The Importance of the CLEP Exam
Bryan Wong

Defined Tag: CLEP Exam.

When choosing to return to school after a long time
away from being in a classroom setting, you want to
only spend as much time in the classroom as is necessary
to further your degree or earn a new one.

That is why the CLEP Exam is so important for
non-traditional students:  These exams give you the
chance to demonstrate your knowledge and earn college
credit without entering a classroom.  In essence, they
can already give you some of the credit hours you need
to earn that degree, eliminating some of the courses you
would need to take to earn that degree, thereby cutting
down on the time you need to be in the classroom to
earn that degree.

This is extremely beneficial for non-traditional students,
who usually hold full-time occupations and may even have
families, including children, they are responsible for.
Time is especially of the essence for them, as they
need to earn those advanced degrees as quickly as possible
so they can provide a better life for their families that
much quicker.

It's also nice to know that some of your work experience
can count as college credit toward that advanced degree.
2,900 colleges grant credit and/or advanced standing for
CLEP exams.

CLEP exams can reward you for knowledge you have learned
from independent study, noncredit adult courses,
professional development, or life experience.

CLEP exams can save you money because the CLEP test costs
$60, which is much cheaper than spending a few hundred to
a few thousand for online courses you don't have to take.

Not all colleges accept CLEP exams for credit, so double-check
with your university before registering to take CLEP exams.
Also, the credit given by those colleges that accept CLEP
for credit and the minimum qualifying score to attain that
credit vary, so double-check before registering for CLEP
exams to know what you have to score on them and how many
credits you will earn and still have to earn before earning
your degree.

There is a three-step process to registering for a CLEP exam:

1. Select and contact a CLEP Test Center near you - these are
usually at college campuses throughout the United States and
around the world.  Contact the center and find out about its
registration procedure, service fee, testing schedule, and
parking/transportation information.

2. Complete a Registration-Admission Form (available at
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/student/testing/clep/reg-adm-form_06.pdf)
and mail it with your payment to the test center.  The payment
includes the $60 test fee, as well as a nonrefundable administration
fee, which can vary depending upon the university - check with
them on the specific cost.

3a. Request special accommodations if you have a learning or
physical disability that would prevent you from taking a CLEP
exam under standard conditions. 

3b. Request special administration if you require a paper-and-
pencil CLEP exam, as CLEP exams are now administered on computers.
Note that the cost of a paper-and-pencil CLEP exam is $120 and that
you will not receive your results for two to three weeks after the
testing date (you normally receive them immediately after completing
the computer CLEP exam.)

Some suggestions on studying for the CLEP exam include the following -

Read the "Knowledge and skills required" section of each CLEP exam
description to learn what you're expected to know, then find suitable
resource materials.

- Contact a local college that offers a course that is comparable
to the CLEP exam you plan to take - use that textbook to help you
prepare.  Compare that textbook's table of contents to the
"Knowledge and skills required" section to make sure it covers
the same material.  You can rent that textbook from the library
or buy a used one to help save on costs.

- Ask your librarian for other resources to help you prepare for
the CLEP exam you wish to take - videos from National Geographic
and Nova, as well as audio language tapes and computer software,
may be useful.

- Enroll in a preparation course offered by an adult school or
university in your area.

- If you know of others who have taken CLEP exams, ask them how
they prepared for the exams.

- It is suggested that you take breaks after studying intensively
for 20-30 minutes rather than studying for long periods of time,
as you're likely to retain that knowledge better.

- Some advice from CollegeBoard.com on answering multiple-choice
questions on the exam include paying close attention to the
directions, pacing yourself, reading the entire question and all
answer choices before answering, not taking too much time on any
one question, and making educated guesses, as you will not be
penalized for incorrect answers.

- Some advice from CollegeBoard.com on writing essays for the
Freshman Composition, Literature, or English Composition with
Essay exams include determining in what order to answer the
questions, estimating how much time you can give to each question,
noticing whether a question wants you to give an answer that briefly
describes the solution or for the answer to go into a detailed
description of the solution, and using the scrap paper to organize
your thoughts before writing your essay.

You will receive your exam score after the completion of the
exam, except when taking the English Composition with Essay.
The test is scored on a 20-80 scale.  In the test software,
you can indicate which college, employer, or certifying
agency that you want to receive your CLEP test scores.  If
you don't know at the time you take the exam, you can leave
that item bland and request your CLEP transcript, but this
will cost extra, so try to decide where you want the scores
sent to by the time you take your exam.

If you decide to not have your scores reported, you must alert
the administrator BEFORE you complete the exam.  You will be
asked to confirm this in the test software.  Once you have seen
your instant score report, you CANNOT cancel your scores.

Knowing what the CLEP exams are, how to register to take them,
and knowing how to study for them can greatly improve your
chances of passing them and earning course credit that much
quicker, leading to you earning your degree more quickly.