A CLEP (College Level Examination Program) test is a multiple-choice (a few have an essay question or two), computer based, 90-120 minute test that can earn you anywhere from 3-12 college credit hours. It was designed for people who have extensive knowledge of a subject outside the classroom and want to get college credit for it instead of sitting through a long, boring class learning something they already know more about than the professor.
However.
The CLEP is also infinitely useful for
- High school graduates
- Homeschoolers
- Working parents
- International students coming to the U.S.
- Military service members
- Those who are fluent in French, German, or Spanish and want credit for it
The test is usually made up of 80-120 questions (depending on the subject). It is scored on a 20/80 scale and the typical required score for passing is 50. For most institutions you will not be awarded a grade for your test, it's just "win or lose," as it were. If you pass, you have just earned the same credits in a few minutes that Joe Smith over there worked an entire semester or two to get!
If you fail a test then it is almost as if it never happened, no record of failure will be kept on your transcript and you'll be able to take it again after 3 months.
And what is the best part of all this?
One test is $80.
You may have to pay a $25-$50 fee to the testing center where you take the CLEP, but the test itself is dirt cheap.
A CLEP test is in one of 33 subject areas:
Business
- Financial Accounting 3
- Business Law, Introductory 3
- Information Systems and Computer Applications 3
- Management, Principles of 3
- Marketing, Principles of 3
Composition and Literature
- American Literature 6
- Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 6
- College Composition 6
- College Composition Modular 3/6
- English Literature 6
- Humanities 6
Foreign Languages
- French Language, Level 1 6
- French Language, Level 2 12
- German Language, Level 1 6
- German Language, Level 2 12
- Spanish Language, Level 1 6
- Spanish Language, Level 2 12
History and Social Sciences
- American Government 3
- Educational Psychology, Introduction to 3
- History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877 3
- History of the United States II: 1865 to Present 3
- Human Growth and Development 3
- Macroeconomics, Principles of 3
- Microeconomics, Principles of 3
- Psychology, Introductory 3
- Social Sciences and History 6
- Sociology, Introductory 3
- Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 3
- Western Civilization II: 1648 to Present 3
Science and Mathematics
- Biology 6
- Calculus 4
- Chemistry 6
- College Algebra 3
- College Mathematics 6
- Precalculus 3
- Natural Sciences 6
I'm sure that you can see why I can't wait to get more people excited about CLEPing!
