Advantages to CLEP and Credit By Exam Options for Your Degree
There are many advantages to taking CLEP and other exams for college credit. You can finish your studies at a faster pace and for much less than comparable campus college courses. Studies have shown that students actually earn higher grades when they do credit by exam than their counterparts in the traditional system.
CollegePlus! degree consultants and coaches will navigate students through the plethora of exams available. We assist students in figuring out all the CLEP options for their specific major as well as the specific requirements for transferring the credits to the regionally-accredited school granting their degree.
Many students have been skeptical about their ability to pass CLEP and other exams. However, CollegePlus! students take study skills courses enabling them to pass CLEPs at extremely higher rates than the average college student.
Credit by Exam Options
There are five credit by exam options popular among college students. In addition to CLEP, there are DSST exams, TECEP exams from Thomas Edison State College, and prior learning assessments.
Click on any of the options below to get more information on the exam program you’re interested in.
CLEP: College Level Examination Program
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) offered by the College Board is the most popular credit by exam option. (The College Board is also known for producing and administering the Scholastic Aptitude Test [SAT].)
Nearly 3,000 colleges and universities award credit to students who successfully complete 1 of 34 exams—comprised of 5 general subject exams and 29 subject specific exams offered on a range of topics. A passing grade (score) grants the student 3 or 6 credits, depending on the exam. There are more than 1,300 testing centers located across the country. Most schools and universities accept varying amounts of credit in this form.
For more information:
DANTES/DSST: Dantes Standardized Subject Tests
The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program offers students 3 credits for a passing grade (score) on each of the 37 subject exams currently offered.
For more information:
TECEP®: Thomas Edison College Examination Program
Thomas Edison State College offers more than 50 examinations for credit. These examinations, known as TECEP® exams, are specifically designed to permit students to demonstrate the college-level knowledge they have gained through work, personal interests, or independent study by taking a single examination. TECEP® examinations can be proctored at any accredited college or university or at a public library.
For more information:
Prior Learning Assessments
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), also known as portfolio assessment, is an alternative, flexible, and efficient way of earning college credits for college-level knowledge you have acquired outside a traditional college classroom.
Thousands of adult learners have earned credit towards their degree based on knowledge they have acquired through hands-on-learning experiences. Credits earned through the PLA program are honored by many colleges and universities throughout the country.
For more information:
Where to Go Next
- Check out the distance learning college CollegePlus! students attend
- Find out how much CollegePlus! costs
- Study like a genius with memory and speed reading study skills courses
- See a list of college majors available through CollegePlus!
- Understand the simple steps it takes to enroll in CollegePlus!
Jeff Myers,
