CLEP Exams: The Hidden Option

Most college advisors will not offer this option up during an advisement meeting. This is because CLEP exams are nowhere near as expensive as a class, and they bring in significantly less revenue for the school. However, if you comb through your course catalog, you may find that CLEP exams are indeed an option that your school offers.

CLEP stands for the College Level Examination Program. The exams are designed for the examinee to demonstrate that they already know a sufficient amount of information in the subject area and are therefore qualified to skip its introductory course. I took advantage of this opportunity and took a CLEP exam to forgo a core requirement. In my experience, I must say that the exams are in no way an easy option, however, when it comes to your time and money, it may be an option that should be given considerable thought.

Depending on how well you know the subject, your preparatory study time will vary. I found that there are several books that cover both a general overview of all of the CLEP exams, and books that focus solely on specific subject areas. If you rely on these study guides, you will most likely not pass an exam. The study guides are best used as an outline to use in guiding your study. Then use a reliable textbook as the source of information for your outline. The best and most necessary resource is a strong prior knowledge of the subject area. If you are unaware of a good textbook, find a professor of that subject and ask them for their suggestions.

Make sure, and doubly sure that your school accepts credit for CLEP exams. If they do, your next step should be to make yourself aware of your school's specific rules concerning CLEP exams. Some schools have very strict rules when it comes to substitution credit. Simply passing the CLEP exam may not be sufficient. The minimum score that your school accepts could be above the minimum for passing. Keeping yourself within the stipulations that your school has laid out concerning CLEP exams is a big part of making your CLEP experience work for you.

As for scheduling a testing time, these examinations tend to fill up quickly. It is often necessary to register several months in advance. The exams are taken on a computer and for me that was one of the challenges the exam presented.

The option is worth looking into for those who would snore through an introductory course for a subject area in which they already have sufficient knowledge and a semester of receiving information you have already mastered is a waste of time and money.