How CLEP Exams Are Used

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a set of exams made and conducted by the College Board. The main goal of these exams is to evaluate the knowledge of students in 36 different subjects. If they pass any of the exams, the will earn college credits so that they won’t have to enroll in that particular course in college.

There are several uses for CLEP:

  • The most obvious use is to reduce the time spent in college. The more subjects you pass in this program, the more credits you earn. The more credits you earn, the lesser the number of classes you need to take. You can then spend your time for other classes. Think of it this way, once you pass a CLEP exam, that’s one less load off your back. Of course, the direct result to this is saving several dollars by not having to enroll in a few classes.
  • Dual Credit Accumulation. This is crucial. CLEP credits can be counted in your high school requirements as well as in college.
  • Eliminate basic subjects so that students can focus more on the major subjects of their chosen courses in college. Taking basic classes can be annoying and can be a chore. After you’ve passed that CLEP exam, you won’t need to take it, thus giving you more time to focus on more course oriented classes.
  • Gives you a sense of accomplishment. Passing CLEP exams can give you the right push that you need to be headed into the right direction education wise. These exams can help you build on your basics as you go to college.

Before you take your CLEP exams though, make sure to consult the college you plan to attend to. Make sure that they accept CLEP credits. Otherwise, all your hard work will be for nothing.

Alternative Ways of Earning College Credit

Anyone who has already started working full time knows how difficult it is to go back to college, get a second degree, or get that post grad course you’ve been wanting. Luckily, the government has acknowledged these needs, which is why there are credit by exams programs. Anybody who is 25 or older and already has some college experience can take this advantage.

Not surprisingly, students who have signed up for this program have a higher course completion rate compared to the students who signed up for the traditional campus courses. This is not to say that students in the program are better, but they possess more motivation to complete their courses. And because of this, the Federal Government as well as companies have taken an interest in these educational opportunities. The government continuously modify the law in order to allow more funding for distance students. Companies have also assisted employees with tuition compensation, and have reaped rewards of these programs. The credit by examination is an amazing effort to allow anyone who wants to pursue a degree, but does not have enough resources to earn it through traditional methods.

Who are the people who commonly benefit from credit by exam programs?

Regular students- Any student who has the capacity of taking up supplement senior high school credit by examination programs can take advantage of it. Many schools who recognize the potential of their advanced students try to offer a wide array of advanced positioning courses. While this is not available in all schools, the institutions offering the program is growing.

Working adults- Looking at the facts, most American University students are actually over 25 and already hold jobs. They try and support their own families while studying which is why they will benefit from this program the most.

Licensed Medical Professionals- Health care professionals have extremely demanding working hours, and cannot strictly follow traditional class schedules. There are many health-care-related courses that have credit by exam programs in order to meet those needs.

Companies- Enhancing the talent pool is one of the goals of companies, and there are many instances wherein trainings are not enough to meet these needs. Credit by exams have been receiving budgets from companies.

The DSST Credit by examination

A lot of students who are interested in taking a credit by examination recognize mainly the CLEP program.  A credit by exam lets you take a credit by getting a good score on a certain course that you will take. The exam will test your knowledge and familiarity of the subject matter. There are other known credit-by-examination programs offered to students like the Dantes credit by examination. It is the same with CLEP which is also widely accepted and recognized by colleges and universities all over the country. It is open to everyone who is interested to take the examination with over 2000 colleges and universities who will recognize your score once you pass the exam.

credit by examFor each passed DSST exam, you will gain 3 college credit hours which can be equivalent to one course. Imagine what a huge opportunity it is for you to save your time on college as well as money, for you are no longer required to pay for that subject. There are some DSST exams that offer upper-division credit which you can use on your major. The test is not as easy as it sounds, many fail with the examination. It still requires some review and enough preparation to increase your chances to get a good score.

The main goal of the Dantes Credit by examination is to make the college more affordable and less time consuming without compromising the quality of learning and education. The purpose of the examinations is to test whether the students are already an expert or very familiar with the subjects. If they do, they no longer need to take that subject again in college to avoid repetition. The DSST was initially intended to support service members and for active duty and veteran members. The tests are available to civilians as well, and are now being managed by Prometric, an educational services company. This means that anyone who is interested in saving time and money on their path to a college degree can make use of DSST. The DSST exams are currently available in 38 subjects and accepted in almost all colleges and universities.

Options in Credit by Exam

Students after graduating high school have the opportunity to get credits by taking examinations that are recognized by the college they are enrolling. Credit by exam enables you to earn college credit before you decide to take college. Getting a credit will save you some time and money and will allow you to take on another subject, major or finish your course earlier than usual. There are colleges and universities that permit students to get as much as 30 hours of credit in certain academic areas. Some colleges allow more, depending on their program. There are different “credit by examination” programs that are recognized by most colleges, for example the College Level Examination Program, the International Baccalaureate Program and the Advanced Placement Program.

credit by examYou can generate 3-8 semester hours of credit per test, based on your score and the subject, in an AP exam. If you are a transfer student, you must submit your AP and CLEP scores, less than 12 semester hours, to the college you are enrolling. Your school will still evaluate your score and the subjects you took.

You can skip many core courses and receive credit for them by taking a college credit examination and advanced placement. The college credit examinations are generally recognized by colleges and universities. If you pass these examinations, you can earn one-third or more of the credits mandatory for a degree. The examinations are accessible in more than 150 subject areas which gives you a lot of options. The exams are comparable to final examinations given by colleges and universities. Nevertheless, credit by examination is quite fast, this means it saves you time, but requires you a lot of preparations. It is an affordable way to receive a college credit which makes it very convenient and a must option.

Reasons to take Credit by Exam

Marylhurst College, Marylhurst, OregonAs college tuition prices continue to increase at universities across the country, some learners are looking for more cost-saving, non-traditional routes to college. One way that you can preserve countless dollars on expenses is by getting an examination to get college credit in place of a conventional three-credit course. Many American universities and colleges will actually allow you to test out of certain programs with a credit by exam, allowing you to be able to take more classes that can get prepare you for your upcoming profession. In fact, here are some reasons why you should consider credit by exam:

1. Save Time: Credit by examinations can help decrease the number of hours and classes you may need for a degree program. You have the versatility to schedule the test on your own time and to make a study plan that continues as long as you need it to.

2. Save Money: A test costs only $80! On average, one college is worth $250. Add up 3 credits and that’s $750! You do the math.

3.  Credit = Credit: Over 1,900 organizations allow credits for credit by examinations. Whether you are seated through a class of 400 learners taking notes or passing a credit by exam, the credits are worth the same!

4.  Variety of Resources: With the help of online practice examinations and several third-party sources, you can make sure that you will be guided on your path to success.

5.  Immediate Results: About 100 questions later, click “finish” and viola! The test results are reported directly on the screen at the end of each test. These results are usually sent by mail to the college student and their organization five weeks after the test.

6. Get Ahead: If you look through the record of available test subjects, you’ll probably find that there is a subject you already know well! Take advantage of the practice tests to see how much information you already know. Then test out of programs that you’re already an expert in.

Deferring Cost Thru Credit by Exam

It used to be that students attending college could only get credits by sitting through weeks-long lessons, writing notes and passing a litany of assessments. Now, however, there may be a more effective way of making credits for classes in a shorter period and at a portion of the cost. There are no projects to finish, no assessments to take, and no lessons or classes to attend, just an examination to pass. Sound interesting? Students looking for a more efficient way to generate a degree might want to consider credit by exam programs, which have become well-known among those who want to speed up their time in school and save costs simultaneously.

credit_by_exam“Credit-by-exam programs have been used for years and keep growing today because they offer real value to students and enable them to finish degree requirements more effectively than getting traditional programs,” says Marc Singer, vice provost of the Center for the Assessment of Learning at Thomas Edison State College, which recently arranged several of its credit by exam programs with open programs to make new routes for students to generate credit. Currently 3,000 universities in the U.S. accept credit-by-exam as transfer credit. The programs allow students to generate credit by passing a single examination and are an excellent fit for independent students, students who possess college-level knowledge and students who are excellent test takers.

Credit by exam programs are not, however, a one-size-fits-all strategy to learning. For instance, those students who choose an organized environment and getting a lecturer and other students may not do as well with getting one test that includes a semester’s worth of material. This strategy does tend to work well for busy adult students who have competitive requirements on their time and who want to work individually. Two of the most well-known credit-by-exam programs in the U.S. are the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP exams) and DSST examinations. “Students considering credit-by-exam programs should talk with their educational consultant to make sure credits from the examination they are planning to take can be transferred to fulfill a requirement in their degree program,” says Singer.

Credit by Exam and DSST Exam

credit_by_examAs college tuition prices continue to increase at universities across the country, some learners are looking for more cost-saving, non-traditional routes to college. One way that you can preserve countless numbers (or even thousands) of dollars on expenses is by getting an examination to generate college credit in place of a conventional three-credit course. Many American universities, colleges and schools will actually allow you to test out of certain programs with a DSST examination, allowing you the opportunity to take more classes that can get you ready for your future profession. In fact, here are some reasons why you should consider credit by exam:

  • Save Time: DSST examinations can help decrease the number of hours and classes you may need for a degree program. You have the versatility to schedule the credit by exam on your own time and to create a study plan that continues as long as you need it to.
  • Save Money: A DSST exam costs only $80! On average, one college credit is worth $250, add up 3 credits and that is $750! DSST examinations are also financed for active duty military members (and their spouses).
  • Credit = Credit: Over 1,900 organizations allow credits for DSST examinations. Whether you are seated through a class of 400 learners taking notices or passing a DSST examination, the credits are worth the same!
  • Wide Range of Educational Experience: DSST provides a wide list of 38 examinations (and growing!). In comparison, CLEP provides only 33 examinations. There is no limit when it comes to DSST. Choose examinations that fit your system needs and wishes.
  • Plenty of Resources: With the help of DSST online exercise examinations, the DSST Official Test Preparation Guides and several third-party sources, you can make sure that you will be advised on your direction to success.

The Credit by Examination Approach

credit_by_examToo many students are targeted on the classes they need to take – English, Psychology, Chemistry and Accounting. It’s simple to see why. Pick up a college course book and you will see that degree programs are set out as series of classes to take. Successfully pass them all and you graduate with the degree you desired. Yet, this is actually a superficial way to look at higher education. As it turns out, classes are not the real foundations of degrees – credits are.

Take a closer look at your college’s course book. What you will see is that you actually need a certain number of credits to graduate, usually 60 for an associate degree and 120 for a bachelor’s. This is a key understanding, because once you move your focus from classes to credits, you can begin studying methods to buy them for less. The costly classes your university provides are just one way of getting those credits, even though most learners thoughtlessly believe it’s the only way.

In reality, there are three methods to generate higher education credit:

  • Classes at four year colleges/private universities
  • Classes at community colleges
  • Credit by examination

Most students are acquainted with the first two choices. But hardly anyone knows about credit by examination and even less understand its complete prospective.

Credit by examination represents college-level topic assessments like CLEP and DSST. With this strategy, you take a large test covering a whole topic rather than a semester-long course. Successfully pass the examination and you generate credit just as if you had taken the class. What this implies is that you can possibly cut lots of money off the price of finishing by replacing as many of these examinations for classes as your higher education will allow. Unfortunately, many colleges and universities have tight “residency requirements” restricting how many credits you can get this way.

Earning Credits thru Credit by Examination

It is expected that applicants will be able to learn through experience and self-study, not offer a substitute for studying. There are web-based planning assistance programs that allow learners with no program and it allows learners to generate college credit when they have obtained an excellent quantity of studying on a particular topic. On the internet credit by examination prep programs can help you with credit by examination preparation. Before reattempting an exam of the identical subject, learners should consider the purpose of the prep program to know how to best prepare for the next exam.

credit_by_examinationPace yourself over the course of your credit by examination study; avoid cramming the evening before, appear well-rested with their appropriate course and confirm their significant details. Custom-tailor study programs understand that what you need with the sample assessments is to allow you to know that they offer a realistic look at what each evaluation is. Many learners would like to take benefits of credit by examination due to the financial benefits of this, so check with your educational consultant to see what your university views as a passing grade.

The individuals who run these programs remain up to date on credit by examinations. Use the procedure of elimination to find out solutions on all questions, all the details on study guides is found that way. Getting ready before you choose on taking a credit by examination test can help obtain useful college credits and not waste cash in the process! It really is essential to suit your needs to keep the right systematic and assessment abilities and be able to apply information of the subjects to various circumstances and problems.

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.

credit_by_examinationMost 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.