What is the CLEP Test? Everything You Need to Know
Higher education can be costly. Many students and their families suffer sticker shock when they begin checking into the price of a college education. The good news is that there’s a way for traditional and non-traditional students to defray those costs by receiving credit for what they have learned during their lives.
What Are the CLEP Tests?
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is one of the best deals for students who have life experiences that qualify them for college credits before they begin their college career. The credits are awarded after the student takes a computerized test and demonstrates an understanding and ability in a particular field. People who are on a fast-track degree program are good candidates for the CLEP tests because they can test out of many introductory courses, which enables them to begin taking higher-level courses sooner. They can also save serious money by taking CLEP tests. A CLEP test costs only $80, but a corresponding college course can cost up to $700.
What Is CLEP Credit?
By passing CLEP tests, students receive the same number of credits that they would have earned if they had taken the classes. CLEP credits are worth as much as any other college credit, and they are less expensive than taking full-blown college courses. A prospective student can earn credits in such core classes as English Composition, History, Math, Social Studies, Science, Business and World Languages. Tests are also available for more advanced courses as well, including English Literature, Calculus and Information Systems and Computer Applications.
Who Can Benefit from Taking CLEP Tests?
Anybody who wants to save time and money on their college degree should look into the CLEP tests. Ex-service members who worked on computers while in the armed forces would be good candidates for the Information Technology CLEP test. Students who have spent part of their life in another country would probably have enough experience with a foreign language to get CLEP credit. In fact, most people who were raised in a home where two or more languages were spoken would be able to get credit for knowing a second or third language. Before taking any tests, check with your college to make sure they accept the CLEP tests. Most schools do, but there are some that do not.
Benefits of Taking CLEP Tests
The benefits of taking the CLEP tests include bypassing beginner courses, saving money on textbooks and tuition, taking advanced classes sooner and determining your readiness for college courses. CLEP tests are also great for enhancing your degree and applying knowledge you have acquired during your life’s experiences.
Where to Take CLEP Tests
Most community colleges and public universities offer CLEP testing a couple of times per year. Contact a local college, and ask where and when they give the tests. It’s easy to register online or in person.
CLEP tests are a cheap shortcut to college credit. If you prepare yourself for the exams, you’ll probably save yourself hundreds of dollars and months of studying.
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