Homeschooling High school -- CLEP exams

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One of the great success stories of our college-prep experience has come in the form of CLEP exams. Before we jump into the hows, we need to understand what they are and why they might not be a good fit for you.

What is a CLEP test?

The College-Level Examination Program® gives students an opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school through independent study and taking of an exam. I am not an official College Board rep, but I am just sharing from our experience in hopes that it might make someone else's journey a little easier.

CLEP tests can be taken in a variety of subjects and are chosen individually. There is no required course of study. The student chooses the test they wish to take, register online, schedule with the testing center, and go take the test.

Why not to use CLEP tests to earn college credit

• Not all schools accept CLEP credits. If you don't know where you are going, it could be risky to spend the time and money on CLEP tests hoping that they will save you time and money later on. However, if they fit into your high school plans without a lot of adjusting, it is still likely worth that risk. There are 2,900 schools that accept CLEP scores, and you can check if schools you are interested in make the cut on their website. 
• Some students simply don't test well. Some of our kids have used CLEP, others have not. If students typically struggle to get a test score that accurately reflects their knowledge in a topic, CLEP tests (and AP for that matter) might not be the way to go.
• CLEP tests often require a good bit of initiative and independent study. If your student requires lots of hounding on your part just to finish their core requirements for school, CLEP tests will likely just bring more stress to your teen and your relationship. There are other ways to earn college credit. If CLEP is not a good fit for you, your child, your schedule, don't sweat it. 
• CLEP acceptance is subject to change. If it stresses you out, move on to another option. College's change CLEP policy or drop them altogether now and then, so be prepared for that possible disappointment if you choose to CLEP.

How to prepare for a CLEP test:

Choose a test

This might sound easy, but it is probably one of the more challenging steps.
When choosing a test, consider:

• Standard college requirements.  Think General education classes here -- English 101, College Algebra, Intro to Sociology, History, etc.
• Current knowledge and studies. If you just aced high school chemistry, it might be worth trying the Chemistry CLEP. If you soaked up every bit of your US History class, study up for the CLEP in that area.
• If you have a college in mind, check out the website to see which tests they accept and the required score. The best way to do this is to google, "CLEP" and the name of the college. It is often difficult to find it just searching around the college's website.  

Study

• Start with your high school material. This should be pretty well mastered if you have any chance at a passing score.
• Buy the study guide from College Board (optional). These are limited in the information that they offer, but are downloadable immediately with purchase.
• Buy another study book, carefully. Read reviews for the particular book you are looking at. We have only purchased a couple, and stuck with ones from rea.com, purchased through Amazon. I usually hesitate to purchase study materials from anyone aside from the test designer, but we have generally found these helpful.  
• Check out online study options. Modern States is an excellent option that will walk you through test prep and give you a good idea when you are ready for the test. They also will help you financially if you use their materials to study for one of the thirty-two subjects on their site. I also found this site with more links with online study options.
• Don't rush into it. Take your time to be as prepared as possible. Know the test, materials, and the score you are aiming for.
• If you have access to a college text, look that over as well.  
• Expect to spend 1-4 months prepping depending on how much time you have to put into it on a daily basis and your current knowledge base. 

Register for the test

This involves two main steps - register on the College Board site, and schedule your testing time with a local test center. You will print your ticket from the College Board website, and communicate with the test center (these are listed on the College Board website) about what they require for using their facility.

We called our local community college and scheduled a 90 minute time slot in their testing center. We paid a $25 fee upon arrival (it would have been waived if we were enrolled for classes there). They were very easy to work with.

Taking the test

• Bring required materials (ID, registration ticket, fee for testing center (if applicable), pencils, and nothing else).
• Come rested. Prepare similarly to how you would for the ACT, SAT, or other standardized test. Eat a good breakfast, arrive mentally fresh (minimize stress the morning of the test), relax, and determine to do your best. 
• You will have 90 minutes for most tests. 
• An unofficial score will be available to you immediately.
• CELEBRATE! Pass or not, you have taken an incredible step toward earning a college degree affordably and deserve recognition for all your hard work. 

Miscellaneous thoughts:

• The CLEP Official Study Guide is helpful for getting started, but is not adequate as a stand alone for any given subject. The Official Study Guide might be helpful in deciding which test you want to study for, but it is lacking in enough details and practice questions to adequately prepare for a test. 
• If you do not get the score you want, you will need to wait to retake the test. After three months, you can try again for a better score.
• If you do get a passing score, be sure to put it on your transcript (here's an article about how to do that: https://www.homehighschoolhelp.com/blogs/capturing-clep-credit-on-a-homeschool-transcript)
• This PDF has loads of pertinent and current info to answer questions and refer to often:
• https://clep.collegeboard.org/pdf/information-test-takers-bulletin.pdf
• Consider using CLEP even after you graduate high school. Most colleges allow you to continue to take CLEP exams while enrolled or during breaks. Most also have a cut-off when they will no longer accept them for credit, so be sure to know the rules for your college of choice so you do not waste time studying for a test that will not count toward your degree. 
• Think about the cost savings. Assume you spend about $125 on a CLEP test (College Board fee, testing center fee, and study materials). Even the cheapest community college classes will usually cost you about $500 per three credit class. If you can knock off a semester of college with CLEP, it is the equivalent of getting a $1875 scholarship, and if you were planning on a regular 4 year school you just saved yourself closer to $10,000 dollars. And, that's just the beginning. 
• Colleges vary in how current tests need to be. Our daughter passed her first CLEP test after her freshman year of high school. Some schools reserve the right to disregard test scores older than a year or two. So, it can be a bit of a gamble, but we decided for the cost it was not a significant one.