I'm entering a Florida community college in the fall and my advisor mentioned I might need to take the CLAST depending on my program. Honestly, I've been struggling to find current information about it — most results online are from 2015 or earlier. Is this exam still being administered, or has it been replaced?
From what I can piece together, the CLAST tested essay writing, reading comprehension, and math skills including statistics and algebra. Some sources say Florida phased it out and replaced it with state college placement tests like the PERT.
If it is still required for certain programs, I want to be prepared. My math is solid but essay writing under timed conditions is where I lose points. In high school I averaged about 72% on timed writing assessments.
Would love clarification from anyone who's dealt with Florida college placement requirements recently. My advisor wasn't entirely sure either which is a little concerning.
I took the PERT last fall for entry into a Florida state college. It covered reading, writing, and math. The math section goes up to college algebra. There's no essay component — it's all multiple choice. Much more straightforward than the old CLAST format.
If you want to brush up on timed writing regardless of which exam you face, the best drill is untimed writing first — do 5 practice prompts with no time limit to build your structure instinct. Then move to 30-minute timed attempts. It genuinely works.
Florida officially replaced the CLAST with PERT for most placement purposes years ago. Your advisor might be referencing old documentation. Double-check with the specific college's registrar — they'll have current placement test requirements.
This thread saved me from making the same mistakes. The tip about exam prep being weighted heavily is accurate — I adjusted my study time based on this and it made a real difference. Also seconding the recommendation for clast practice test.
Honestly I'm not totally sure about the current status either, my school treated it kind of like a maybe depending on your major, so definitely pin your advisor down on whether you actually need it before you stress about prep. That said, I did end up taking it and I failed my first try, mostly the math and the essay parts. I went in way too confident because everyone said it was basic skills stuff. It is basic, but the timing got me and I hadn't practiced the essay format at all.
Second time around I changed how I studied completely. I stopped just reading review books and actually sat down and did full timed practice tests, the whole thing in one sitting, because that's what tripped me up before. I also wrote out a couple of practice essays and had someone read them, which felt silly but it's the thing that helped most. Don't underestimate the writing portion. And go slow on the math, the questions aren't hard but they're worded to make you rush. Passed comfortably the second time, so if you do have to take it, just treat it seriously from the start and you'll be fine.
So I was kind of in your boat a few months ago and honestly the lack of recent info is frustrating. Quick update from me though: I finally sat down and did a full timed practice run last weekend and pulled a 78%, which I'm pretty happy with since my first attempt back in March was like a 61. The grammar section is what's been killing me, but this set helped a ton with that part clast/questions/vocabulary and language usage. I just kept redoing it until the patterns clicked.
I'm planning to take the real thing in early August, right before classes start, so I've got about five weeks left to grind. My advice is don't stress too hard about the old 2015 results you're finding. Just confirm with your specific program whether you actually need it, because it varies, and then focus on practicing. You've still got time if you start now.