AP vs CLEP

[Mom-ninja.]

I've noticed a lot of your kids are taking AP courses/exams, but not a lot of discussion about CLEP. Are there preferences by you for AP over CLEP? If so, what are they? 

[Mom22ns]

We have used both CLEP and AP. 

 

The advantages to APs: 

1. They are more widely accepted by colleges

2. They are perceived as more rigorous by most colleges

3. They are considered proof of rigor and quality of education to confirm homeschool transcripts

 

The advantages to CLEPs:

1. They are easier and multiple choice only

2. They can be taken any time instead of once a year.

[Mom-ninja.]

I just finished the book Homeschooling for College Credit and the author prefers CLEP over AP mostly. So that's why I wondered. 

[Luckymama]

Dd won't be doing any CLEP. None of her (potential) schools award any credit for CLEP.

 

She is doing APs, though we're not counting in any college credit for those scores. She's doing the courses for the appropriate level of challenge (we have to pay $$$$ for university classes in high school----homemade AP courses are much cheaper!).

[Lori D.]

Adding on to Momto2Ns' nice list:

 

Another advantage to AP is that it is what top tier and competitive colleges expect to see from students applying for admission.

 

A disadvantage to CLEP tests: they tend not to be accepted for credit at top tier universities.

 

However, an advantage to CLEP is that if accepted by the university (and nearly 3000 colleges DO accept CLEP), as long as the score was high enough, the university will award college credit. Not all universities award college credit for AP -- usually a score of 3 or higher is required; competitive schools may award credit only for a score of 4 or 5; and top tier schools may award no credit for AP scores, BUT, high scores may open doors to honors programs or for incoming freshmen to take advanced courses...

 

Another advantage to CLEP tests: CLEP, along with DANTE and distance online classes, can be used toward earning an all-at-home Bachelor's degree (for example, through College Plus or other provider, or even doing-it-yourself). Because there are fewer AP tests and they are only offered once a year, AP is less useful if pursuing this type of degree option.

 

Another advantage to CLEP: they are easier, faster, and probably less expensive to study for. (Don't need a special class for CLEP in the way AP often needs.)

 

A disadvantage of AP is that it is "all or nothing" -- a test cannot be re-taken that same year. (A student who bombs the AP could have the score deleted immediate after, and then re-test the next year, although I have not heard of a student doing this...) If a student fails a CLEP test, the student can return after a 3-month waiting period and re-test.

 

AP tests are sometimes difficult to sign up for -- not all tests are available at all locations, or every year. Most CLEP tests are available at most college testing centers.

 

 

Much depends on what your end goals are as to whether AP or CLEP is the better option for YOUR family. :)

[Mom22ns]

Which one is a better fit really depends on two factors in my mind. The first is where your child is going to college and their policy. The second is the type of test taker your child is. My oldest has multiple LDs he gets accommodations from the College Board, but even so, the essay intensive AP exams are rough. My dd hates high stakes testing and APs are definitely higher stakes as Lori pointed out. So, for both of my kids, CLEPs make more sense. However, all the colleges either child was interested in took far more APs. Dd preferred to go DE rattan than AP since her intended college takes only a few CLEPs. Ds did one AP, a few CLEPs and a couple DE classes. I don't think there is one right solution. 

 

AP has an undeniable advantage in acceptance and reputation, but if you aren't shooting for a competitive college and if the college your child is shooting for accepts CLEPs, CLEPs are a sweet deal when it comes to investment/credit ratio.

[creekland]

My homeschooled kids did AP level work merely so they would be well-prepared for college.  Both found it to be very helpful to have had that level depth.

 

My youngest did not have AP level classes (he went to our high school and they only offer DE).  He has not been well-prepared (sigh).  He's had to struggle more and has done well in some areas, but areas I expected him to do well in - partially because he had DE for them - he's floundered in.  I really wish he had stuck with homeschooling.

 

When we went on our college visits, not one single group admissions talk mentioned CLEP tests so they were certainly never on our radar.  To this day I've no idea if any of my guys' schools accept them or not (they might).  I only heard about CLEP on here.  It gave me the impression that while colleges might give credit for CLEP, they don't think as highly of them so I never bothered learning more.  It was just my impression - so might not have any truth in it.  And different colleges can handle things differently.

[G5052]

It is so VERY variable.

 

If you do AP-level classes in terms of depth-and-breadth, do the AP test.

 

Otherwise, you might consider a CLEP.  As the others said, they're multiple choice and can be retaken.

 

At our selective state schools, they do take a few CLEP for credit, but only in a few areas: history, psychology, sociology, and one other I can't remember right now.  We do a more worldview-centered history program based on Omnibus (i.e. not AP compatible), so we do CLEP's for that.  Mine do psychology at home as well, but we decided to do the CLEP there because the CLEP is easier than the AP and the credit is the same.

 

Mine benefit from the depth-and-breadth in ways beyond the test, so we'd do some of that even if we didn't have to focus on state schools within our budget.

[Wildcat]

When we went on our college visits, not one single group admissions talk mentioned CLEP tests so they were certainly never on our radar.  To this day I've no idea if any of my guys' schools accept them or not (they might).  I only heard about CLEP on here.  It gave me the impression that while colleges might give credit for CLEP, they don't think as highly of them so I never bothered learning more.  It was just my impression - so might not have any truth in it.  And different colleges can handle things differently.

 

I'm just quoting you to toss in my $.02 about admissions omitting CLEP tests in talks. From what I've seen and been told at the colleges I have called, CLEP is mostly viewed as something ADULTS take advantage of when returning to school after a lengthly absence and want credit for "life study". It just isn't on most colleges' radar because not many high schoolers take CLEP tests. I suspect that may be changing, however, as the cost of college keeps rising and more high schoolers begin to realize that CLEP tests can be an important part of college planning. Many of our kids' friends knew nothing about CLEP tests before we started down that path, but now several of them have credit.

 

 

[Mom-ninja.]

I've looked at a couple schools my ds might go to. All accept CLEP to a degree. One school accepts up to 40 credits in CLEP or AP (can be combined). The very local state college accepts all CLEP towards an AA. At this point we are leaning toward that path. Of course at this point I have no idea where he will stand as far as college acceptance/scholarships/etc as incoming freshman vs a transfer AA student. 

[creekland]

I'm killing about half an hour so got curious about my guys' schools.

 

Covenant will accept up to a max of 30 hours from AP/IB/CLEP, but when one scrolls down to see specifics, almost all CLEP are for general electives and not for specific courses.  Even most of those for specific courses can't be used for majors.  AP credits are much more generous, esp for 5s on the test, but also for 4s.

 

http://catalog.covenant.edu/content.php?catoid=7&navoid=175#Advanced_Placement__International_Baccalaureate_and_CLEP_Examinations

 

U Rochester seems to only accept them in their RN, BS to MS program.  I can't find anything else addressing them.  Maybe others will have better luck.  URoc does, however, give decent AP credit, though not always for majors in the subject of the test taken.

 

Eckerd will let one test out of 6 courses/21 hours using any method and has a few that won't count toward majors/minors, but seems to give the most credit of the three overall, not counting the hour difference between Eckerd and Covenant.

 

http://www.eckerd.edu/pel/files/PEL_CLEP_Exams.pdf

 

It's definitely good to look at the small print of colleges one is thinking about before choosing which way to go if credit is the main concern.

 

For us, credit was never a concern.  Having a strong foundation in the subject was.  YMMV  (Strong foundations can come with no testing at all.  We did this option quite a bit.)

[creekland]

creekland, you hit on something important.  While I am a big advocate of CLEP exams, I think they should probably be used only for general education requirements, freeing up time to focus on classes for one's major/minor.  It also helps free up time if one is trying to fit in a double-major.

 

This may be why URoc doesn't accept them at all.  They have no Gen Ed requirements.  They only have a freshman writing course (several options for this) that is required and no one gets out of that.  Double majoring is pretty easy and relatively common there.  My guy is getting two majors and two minors and is just one course shy of adding another minor in Chem.  He keeps toying with adding that class, but now that he's doing Take 5 and adding all those courses in too I don't think he intends to do it.  I told him I doubt anyone would penalize him over it!

 

The LACs my other two attend have Gen Ed requirements.  They've enjoyed the ones they've opted for, but if one preferred to skip them, this would be a way.

[raptor_dad]

Just wanted to clear up the common misconception that "most colleges don't accept CLEP".  There are roughly 4000 colleges/universities in the US.  Of those colleges, nearly 3000 accept CLEP for credit.  I think that's pretty good odds that a particular school will accept CLEP.

 

Maybe but will the credits be useful?

 

My goal is to prep my kids to attend our state flagship or other University of [state] school. I refuse to believe that is an elitist goal.

 

Looking at our state and neighboring ones, AP is a better bet.

 

At UMN[1], they accept 3 CLEPs total but accept almost all APs. CLEP would be almost entirely useless here.

 

At Iowa[2], they accept lots of CLEPs and accept them for elective and general ed requirements. They accept more APs for more credits, but CLEP would still be a great option here.

 

At Wisconsin[3], they accept all the CLEPs but only for elective credit. If you look on the same page, they accept AP courses for direct course equivalencies and to meet general ed and pre-req requirements. Those CLEP credits would be mostly useless. Maybe UW is required by legislative fiat to grant credits for CLEP like the MN State Colleges and Universities are?

 

So looking at my region, CLEP is a solid option at 1 out of 3 schools.; AP is a great option at all 3. This matches my experience when we lived on either coast. That is why I prefer AP courses.

 

[1] http://admissions.tc.umn.edu/academics/clep.html

[2] http://admissions.uiowa.edu/academics/college-level-examination-program-clep

[3] https://www.admissions.wisc.edu/apply/freshman/apib.php

[FaithManor]

While some of the colleges we briefly looked at accepted CLEP, most did not, and those that did accept it were rather vocal about wishing the school only took AP.

 

I used CLEP back in the day to get out of English Literature, World History, American History, and Biology. I then missed out on the best history professor EVER, he truly was an amazing lecturer and after catching a Saturday seminar by him rued not taking his classes. The tests were frankly very easy, and in retrospect I do not feel they were worth receiving credit for taking. But, oh well, I transferred in four classes as well and began the year with 24 credits. Enough to get ahead for certain but just under the limit of 30 so I was eligible for freshman scholarships. Some people do CLEP and AP a lot of credits, and then are hurt financially if they apply to institutions that are not generous with transfer scholarships. It is definitely something to consider. Also, I ended up taking a 200 level bio class, and frankly coming off my non-AP high school biology class with CLEP as my "pre-requisite" it was a real challenge to keep my 3.9 GPA going because the course was rather heady. I wouldn't recommend that to anyone.

 

 

[Mom22ns]

Just wanted to clear up the common misconception that "most colleges don't accept CLEP".  There are roughly 4000 colleges/universities in the US.  Of those colleges, nearly 3000 accept CLEP for credit.  I think that's pretty good odds that a particular school will accept CLEP.

 

Yes, this is true, but every college we have looked at is on that list of those accepting credit. None of them will actually accept more than about 5 CLEPs for actual course credit. Some accept others as elective credit. Saying they accept CLEPs and saying how many (as few as 1 puts them on that list) or saying how they credit them (elective or meeting any requirement) are very different things.

 

Both the state and private colleges my kids have looked at (one will be attending a State U, one private LAC) have accepted all the APs for credit, almost all as fulfilling requirements. CLEPs are no where near that level of acceptance, even thought they are accepted. It is the reality. It really means it is difficult to use CLEPs effectively unless you know the college your child will attend, because policies vary so widely.

[EndOfOrdinary]

Up until recently (last year) the community colleges here accepted CLEP much more than AP. This just changed dramatically, making the AP subjects much more desirable. I think the tide might be turning away from CLEP at least for the time being. It does not make the CLEP bad for kids with test anxiety, they are cheaper in some instances, and they are much easier to schedule for homeschoolers in many areas. The big one is how remarkably easy they are. They really do not equate to the class being taken. Keep this in mind if the student has any desire to actually learn the material rather than merely opt out. I would have loved to have opted out of many humanities courses with CLEP in school, and I am sure my son would say the same thing about math!

[Joules]

It is so VERY variable.

. Mine do psychology at home as well, but we decided to do the CLEP there because the CLEP is easier than the AP and the credit is the same.

.

Here's an interesting quirk. Ds took AP Psy and made a 5. He's interested in Portland State. When I looked at the site, they give 4 hours of lower division credit for the AP, but they give 8 hours of credit for specific pre-req courses 202 and 204 for the CLEP. He's thinking of just taking the CLEP, too.

 

Like everyone says, if you have any colleges in mind, check them for specifics.