Credit By Exam | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

Credit by Examination in College

I just cannot explain how thrilled I am about credit by examination. These applications are the only reason that I and many others are college graduates. Do not think for a moment that you will not learn something in the process of getting these examinations. And especially, do not be amazed at how much you already know as you study for them. The key to remember when planning for an examination is that the common system of 70% = pass is no longer is applicable. These assessments are designed to evaluate your knowledge of a topic as opposed to normal college student taking the class. Well, guess what? Average is a big range. Most of these examinations only require you to get about half the solutions right to earn credit. That is why I and so many other applicants find we did much better than we thought after getting our score.

Most schools take credit by examination. Some schools design their own examining programs, but the majority gives credit based on the American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendation. Each evaluation is given a suggested amount of credit by ACE. Most schools will prize the suggested credit, however they are not required to. So, please check with the college of your choice to validate their credit by examination policy, such as the most of credit they will take by testing.

Each evaluation suppliers have their own style and framework. It is important to understand each company’s guidelines and specifications. Most of the examinations are not that challenging. I never studied for more than three times for a three credit by examination and not more than seven times for a six credit by examination. You will need to take a number of each to get your speed, but once the momentum is going, do not quit. The best measure that I used was to take as many practice assessments that I might find on the topic. Once I reached the 80-90% level, I was prepared. Once you get going, you find it simple to take two or more examinations in one day.

Exploring Credit By Exam

Enrolling in college is now a standard. In the past, you were blessed to be present in a university. Today, however, most kids are required to at least study at community college. Even adults are feeling the stress to get a college degree. Unfortunately, conventional college is not an option for everyone. High college tuition, work plans, and family lifestyle often make it hard to begin or continue college. Fortunately, there are alternatives! Credit by exam is one alternative that many teenagers and adults are starting to take seriously. Credit by exam means that you can get credit for some of the things you already know. Adult scholars, especially, have obtained knowledge outside of the educational setting from the office and life experience. For example, if you demonstrate that you already understand college mathematics, you can test out of that class and get three credits.

This method of making college credit has been around for the last three decades and is becoming more extensive. Although credit by exam assessments like College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests were initially designed toward army employees, both are now open to citizens. Nearly 3,000 schools take credit gained from the assessments, but not all schools do. To be prepared, check your college’s policy to make sure credit will be accepted.

Not putting things off is perhaps the biggest benefit of credit by exam. Instead of going through a term on US History, you can avoid taking the class completely by taking the CLEP test on US History. With enough time you preserve, you can spend it attending the innovative programs that you are really after. If you make use of the examinations, you can save months, if not years of educational costs and time. While all of your colleagues are still in college spending cash for an expensive conventional knowledge, you will have a degree and be out in the labor force generating revenue.

Difference Between AP and CLEP

Cost, accessibility, progression. All are great reasons to consider making higher education credit in your high school years. Advanced Placement and the CLEP are both subject-specific credit-by-exam programs provided by The College Board. DSST is provided by Parametric, another separate test-provider. College Board’s AP program was created in the 1950′s to provide a way for high-achieving kids to get a jump start on college work. In recent years, it has transformed into a huge program that gets to more than a thousand students each year. AP gets more advertising and is more well-known than CLEP because it is provided and promoted through public educational institutions. AP is recommended to high-achieving students as a way for them to show their educational ability and helps high schools increase their reputation. Examination content for both AP and CLEP is designed by a board of college teachers, many who sit on both test development committees.

CLEP and DSST examinations are considered as a method to show expertise of content often trained in starting college-level programs. Since they are not associated with a high school course or program, these examinations are not promoted or well-known in those groups. As separate students, grownups and home schooled students are taking these examinations at an ever improving rate. As they keep growing in reputation, the test suppliers have observed and are actively reaching out to the home school market.

There are as many resemblances as there are variations between the examinations, but the most noticeable distinction is their availability: AP is provided in May, CLEP and DSST are provided year-round. While some institutions will specifically take AP examinations, it has become typical for institutions to reward credit for CLEP and DSST as well. Planning for AP, CLEP and DSST allows learners to develop the study abilities and critical thinking that prepares them for the conversion to college. They provide learners the assurance that they can efficiently manage college-level work, and provide them a jump-start towards achievement.

Combining Homeschool and Credit By Exam

Through a process of trial, error and sharing, many homeschooling families have the approach to combining secondary school education and planning for university-level examinations down to a science. There are two basic approaches to earning higher education credit while simultaneously completing secondary school.

1. If a college student has acquired knowledge that aligns to a credit by exam check, they would get a research guide and take a practice exam to see if they know enough to complete the check. If they feel confident, they would take the credit by exam check and if they complete it, they have gained higher education credits according to the DSST, CLEP, or AP programs. The parent will also award the college student high school credit on the home school transcript.

2. When a homeschooler is ready for high school work, sometimes as early as junior high school age, the parent and kid will choose his or her course of study. To gain higher education and secondary university credit simultaneously, they will match-up what they want to study with a credit by exam check. The home school student might decide to research US History 1 for 9th grade and after learning the information from a textbook and spending a few weeks reviewing CLEP planning materials, he or she will take the CLEP evaluation. If the kid passes the test, they will have gained both secondary school and higher education credit from studying the same material. If the kid does not pass the test, he or she will have still gained secondary school credit from doing the work. The kid can then earn even more higher education credits by following the US History 1 CLEP with the Civil War and Reconstruction DSST evaluation, as the examinations have overlapping information.

The most apparent benefit to making college credits in secondary school is to speed up the degree process. This can be a considerable benefit from a tuition viewpoint, as well as placing you on a fast-track to profession income.

Saving Money through the Dantes Exam

Distance learning works under the supposition that you do not have to sit in a classroom in order to learn. You can study anywhere, at any time and then test your knowledge using consistent assessments. If you score well enough, you “pass” and generate credit. Some learners may want to finish their whole degree through distance learning. However, you do not have to take an all-or-nothing strategy. Many institutions allow you to test out of at least some programs and have credit used.

CLEP examinations are the most popular way to test out of entry-level higher education courses. For a 90 minute test that costs just $77, you can earn between 3 and 12 credit hours! Nearly 3000 approved institutions nation-wide award credit score for at least some CLEP examinations. CLEP examinations cover 33 topics including biology, Spanish, calculus and American literary works. Excluding language and structure CLEP examinations, the examinations are made up of multiple choice questions.

There is also the Dantes Exam or Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSST). These assessments were initially designed for the army, but citizens can now take them. Like CLEPs, Dantes exams cost a portion of earning credit typically. Dantes exams are $80* for a 3 credit-hour examination and many of the test are even granted upper-level credit! Nearly 2000 institutions across the country accept some Dantes exams for credit. Dantes exams cover 38 topics such as “Human Resource management,” “Principle of Statistics,” and “The Rise and Fall of Soviet Russia.” These examinations are more challenging than CLEPs, but are in multiple choice forms. Though Dantes need studious planning, you can research at your own speed with the components you choose.

Credit by Exam in Military College

One technique of higher education credit that is used and not known by many service members is credit by exam. Credit by exam is very easy, you organize to take a test, and then depending on the pass/fail of test, you will either have credit granted to you or not. The best part is that any expenses that are normally billed for credit by exam programs are often handled by the army. So you are able to take examinations, have the army pay for the exam charges, and then any examinations that you generate a passing grade will provide you higher education credit toward your academic objectives. Taking CLEP examinations are easy. You simply organize with your control or platform knowledge workplace for the time frame and date of the examination. On the day of the exam, you have to carry with you a main image ID (your Military ID card or state released license) and a secondary ID with you to the examination grounds or test area. Many people have the training and learning or experience to be able to complete some of the examinations that are available, but because it is not a well-known program or they are uninformed that such applications are available, then, they do not take benefits of credit by exam possibilities.

The exams are often administered by DANTES, or the Defense Activity for Non Traditional Education team. They assist and are one of the major sponsors for the exams, and help organize a time and place for army service members to take them. College evaluation applications, or CLEP examining, are exams that are available for any employees in the army who desire to take them. It is an excellent way to monetize upon your experience and data, and to obtain and generate college credit by successfully passing the test.

DANTES Credit By Exam

The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support or DANTES has credit by exam tests known as DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST). They were initially produced to ensure that the U.S. Military’s enlisted soldiers, mariners, airmen and Marine Corps could earn college credit while serving on active duty in locations with no traditional schools. Prior to the internet, service people needed to depend on limited on-base educational possibilities. Frequent alterations in duty stations managed to be tricky to establish residency. The DSSTs assisted to fix this issue by enabling military students to accelerate their degree programs by generating college credit by showing their understanding via testing.

After DANTES sub-contracted the DSST program to Prometric, the DSST grew to become open to non-military personnel. These exams are pretty similar to the College Level Examination Program or CLEP and they’re recognized by many schools for credit provided the minimum cutoff score is accomplished. Like the CLEP program, the majority of the exams cover courses normally trained in the newcomer and sophomore level. This allows students to try out of huge sections of their first couple of years of college.

Students desiring to make use of the DSST program should consult the Prometric web site to find the position of the nearest testing site. The price for every DSST is $80.00. However, many schools and native testing sites frequently charge a nearby fee of $15 to $25. Each examination provides the examinee the chance to earn three credit hours at traditional schools and colleges provided the examinee has accomplished an appropriate score. Each test includes a score, established with a formal validating procedure that fits to some passing grade. One part of the DSST that’s not the same as the CLEP examination is the fact that DSST scores happen to be scaled. Scores over the passing score are qualified for letter grades of B along with A when the college or university takes part for that manner. One prominent distance education college, Excelsior College, does participate and enables students to build up a GPA through testing.

Ways to Save Time and Tuition Fees

You will find several kinds of Credit by Exam options. Listed here are five of the very popular:

College Level Examination Program (CLEP). CLEP is easily the most popular option and it has exams in liberal arts, languages, business, science and math. The completed exams are transferable to just about all colleges for either 3 or 6 units. The CLEP website offers practice tests, study guides and locations of test centers. Costs for CLEP and all sorts of other Credit by Exam choices are usually under $100/test.
DSST Exams. DSST Exams formerly were known as DANTES Exams and were just for military personnel. Today, DSST Exams in liberal arts, business, education and criminal justice can be found to the student, traditional or adult student. Test prep and test locations are online.
Excelsior College Exams or UExcel Exams have numerous tests in areas not included in CLEP or DSST, including Nursing and upper division (junior and senior year) business exams.
Thomas Edison College Examination Program (TECEP) is another method to earn credit for formerly learned understanding. You will find Upper Division exams in Network Technology and business, in addition to exams in PR (public relations), Nutrition and Technical Writing.
Challenge exams originate from the local college or university. If you’re already enrolled in a college and wish to “test out”, your college may offer this other option. Often, a student will go ahead and take the challenge exam, get a listing of study materials and go ahead and take the final exam. The minimum score for that challenge exam is generally 75% or 80% to become counted as credit.

Accelerating Your Degree Plan

Wish you can go back to college but think this is an impossible dream? Using the arrival of learning online and growing versatility, you will find now a lot more possibilities to students. Included in this are credit by exam and advanced positioning, getting credit for military, corporate, or professional training, and receiving credit for life experience through portfolio evaluation. These options generally cost under a conventional class education and may assist saving a significant amount of money and time toward a university degree.

Are you aware that you are able to “skip” many core courses and receive credit on their behalf through college credit exams and advanced positioning? College credit by exam is broadly recognized by schools and colleges. By passing these exams, people can earn one-third or a lot of credits needed for any degree. These exams can be found in a lot more than 150 subject matter and act like final exams provided by schools and colleges. Credit by exam is really a relatively fast, inexpensive method to receive college credit. There’s a little fee involved for these exams.

Here is an example of a credit by exam program. The College Board offers exams particularly for college students who would like to earn college credit when preparing for college entrance. Exams in 13 subject matters can be found. Based on the Board, almost one-fifth of scholars entering four-year schools are qualified for credit through Advanced Positioning. The AP (Advanced Positioning) Program provides testing in arts and languages, computer science, history, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences. Most exams are multiple choice or essay questions and may take 2 to 3 hrs to accomplish. Each exam costs $87 however; you will find state and school district subsidies that could cover the costs. AP exams are specifically useful for the adult student who’s going to or has completed a GED (General Education Diploma) and will also be entering college.

Credit by Exam – Explained

Credit by Exam give learners credits that go toward earning an associate’s level, bachelor’s level or higher education and trade or vocational certification. Students take the examinations needed in their chosen field of study, which evaluates their knowledge in the subject. Testing sites throughout the US bring in The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Advanced Placement (AP) examinations at various times during the year. Most institutions consider the credits gained by the Credit by Exam program as transfer credits, so the school policies determine the gained credits for the degree. ACE or the American Council on Education grants other examinations acknowledged for higher education credit, such as the Excelsior College Exams and Dante’s Subject Standardized assessments, among others.

Most mature learners have experience in the labor force that can go for a degree program, saving them the time it takes to receive a four-year degree. Many mature learners generate up to 40 credits toward a degree program through testing. Another advantage of the Credit by Exam system is the money stored on expenses. Older students have families to provide for and spending under 100 dollars for an exam, help them to save thousands for higher education courses. These exams also help older learners who have already earned a degree but have been in the workplace for a period of time. They can generate training credits using their work experience and specific skills.

Many adults are not confident enough to take these examinations because they taken any exams for a while. This is especially true of those searching for healthcare occupations, such as nursing because of the specialized and healthcare information required to complete the examinations. Programs are available to help get ready for the examinations in particular higher education areas if individual preparation is difficult or if students feel anxious on textbook learning.