In today’s instant world, it seems everyone wants to get where they are going—faster. Perhaps you’re an undergraduate student looking to test out of some of your general coursework. Or, maybe, you’ve just returned to school for career advancement and want to progress quickly through material you are already familiar with and still need credit for. That’s where the concept of Credit by Exam (CLEP tests, DSST, AP, etc.) comes into play. CLEP exams stand for College Level Examination Program, a collection of standardized tests that measure your knowledge of specific subjects via tests for credit. Students can earn college credit at thousands of colleges and universities by scoring satisfactorily on a computer-based CLEP test. So, why take a credit by exam test?
Saving Money
CLEP exams allow students to bypass lengthy courses by testing them on subjects they may already be familiar with. A CLEP exam usually costs $95, while the average price of one credit hour at a public university is ~$400. A local community college costs ~$150 per credit hour. This means you can get three credit hours by taking CLEP exams for a smaller price than courses at almost any institution. One of Peterson’s users, Tayah, earned 52 College Credits using Peterson’s CLEP and DSST Test Prep. She accomplished her goal of graduating from college early and saved thousands of dollars without stepping foot in a classroom with CLEP testing.
Accelerating Your Degree and Career
Like Tayah, CLEP tests can help students graduate early and save time on coursework, making it especially valuable. Time-saving benefits anyone, especially adult learners seeking to advance their careers or change fields with the flexibility and convenience of taking exams on demand. An entire semester’s course credits can be completed in the one 90-120 minute test session with about 6 weeks’ worth of prep, depending on your familiarity with the subject matter.
Preparing for CLEP Exams: Practice and Resources
Thorough preparation for CLEP exams can be the difference between a score that grants credit and one that doesn’t. Be mindful of effective study strategies, like practice tests, to help gauge where you are in your study efforts. CLEP exam practice tests are available through a Peterson subscription for all of Peterson’s CLEP courses. Use Peterson CLEP practice tests to identify strengths and weaknesses while making distinct progress towards your study efforts with CLEP practice questions and sample CLEP exams.
How Does CLEP Work?
Knowing which colleges and universities offer credit for CLEP exams is essential. A college or university in your area likely offers credit, but you should confirm by contacting the school before you take an exam. Then, review the list of CLEP exams to determine which ones are most relevant to your desired degree and your knowledge base.
Once you’ve confirmed that your school offers credit for CLEP exams, you can request that a copy of your score report be sent from the College Board to the school you attend or plan to attend. The school will evaluate your score and determine whether to award you credit for or to exempt you from the relevant course.
If the school awards you credit, the number of credits you have earned (ranging from 3 to 9, depending on the test subject) are recorded on your permanent record, indicating that you completed work equivalent to a course in that subject. If the school exempts you from the course without credit, you can replace that course with your choice.
Take heart if you don’t score enough points on the exam to earn credit from your school. You can retake the exam three months after the initial exam date. Even after paying the fee again, you’ll still come ahead regarding time, money, and credit when you pass the exam.
How to Register for a CLEP Exam
Follow these steps to register for a CLEP exam:
Sign in to My Account at https://prod.idp.collegeboard.org to choose your exam and the school(s) you want to receive your scores. Test takers may send score reports to two institutions for free when registering. Each additional institution has a $20 fee per score report.
- Pay for your exam(s).
- Print your registration ticket.
- Schedule your exam at your preferred test center. Write the test center address, contact information, and exam appointment details in the spaces provided on your ticket. Bring the ticket with you on test day.
Registering for a CLEP exam and scheduling it with a test center are separate steps. Contact a test center directly to schedule the exam.
CLEP Test Centers
You can find CLEP testing locations at community colleges and universities nationwide. Contact your local college or university to find out if the school administers CLEP test exam, or visit College Board to find a convenient location. Remember that some colleges and universities administer CLEP exams only to enrolled students or waive administration fees for military service members whose exam fees are funded by DANTES. CLEP testing is also available to service members at military installations worldwide.
CLEP Exams with Remote Proctoring
Test takers can take CLEP exams at home with remote proctoring. Remote proctored CLEP exams have the exact timing, content, format, and on-screen experience as those administered at a test center. Go to the College Board website for registration and eligibility details.
Explore CLEP and other credit-by-exam options, making prep a part of your strategy to get college credit with flexibility. With a CLEP exam or other credit-by-exam courses, you can gain the credit you need while saving time and money. We hope you will find these tests an excellent opportunity to accelerate your path to your dreams. Start prepping today!
