Taking the CLEP Test
During your senior year of high school or your freshman year of college, you may hear the term CLEP test used in the context of college admissions and credit. But what is a CLEP test? It stands for College Level Examination Program and it’s basically a way of getting credit for a college class without actually taking the class. Sound too good to be true? Well, CLEP exams aren’t the easiest thing you’ll ever do, but with adequate preparation, they can end up saving you money, time, and stress throughout your college career.
How does a CLEP test work? Just like any other standardized test, you pay a fee, go to the testing center, and take a test on your specific subject of interest. If you pass, you get college credit – if not, you’re out the time and money you spent on the test and any preparation materials you purchased. Some of the CLEP tests are scored by the test company – similar to how the ACT test is scored – but some, such as the English composition CLEP test essay, are scored by the college you want to attend. CLEP tests are scored on a scale between 20 and 80, and you typically need at least a 50 to pass. You get three hours of credit for most tests, although some – including English composition and the foreign language tests – can earn you six to twelve hours of college credit.
This brings up an important point. Before you start planning to take a CLEP test, you need to check with the college of your choice and make certain that they will accept the CLEP test for credit. Some colleges won’t accept all the CLEP tests, and some will only accept them as elective credits, meaning you'll still have to take all your required classes. Be sure you know how your college is going to handle your CLEP test before you take it, otherwise you may find out that you've wasted your time and money on unnecessary testing.
CLEP tests aren’t horribly expensive. There's a base fee of $70, although some tests with essay portions charge an addition $10 fee for essay grading. Then the testing center may also charge an extra $15 to $20 to cover the costs of giving the test. Even after that, you’re still generally paying much less than the equivalent of one college credit hour – or more if you’re planning to attend a private college. In addition, you’ll be saving at least a couple hundred dollars in credit hours, plus the fees and other costs associated with them, including books and materials. You’ll also save the time you would spend taking the class – if you CLEP out of enough courses, you could actually graduate a semester early.
The CLEP test itself doesn’t differ much from other standardized tests. You’ll have a test booklet and an answer sheet, and you fill in the bubble that corresponds to the answer you want. Some do include essay portions – if so, you’ll fill up a small booklet with your essay. Once finished, the test will be sent off for grading, and you’ll get the results in a few months’ time. As with any other standardized test you could take, your success with the CLEP exam depends on how much effort you put into studying and preparing for the exam.
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