How to Get College Credit Through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The average cost of annual tuition in the United States range from $3,131 for community colleges and 29,056 for private four year institutions. In fact, the most expensive university charges $51,008 on tuition fees alone. It’s no wonder a lot of people look for ways around paying huge amounts of money for their degrees. College Level Examination Program or CLEP is one of the options a student has to get that college credit, and there are over 2900 colleges that grant them.

How It Works

Every institution will set a minimum qualifying score for CLEP exams. If you reach the required score, the institution will determine the credits it will award the student. It is commonplace for these institutions to place this information on their CLEP policy, so be sure to read this first.

While each institution may have their own standards and metrics for their CLEP, these are the basic standards. Upon passing the exam, students can be awarded up to 12 credits. There are some colleges that place a limit on the total credits that a student may receive. On the other hand, there are also some that grant exemption, but no degree credits.

Each college have varying qualifying scores for every exam. These scores are commonly published in their general catalog or brochure, indicating the scores that they require in order for the student to earn credits.

No Credits Awarded

There may be certain instances wherein the college will not grant credit for a CLEP exam. The two sample scenarios where this may happen:

  1. If the exam is connected to a course. Some colleges will not credit your CLEP exam if you have already attempted to take a course that is directly related to the exam.
  2. If you have already failed in a similar course. In some cases, the college may even not permit you to take the CLEP exam for that particular course.

Retaking the Exam

Students are allowed to repeat a CLEP exam given that six months have already passed since the first one. Retaking the exam before the six months has passed could mean a forfeit of test fees and results.

Before you even start studying for your exam, you first have to check the institution CLEP standards. Find out what credits can be earned, and other factors that may affect the test, the results and credit that you may receive.