{"id":218,"date":"2021-06-29T17:33:06","date_gmt":"2021-06-29T17:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cltexamdev.wpengine.com\/?page_id=218"},"modified":"2026-01-23T01:46:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T01:46:30","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cltexam.com\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":" \n
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Restoring the Foundations of Education<\/h2>\n

For thousands of years, education was understood as forming and equipping the whole human person\u2013intellectually, emotionally, and ethically\u2013to live a happy and fulfilling life. Classic Learning Test (CLT) aims to help restore this vision for education.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n \n\n\n

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Our Mission<\/h3>\n

Classic Learning Test (CLT) exists to reconnect knowledge and virtue by providing meaningful assessments and connections to seekers of truth, goodness, and beauty.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

What do we mean by “knowledge” and “virtue”? As far back as Plato, the goal of education was understood as developing both intellect\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>character in students. Its purpose was to help students become better human beings<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Standardized tests should reflect that same goal. They should leave students feeling inspired and enriched while equipping them to pursue their goals. That’s why our tests feature beautiful and meaningful content in addition to assessing timeless academic skills.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

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Our Story<\/h3>\n

In 2015, Jeremy Tate embarked on a mission to provide alternative standardized tests rooted in tradition.<\/p>\n

It all began when Jeremy questioned how American education had come to be so utilitarian. He was working as an evening high school English teacher\u2014and realizing transcendent, moral, and ethical ideas had been gutted from the classroom. He came to the conclusion that high-stakes testing was partially to blame.<\/p>\n

High-stakes testing drives secondary school curriculum. David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, has stated publicly<\/a> that “teachers will teach towards the test. There is no force on this earth strong enough to prevent that.”<\/p>\n

If teaching to the test is an inescapable reality, then shouldn’t those tests engage students with the thinkers and writings that have most meaningfully shaped history and culture?<\/p>\n

By offering a new standard for assessments, CLT aims to be a catalyst for renewal in education nationwide.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/section>\n\n \n\n \n

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A Letter From Our CEO: CLT Is Informed By The Classroom<\/span><\/h3>\n

In 2013, I was teaching evening high school to eleventh grade students who had failed their English classes. These were students who had experienced years of boredom in school\u2014and I was supposed to re-teach the same material that had failed to gain their attention the first time. Looking through the textbook, I flipped through page after page of fragmented passages, meaningless activities, and bland stories that had no chance of rousing these kids from their indifference.<\/p>\n

So I did something radical: I chucked it. Then I sat the students down and made a deal with them: no homework, no tests, no quizzes, no busywork, and no textbook. I then spent my own money on copies of Flannery O\u2019Connor\u2019s short stories. The game plan for class would be simple\u2014 each evening, we would form a circle, read out loud, and stop to discuss when anyone felt the urge.<\/p>\n

It was the most successful semester I ever had. Students that were previously checked out became obsessed with the shocking nature of O\u2019Connor’s writing. These were students who had gone through an education system that neglected any consideration of religion, philosophy, ethics, or the nature of good and evil. They were starving for truth, and O’Connor finally gave them a taste.<\/p>\n

This amazing experience helped me to form a vision for CLT. The work we are doing puts the very best texts in front of students. When you remove every transcendental idea from education, students are right to be bored out of their minds. Give them something that deserves their attention, and they will respond. It’s human nature.<\/p>\n

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Chief Executive Officer, Classic Learning Test<\/p>\n

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Frequently Asked Questions<\/h4>\n

Learn more about registration, pricing, test-requirements, and scoring.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n Visit FAQ Page<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Partner Colleges<\/h4>\n

CLT partners with over 350 colleges & universities across North America and abroad.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n See Partner Schools <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Media and Press<\/h4>\n

See what national publications are saying about CLT as an alternative for standardized tests.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n See Recent News Articles<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n \n\n \n
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\u201cEducation is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n
G. K. Chesterton<\/h5>\n <\/div>\n
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G. K. Chesterton<\/h2>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n \n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":219,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-218","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAbout CLT \u2013 The New Standard in College Entrance Exams<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn more about the history, vision, and team behind the Classic Learning Test.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cltexam.com\/about\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About CLT \u2013 The New Standard in College 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