry, data, probability, and logic.
Who Accepts the CLT
- Hundreds of colleges and universities, many of them private, liberal arts, or faith-based; more than 350 partner with the CLT
- The U.S. Military Service Academies
- Public university systems in several states, including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, and North Carolina
- Scholarship programs such as Florida's Bright Futures, which accepts superscored CLT results
Before You Register
Fees, dates, policies, and the list of accepting colleges can change. Confirm current details in your CLT account and on the official CLT website before you register, and check each college's own admissions requirements.Finished reading?
Next, start the first chapter.