CLT - Classic Learning Test
The Classic Learning Test (CLT) is an alternative college entrance exam accepted by some schools. It is used at MDC for determining college readiness.
The CLT is a standardized test with three 40-question sections—verbal reasoning, grammar and writing, and quantitative reasoning—and an optional essay. Designed as an alternative to other standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT, the test assesses reading, grammar, writing, and mathematics. One of the distinctive elements, of the CLT is its use of classic literature and historical texts for the majority of reading passages on the exam.
The exam can be taken online or in-school, takes approximately two hours to complete, and issues test scores within ten days; scores are calculated out of 120. CLT scores have been indexed to SAT and ACT scores, as well as CLT10 scores to PSAT scores.
What Is the CLT?
The Classic Learning Test is an online college entrance exam designed for 11th and 12th grade students. This college entrance exam was launched in 2015 as an alternative to the SAT and ACT, and is accepted by over 200 colleges across the U.S.
The CLT is a newcomer to the standardized test scene, and it bills itself as an exam that focuses on testing the basics of a “classical education,” namely logic, reasoning, and reading. It also uses excerpts of classic literature to test reading skills, and there’s more of a logic (rather than a calculation) focus on the quantitative reasoning section.
The format of the CLT is different, too. Unlike the ACT (which has four sections plus writing) and the SAT (which has two sections plus writing), the CLT consists of three required sections:
- Verbal Reasoning, which tests students’ textual comprehension and analysis skills
- Grammar/Writing, which tests students’ textual editing and improvement skills
- Quantitative Reasoning, which tests students’ skills in logic and mathematics
There is also an optional essay portion of the exam that students can choose to take, but the score on this portion will not affect your numerical score on the exam. Each CLT exam section (excluding the writing section) consists of 40 questions.
The CLT test lasts for a total of two hours or 120 minutes. This total testing period is divided into the following time frames for each individual exam section:
- 40 minutes — Verbal Reasoning section
- 35 minutes — Grammar/Writing section
- 45 minutes — Quantitative Reasoning section
- Additional 30 minutes — Optional essay section (not included in total two hour exam time)
Students who take the CLT in school will receive their official exam scores the Tuesday after taking the exam. For students taking the test online, their scores will be released the second Tuesday after their exam date. CLT scores can be sent to an unlimited number of colleges of your choosing.
Instructions for MDC students on how to request their CLT scores be sent to MDC.
To share a score, please follow these steps:
- Login to your CLT exam account.
- Find the score you wish to share in Past Performance.
- Click the "Share" button under that score.
- In the section for Partner Colleges and Universities, select any colleges from the dropdown menu with which you wish to share.
- Check to see if the score was sent by visiting the "Shared Scores" menu on the left side of the student dashboard.
For tests not administered by Miami Dade College, arrangements for auxiliary aids and modifications are subject solely to the testing vendors availability and policies. Please visit the test vendors webpage for additional information.
No retest procedure available at this time.
| Location | Available | Day and Time |
|---|---|---|
| Homestead Testing A114 |
By Online Appointments | TBA On a typical test day, examinees will need to arrive by 7:45 AM, and the test should be finished between 12:30 and 1 PM. |
| Kendall Testing Building R, 5th Floor |
By Online Appointments | TBA On a typical test day, examinees will need to arrive by 7:45 AM, and the test should be finished between 12:30 and 1 PM. |
| Medical Testing 1303 |
By Online Appointments | TBA On a typical test day, examinees will need to arrive by 7:45 AM, and the test should be finished between 12:30 and 1 PM. |
| North Testing 1160 |
By Online Appointments | TBA On a typical test day, examinees will need to arrive by 7:45 AM, and the test should be finished between 12:30 and 1 PM. |
| Wolfson Testing 3104 |
By Online Appointments | TBA On a typical test day, examinees will need to arrive by 7:45 AM, and the test should be finished between 12:30 and 1 PM. |
Contact a Testing and Assessment location, where we would be glad to help you!
Note: Examinees must be checked-in and seated by the time scheduled in order to begin the test. Examinees will then have adequate time to finish the test in a reasonable period or within the Hours of Operation.
Students are encouraged to seek test preparation resources at the CLT Test Preparation website.
Please visit the Testing Fees webpage for additional information and test specific fees.