The
Informed Student's reference and CLEP®
Fact Sheet
What is CLEP?
CLEP (College-Level Examination Program®) is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program in the United States, with more than 2,900 college and universities awarding credit for satisfactory scores on CLEP Exams. Since 1967, five million people—adults returning to college, graduating high school seniors, and enrolled college students—have earned college credit through CLEP.
With CLEP a student can earn college credit for what he
or she already knows — regardless of where or how that knowledge was acquired —
by passing a 90-minute multiple-choice examination. At
many colleges, a student can receive as much as fifteen to thrity
credits by achieving satisfactory scores on CLEP Exams.
What subjects are offered for credit?
CLEP examinations measure knowledge of the material usually covered in various classes during the first two years of college. Some examinations may be used to meet general educational or liberal arts requirements while other may be used for credit for specific college courses.
The
34 CLEP examination subjects fall within the following categories: Composition
and Literature; Science and Mathematics; Foreign Languages; History and Social
Sciences; and Business.
What are the
Exams like?
All CLEP exams are 90 minutes long. With the exception of English Composition with Essay, the tests are composed of multiple-choice or fill-in questions.
All CLEP exams are now administered on computer (CLEP CBT). The examination is preceded by a tutorial that explains how to take the exam on computer. This tutorial may be downloaded from the CLEP website at www.collegeboard.com/clep. CLEP CBT provides instant score results to test-takers, so you will know the day of the test how you performed.
These exams require college-level knowledge and critical thinking ability; sufficient preparation is required to do well.
What is [name of
college]’s CLEP policy?
Campuses policies vary on the exams they accept, the credit they grant, and the application to your individual program of study. Beware that policy also changes over time as well. Refer to college catalogues, web sites, and the student testing services offices to acquire the most up to date information.
What will the
Examination cost?
CLEP delivers big savings in time and money. The registration fee for each examination is only $46. The test center at the individual campuses charges a small additional fee per exam to cover administration costs.
When are the CLEP Examinations offered? Many campuses offer the exams once monthly.
Check around for available dates. You may find several options in administration dates and available testing hours.
How can I get
more information about CLEP?
top by or call the Testing
Office at any
of the colleges offering the
exams.
Or visit the CLEP Program Web site:
CLEP is a program of the College Board, a nonprofit
association of colleges, universities, and high schools.
