The 3 Myths of Paying for College

Debt, n. An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slavedriver.

-Ambrose Bierce

In this video I bust 3 major myths about higher education and finances, so that you can know exactly how to get a great college education without taking on the burden of debt. Enjoy!

To find out more about Ben Kaplan and Zac Bissonnette, check out these links.

As You Can See...

...I haven't posted on here in a very long time. That's because I'm through the CLEPing stage and working toward my bachelor's degree with Thomas Edison State College. I'll be back, though! Once the college-craziness is under control I want to blog more, research more, compile more helpful information, answer more questions, and maybe even produce an eBook. It's going to be a full and exciting year, and I hope that all of you non-conformist students out there are going to find amazingly creative ways to get the education you need at the price you can afford in the time-frame you desire!

Are You Scared Yet?

I'm going to take a test today, and I'm scared sick.

It's a DANTES test, which always gets me worked up because there's no "official" guidebook, which means there's no one holding my hand and telling me exactly what to do. That's scares me.

I've read the "Complete Idiot's Guide" to this subject, taken a couple of Peterson's tests, and scored pretty well on them. Nevertheless, I feel a little sick to my stomach.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I'm still trying to figure that out. On one hand it spurs me on to greater feats of self-discipline and studying, on the other hand I feel this way before almost every test, and it's rarely justified. Maybe I'm just freaking out for no reason at all, and it's actually bad for my nerves.

What do you think? How do you feel when you take tests?

Scared Face, a photo by Cass Chin on Flickr

So How Do I Start?

This is certainly an important question. After all, the journey of a million miles begins with a single step, so that single step is a pretty big deal! If you're new to CLEPing you may wonder if some tests are better to start with than others.

I would recommend getting your feet wet with one of the easier tests. One of my first CLEPs was Analyzing and Interpreting Literature, and boy, am I grateful! That test was a breeze, and I actually scored an 80 on it! It was a huge moral booster, and that's valuable for kick-starting enthusiasm.  


A few other fairly easy ones (in my opinion) would be Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, Social Sciences and History, and Humanities. Of course, it's all relative to your background, interests, and education. If English is your second language then the Spanish, French, or German CLEPs could be easy cheesy. History might come naturally for you, so try out College Composition. Maybe you're obsessed with technology (like my little brother) and Information Systems and Computer Applications might be just the thing to get you started.


Just look through the list of subjects and choose one that you're familiar with or interested in. It's much easier to pour yourself into studying something that you care about rather than something you're just wanting to get through.


Once you've passed your first couple of "easy" tests then it might be time for something a little more challenging and outside your comfort zone (College Algebra did that for me!). Work your way up slowly, don't burn out, and study creatively to keep your interest level high. Hold yourself accountable, work hard, and you're almost guaranteed to pass your exams with flying colors! 


                                               Happy CLEPing, my fellow non-conformists!

Do It!, a photo by jenni from the block on Flickr.

My Personal Record

As you know, I have the tendency to overstudy. Not everyone has this problem, but I can tell you that it can be debilitating. Spending a month on a test that others pass in one week is almost a sure way to pass, but it can also put you way behind on your goals. 


So a couple of weeks ago I determined to pass the Human Growth and Development CLEP as quickly as possible. 

• Tip #1: Never aim low! Set a high goal and do your best to reach it.

I didn't have a study plan mapped out, though, so my goal of "as quickly as possible" was intangible and therefore hard to quantify.

• Tip #2: Create solid, realistic goals. A goal is specific and measurable. Read about dreams, resolutions, and goals here.  Download this worksheet called The Power of Goals by Dan Miller.

Transferring Your Scores

OK, so you've studied hard, passed your CLEP tests with flying colors, and now you're ready to transfer them to the college of your choice. Congratulations! 

This is the place I'm at in the college journey, and at first it can be a bit confusing. First of all, it's good to know on the front-end that you'll be paying $20 per official CLEP transcript and $30 per official DANTES transcript. It's a hefty fee--especially if you've racked up a lot of credits--but very, very worthwhile!

There's just a simple form to fill out for each of these programs:

• Here's the CLEP transcript request form.
• Here's the DANTES transcript order form.

You just put in your information, enclose the money, and send it off to Na-Na Land where the little pink pixies take care of everything. 

                                                                                                   Happy CLEPing!

Hip, Hip, Hooray!

I'm free to apply to Thomas Edison State College! This is a step in the right direction and I'm excited about continuing with the enrollment process.


As I keep moving forward with my college I'll continue to post information and tips on CLEPing, so that you can save time, save money, and pursue your dreams!

Quick Tip: Study and Listen

handwriting, originally uploaded by *L*u*z*A*

One of the things I love to do when studying for a history CLEP (History of the United States 1 & 2, Western Civilization 1 & 2, Social Sciences and History) or DANTES (The Civil War and Reconstruction, Western Europe: Since 1945, History of the Vietnam War, Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union) is to listen to era-appropriate music.

Pandora.com is an awesome resource for this, since you can create a "radio station" with just the right composers. For example: I'm studying Russia right now, so I'm in the mood for some Russian classical music. Bring up the Wikipedia article on "Music of Russia" and I read about the Mighty Five: Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky, Borodin, and Cui. Voilà, I have an entire station devoted to Russian classical music. It really helps get me in the mood, and lends some interest to hours of sometimes-tedious study.

If you don't have a Pandora account then I highly recommend it. It's free to sign up at www.pandora.com!

                                                                                                               Happy CLEPing,

What Kind of Test Taker are You?

paranoia originally uploaded by katiew

Just as there are many kinds of students, there are many kinds of test takers. This was beautifully illustrated for me just today!


My friend, Cameron (Aubrey's brother), and I went in to the testing center together, each of us vying for precious college credits. He was taking the Human Growth and Development CLEP and I was taking Social Sciences and History CLEP. These are, of course, completely different tests, but the preparation methods should be about the same for both, right?

Wrong! They could hardly have been more different.

But I'm An Extrovert!

Pho Chang College of Art Students, originally uploaded by Ian Fuller.

I'm social!

I love people!

I want to interact!

Why would I choose CLEP testing‽

So you want the college experience--I completely definitely understand. There's a gorgeous campus in a town not far from here (John Brown University), and every time I go there I feel a longing to be actually walking down those sidewalks as a student, being a regular at the cafe, stressing over homework on those cushy couches.... Sometimes I have regretful pangs about pursuing an online degree, no matter how cheap and quick and educational it is.


But distance learning does not mean that you have to forfeit the college experience! In fact,

The Road Not Taken

Hi! I'm Abigail (aka Abby) Rogers. I'm 18 years old, and I have 66 college credit hours. I live in Northwest Arkansas, have been home schooled all my life, and love reading, writing, cooking, eating, all-things-British, reading some more, and saving money. Years ago I wanted to get a college education quickly, easily, and affordably. Sound impossible to you?

It's not.

You may be wondering about the title of this blog. "What exactly does CLEP stand for?" you ask with a guilty waver in your voice. Don't feel bad. There are plenty of people who have either never heard of it or think of it only as a weird way to get out of a couple classes. What do I say it is? 

The College Level Examination Program is the secret to bypassing the typical freshman-year classes (that basically repeat what you learned in high school), and diving right into the meaty stuff that you really want to learn. I'm talking about experimenting, working on your own timetable, saving huge amounts of time and money, 

all by some simple, straightforward testing.

OK, you still have your misgivings. That's why I'm here. In the following weeks and months I'll share my personal experiences, guide you through the process, and show you how to make the most out of your money and study time. You don't have to forfeit a "real" college education, you can get away with far less debt and much more time to actually get out there and use what you've learned!

So the question is...are you ready to CLEP out of here?