Credit by Examination and CLEP

Simple Steps for Credit by Examination

It saves both time and money. That is the desired effect of credit by examination. It allows students to have full college credit through a standardized examination process. There are steps governing credit by examination. As in the case for nursing courses. First, you need to attend test prep classes to learn more of the content of the said subject. After which, the said exam will take place. If you pass, then that would earn you an entire semester of study. To some, this a convenient way to earn a degree.

The steps are as follows:
There has to be an evaluation first. This includes the courses you have taken before and determine which of this will be credited. This is important because it’s a form of assessment before you proceed with the next step.

After evaluation, test prep classes will take place, provided you have finished taking either associate courses in nursing or a bachelor’s degree. Classes are usually conducted once a week, but you can choose to go for classes twice a week, with the intention of accelerating your way to a degree.

Then comes the test proper. If in case you pass the exam, you have now earned a college credit. That would enable you to pursue the subject of which you have taken the exam. After that, proceed to your clinical exam. This will further develop your skill as a nurse, and at the end of it, you will earn a nursing degree from an accredited nursing institution.

And last stop is the state exam; this will lead you to become a licensed nurse in the end. This is just a simple walk-through when you want to become a nurse through credit by examination. You don’t have to study long enough to become a professional nurse, you can shorten the process.

Ways to Acquire Credits

There are a few ways to obtain college credits even without enrolling to a course. The Government has been supporting the credit by exam program for students who have advanced knowledge of a certain course or subject. They will no longer retake a course they already master. There are many options available to earn credits.

Advanced Placement
After finishing an Advanced Placement course, students have the choice of paying a fee for taking suitable assessment. Test scores identify the kind and number of credits the UO can honor.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)
The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a countrywide assessment system that makes it feasible for students to acquire college credit through exams. Subject Examinations are available to all students. The educational departments that have permitted the use of these assessments also figure out the scores essential to receive college credit.

Credit by Examination
Credit by examination permits officially accepted undergraduate students to challenge undergraduate university courses without subscribing to the courses. Students wanting to obtain credit by examination have to be registered for the term in which the exam is offered. Credit by examination might be earned only in courses in whose content is recognized by the college or university.

College students should get in touch with the Office of the Registrar first to complete an Academic Requirements Committee request to determine eligibility for credit by examination. Students then acquire faculty and department approvals prior to the exam. Students are charged a test fee of $25 per credit hour.

You can avail of any of these methods, with good preparation you may pass the exam and enjoy the benefits of earning a credit as you enter your course in College.

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.

You 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.

According to the Department of Education, only 40% of learners graduate in 4 years, with the average closer to 6 years. This can mean a large number of extra dollars of additional college tuition, room and board, and even lost pay. Here is some smart ways to generate college credits, guaranteeing you graduate on time and within your college budget.

AP/IB Programs in High School: Take AP (Advanced Placement) or IB (International Baccalaureate) courses while in High School. These double credit ranking courses can mean that you actually start college with credits already gained. Be sure to check which is approved by your colleges of choice and know that you must successfully pass the final examination with a passing grade to get the credit. Please note that for IB courses, many universities and colleges only give credit for exams at the HL (Higher Level) courses and examinations.

Earn College Credits over the Summer: Spend summer season before you begin college or between semesters by making credits. Whether you are studying to take a test for credit (like a CLEP or DSST test), or making some General Education credits at your local college, a large number of universities agree to a passing test or course score for credits.

Test for Credit: Speaking of credit by examination, did you know that there are over 50 college courses that provide you with credit if you successfully pass a test? Called CLEP (College Level Examination Prep) or DSST (originally created for the military), these courses can reduce your path to a degree and are approved by over 3,000 universities in the United States. Here are some pretty great reasons to consider testing for credit:

Test for credit saved an average of over 6 months toward their degrees.
91% of CLEP test-takers said CLEP made a distinction in helping them finish their degrees.
70% of CLEP test-takers said their CLEP credits made a distinction in their ability to finance college tuition and other costs.
CLEP learners have considerably greater collective GPA than non-CLEP learners when controlling for demographics and prior accomplishment.
Students who receive credit by examination through CLEP for an introductory course are much more likely to get an A or B in succeeding courses than learners who finish the introductory course.