This Ultimate Guide has everything You need to know about the Classic Learning Test (CLT) in 2024.

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In this comprehensive guide we answer:

1▹ What is the Classic Learning Test

2▹ How to take the Classic Learning Test

3▹ What is on the CLT

4▹ How Scoring Works on the CLT

5▹ Who should take the CLT

6▹ What Colleges accept the CLT

7▹ Who created the Classic Learning Test

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What is the Classic Learning Test?

The Classic Learning Test (CLT) is a standardized college entrance exam that was created in 2015. Today, it is accepted by over 250 colleges and universities across the United States and Canada.

The CLT is for high school juniors and seniors. There are also exams for younger students, including the CLT10 for tenth graders, CLT8 for eighth graders, and CLT3-6.

The test has three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Grammar & Writing, and Quantitative Reasoning.

In total, there are 120 multiple choice questions, and students have 2 hours to complete all three sections (with a brief break between sections).

The CLT can be taken online or at a partner high school. There is an optional essay response for students at partner high schools, which students have 30 minutes to complete.

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Why is it called Classic?

“Classic” refers to the reading material on the Verbal Reasoning and Grammar/Writing sections of the CLT.

On the CLT, reading excerpts are taken from authors like Plato, Shakespeare, and Ben Franklin.

These authors have been studied for at least 50 years – and sometimes for thousands of years. So, the CLT considers them “Classic” works of literature.

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Here's the Point:

The makers of the CLT want standardized tests to have meaningful, interesting reading excerpts. They hope that students are encouraged to engage with meaningful reading material outside of their test prep so that they are better prepared for the exam.

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How to Take the Classic Learning Test

There are two ways to take the CLT.

The first is through a partner high school. If your high school administers the CLT, you’d probably know – ask your College Counselor or Testing Coordinator to be sure!

The second option is to take the CLT at home. Any student can register and take the CLT online from the comfort of their own home.

To register for the CLT, go to CLTExam.com and click “Sign In/Sign Up.” Then register for a test!

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What is on the CLT?

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning is the CLT’s reading comprehension section.

Verbal Reasoning contains four separate reading passages with 10 questions per passage – a total of 40 questions.

Students have 40 minutes to complete this section.

It’s similar to the ACT’s Reading section. The biggest difference between CLT Verbal Reasoning and ACT Reading: the authors on each test.

As we mentioned earlier, the CLT features important authors like Aristotle, Jane Austen, and Abraham Lincoln. The ACT typically features modern novels, journal articles, or stories from the 2000’s.

For a complete ACT vs. CLT breakdown, read this article!

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Grammar & Writing

The Grammar & Writing Section is exactly what it sounds like. It measures a student’s ability to recognize proper sentence structure and writing style.

Like Verbal Reasoning, this section contains four passages with ten questions per passage, for a total of 40 questions.

Students have 35 minutes to complete the Grammar & Writing section.

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Quantitative Reasoning

Quantitative Reasoning is the math section of the CLT.

So why name it Quantitative Reasoning? Why isn’t it just math?

In addition to traditional math questions, the CLT measures how students draw conclusions when given some information about science, algebra, or geometry.

For examples, check out our Sample Questions Article!

Are there normal math questions, too? Yes!

The Quantitative Reasoning section has 40 total questions. Students have 45 minutes to complete it.

All questions are on Algebra, Geometry, or Mathematical Reasoning (those “conclusion” questions we just talked about).Read: How is the CLT math section different than the SAT or ACT?

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Chapter 2:

Your CLT Story

Should you take the CLT?

The CLT helps students:

1. Strengthen College Applications

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2. Qualify for Scholarships
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3. Demonstrate Interest in Their Top Colleges

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If you’re a student or parent in Florida, the CLT can do even more: Read the CLT for Florida!

Like any standardized test, a higher CLT score strengthens your college applications. The higher your score, the more competitive you will be!

In the next section, we’ll discuss CLT’s partner colleges! At many of the CLT’s partner colleges, your CLT score qualifies you for Merit Scholarships. There are even some scholarships that are exclusively for CLT Students!

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What is Demonstrated Interest?

It’s a College Admissions term. It means that a student interacted with the Admissions Team at a college or university as they were applying.

Some Colleges think Demonstrated Interest is really important!

So, if you visit campus, have an interview with the Admissions Team, or do an alumni interview, that could help your application!

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How does the CLT help with Demonstrated Interest?

There are 2 ways the CLT helps with Demonstrated Interest.

First, students can use their CLT Score to start a conversation with Admissions Teams at CLT Partner Colleges.

The CLT makes it easy to share your score with colleges, so that you can use it to ask about scholarships, campus visits, and more! And you can do that before applying!

Second, many CLT partner colleges love Classic authors.

If you’ve read this whole article, you know that the authors you’ll read on the CLT are chosen for a reason: they’re Classic. Homer, Charles Dickens, George Orwell, and more.

Most CLT partner colleges really care about these authors! Submitting a CLT score shows that you understand how to read these authors and that you want to learn from their works.

Your test score actually demonstrates interest in their college curriculum!

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Chapter 3:

Classic Learning Test's Story

Who Created the CLT?

Classic Learning Test is owned by Classic Learning Initiatives, LLC – a group of educators dedicated to “Restoring the Foundations of Education.”

According to Classic Learning Initiatives, education is supposed to help human beings develop into intellectually and emotionally sound, ethical people. This leads to a happy and fulfilling life.

If you think that sounds like the purpose of education – CLT agrees!

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Why did they create a standardized test to Restore Education?

Because all educators deeply care about their students’ success. Bear with me.

According to Classic Learning Initiatives, Standardized Tests have a massive influence on curriculum.

Because they play a huge role in students’ lives, teachers and administrators want to prepare their students for standardized tests.

If Standardized Tests have dry, boring material, students need to be prepared for it. No time for Plato and Shakespeare. Prepare for tests by reading snippets of journals and modern short stories of questionable educational value.

So in 2015, Classic Learning Test was formed to encourage schools to bring back meaningful content – like Plato and Shakespeare.

Because of the CLT, reading these authors helps students prepare for a meaningful standardized test.

So, the CLT exists to encourage schools to restore their curriculum to the standards that were followed for thousands of years (in other words, to restore education).

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Founder of the CLT

Jeremy Tate is the Founder of CLT. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from LSU and a Master of Arts in Theology from the Reformed Theological Seminary.

You can listen to Jeremy tell the story of the Classic Learning Test on the CLT’s Anchored Podcast.

In a letter posted on CLT’s website, Jeremy details the events that led to the creation of the Classic Learning Test:

He taught an English night class in 2013 to high school juniors who were failing their classes. Jeremy realized all the students were completely disengaged.

Instead of following the textbook, he threw it out and got his students copies of Flannery O’Connor’s short stories. They read these stories aloud and discussed whatever piqued their interest.

It was a roaring success. And Jeremy realized students were not accustomed to rich, meaningful content in classes.

But he knew that students and teachers crave discussions about virtue, ethics, and truth.

And he thought one reason these discussions were absent from the classroom was standardized tests.

Because standardized tests didn’t feature these important ideas, teachers didn’t have time to help their students study them.

From this experience the Classic Learning Test was born. Meaningful, interesting literature – on a standardized test.

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