What Is CLEP All About?

What is CLEP?

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) awards college credit at more than 2,900 U.S. colleges and universities for demonstrating achievement in a subject by means of a computer-based exam. By earning a satisfactory score, you can earn the same amount of credit as a student who successfully completed the same course at that school. Prospective students enrolling in accelerated degree programs are usually encouraged to take the CLEP test.

CLEP policies vary widely from school to school — for example, some colleges may limit the total amount of credit you can earn through CLEP exams, or some may grant exemption from a course, but give no credit toward a degree, etc.- so before registering for a CLEP exam, be sure to check with your school to determine which exams are accepted and how much credit they will give you. If you are earning an accelerated degree online, be sure to discuss this matter with your advisor or enrollment counselor.

What are some benefits of CLEP?

By successfully passing each test, you will receive college credit that can:

• Accelerate your degree with CLEP
• Allow you to skip beginner courses
• Able you to take higher level courses faster
• Help determine your readiness for classes
• Apply knowledge you already have
• Save money on books and tuition

Who Accepts CLEP?

Below are just 10 online schools that accept the CLEP exam credits towards a degree. By no means is this a complete list; it is simply a few names to help you get started!

• Ashford University
• Bellevue University
• Charter Oak State College
• Colorado Technical University Online
• Grand Canyon University
• Northcentral University
• Regis University
• South University
• Saint Leo University
• Strayer University

What is a CLEP exam like?

All CLEP exams are administered by computer. A CLEP exam is an hour and a half long and consists mostly of multiple-choice questions (some exams have fill-in-the-blank questions), except for English Composition with Essay and College Composition.

• The College Composition exam contains multiple-choice items and two mandatory, centrally scored essays. College English professors from universities around the country meet two times monthly to grade the essays through an online grading system. Each of the two essays is graded independently by two different professors, and those two grades are combined. This combined grade is added to the grade from the multiple choice part of the exam to provide your one single score on the overall exam.
• The College Composition Modular exam is different in that it contains multiple choice items and also an essay portion that is graded by the receiving university itself.

The English Composition with Essay exam is an essay question that must be completed in 45-minutes, in addition to a 45-minute multiple-choice section that is composed of 50 questions.

Because universities can be particular about which of the College Composition courses they will accept, it is best to wait to take this until you have been informed by an academic advisor how to proceed.

For any exam, you should plan to allow at least two hours to complete testing. It is also recommended that you take no more than two different subject CLEP exams in one day.

When do I get my scores?

Since CLEP exams are entirely computer-based, you will receive your score immediately after completing the test (except for College Composition and College Composition Modular, in which case you will receive your score in about four weeks). In about a month, any score recipient, if you designate one at the start of the exam, will receive your official score report.

How much does a CLEP exam cost?

The fee for each CLEP exam is $77, plus any service fees payable to the testing center. However, for eligible military service members and eligible civilian employees, CLEP exams are free of charge.

In what subjects are there CLEP exams?

There are 33 college courses in which you may take an exam for credit. The material covered in CLEP exams is equivalent to what is taught in courses that students take as requirements in the first two years of college. If you are earning an accelerated degree, the CLEP exam helps student test out of many prerequisite and beginner-level courses.

Currently, the following CLEP exams are available (listed by test subject):

Composition and Literature

• American Literature
• Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
• College Composition
• College Composition Modular
• English Literature
• Humanities

History and Social Sciences

• American Government
• History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877
• History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present
• Human Growth and Development
• Introduction to Educational Psychology
• Principles of Macroeconomics
• Principles of Microeconomics
• Introductory Psychology
• Introductory Sociology
• Social Sciences and History
• Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648
• Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present

Science and Mathematics

• Biology
• Calculus
• Chemistry
• College Algebra
• College Mathematics
• Natural Sciences
• Precalculus

Business

• Financial Accounting
• Information Systems and Computer Applications
• Introductory Business Law
• Principles of Management
• Principles of Marketing

World Languages

• French Language
• German Language
• Spanish Language

Remember, which CLEP exams accepted for credit, actual course equivalences, and the passing scores required will vary by school! Be sure to check with your institution before you sit for any CLEP test!

Are there any CLEP study guides I can use?

The College Board has published a book that has sample tests for all 34 exams, and also contains advice for CLEP test-takers. The CLEP Official Study Guide 2011 has a list price of US$24.99.

You can also download study guide materials online from the College Board. There are study guides for all 33 CLEP exams and they cost only US$10.00.

Why should I take a CLEP exam?

Firstly, taking the CLEP exam is a great way to save money. A single CLEP exam is only $77.00 (plus whatever fees the testing center charges, although these are often minor, especially at community colleges). Compare that to the cost of college tuition and textbooks for up to four courses!

Also, the CLEP test saves you time because you will be earning credit for what you already know. If your online university does not grant credit for your CLEP test, you may simply be able to test out of a course. Either way, you will be able to advance in your studies faster. If you're a few credits behind in your program, credit from a CLEP test can get you caught up.

"Obtaining credit through exam is a great way to earn college credit quickly, save money and time, and avoid demotivating yourself by being stuck in courses where you're repeating material you already know," says Dr. Susan Smith Nash, a former faculty member of Excelsior College.

"Keep in mind that taking a CLEP test is not something that should be taken lightly, even though it is tempting to go in and wing it, just to see how you'll do," advises Dr. Nash. "This is often the case in the military, where it's not very easy to get the exam preparation materials, and not convenient to lug around a stack of heavy, bulky textbooks. If you really want to pass the test, you will need to study."

Additional CLEP Resources:

• Understand the fundamentals of CLEP testing
  This section of the Guide to Online Education discusses how you can save time and money towards your degree by testing out of college courses through CLEP tests, the College Level Examination Program.
• Ask your question about CLEP
  Read questions and answers from real people about taking the CLEP test.

Information about CLEP from the College Board:

• Locate a CLEP test center
  Search a database of 1,400 college and university test centers in the United States and abroad.
• Find a college that accepts CLEP
  The searchable CLEP College database contains more than 2,900 accredited colleges and universities that award credit for satisfactory scores on CLEP exams. Nearly half administer CLEP exams at their own test centers.
• Get an overview of the CLEP test

The College Board provides an overview of the benefits of taking the CLEP test, as well as providing more in-depth descriptions of each individual subject test.