The Basics of CLEP Exams

Did you know that doing well on a CLEP exam can earn you the same amount of credit that you get if you took and did well in a semester or your long college course covering the same material? CLEP stands for the College Level Examination Program and by watching this video you can learn how to get credit for what you already know and remember, before you take the CLEP exam, learn about your college’s CLEP policy. Most colleges and Universities grant credit for CLEP exams, but not all. There are 2900 institutions that grant credit for CLEP and each of them sets its own CLEP policy. In other words, each institution determines for which exams credit is awarded, the scores required and how much credit will be granted, therefore before you take the CLEP exam, check directly with the college or university you plan to attend to make sure they grant credit for CLEP and review the specifics of their policy. Typically, a college lists all its academic policies, including CLEP policies in its general catalog. You will probably find the CLEP policy statement under the headings such as Credit By Examination, Advanced Standing, Advanced Placement or External Degree Programs. If you cannot find these information, ask the Admissions or Registrar’s Office for a copy of the College’s Credit By Examination Policy. Not all colleges award the same amount of CLEP credit for individual tests. Furthermore, some colleges place a limit on the total number of credit you can earn through CLEP or other exams. Other colleges may grant you exception from prerequisites, but no credit towards your degree. Knowing several colleges’ policies concerning these issues may help you decide which school to attend. If you think you can pass a number of CLEP exams, you may want to attend the college that will allow you to earn credit for all or most of them. Most colleges publish the required scores for earning CLEP credit in their general catalogue or in a brochure. The required score for earning CLEP credits may vary from exam to exam. So find out the minimum qualifying score for each exam you are considering. At some colleges, you may be able to apply your CLEP credit to the college’s core curriculum requirements. For example, all students may be required to take at least six hours of Humanities, six hours of English, three hours of Mathematics and six hours of Social Science, with no particular courses in these disciplines specified. In these instances, CLEP credits may be given as six hours English credit or three hours Math credit without specifying for which English or Mathematics courses credit has been awarded. Find our more before you take CLEP exam what type of credit you can receive or whether you will be exempted from the required course, but receive no credit. Some colleges will not grant credit for a CLEP exam if you have already attempted a college level course closely aligned with the exam. For example, if you successfully completed English 101 or a comparable course on another campus, you will probably not be permitted to receive CLEP credit in that subject as well. Some colleges will not permit you to earn CLEP credit for a course that you failed. So buckle down, grin and bear it and good luck!

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