Does anyone do CLEP tests for college credit?

[BookwormTo2]

I know CLEP tests aren't accepted at as many universities for college credit as AP exams, but I wanted to share our experience with them. Over a year ago, I found out about CLEP tests and that at some universities, they are accepted in lieu of a subject test to prove proficiency as a homeschooler. Thus began our CLEP test journey. So far, dd has passed a number of CLEP tests and has 24 college credits from them. Spanish CLEP was the hardest; she passed level 1 (in our state, you have to get a 63 to pass level 2 Spanish). Macroeconomics, College Algebra, US Government, Sociology, and College Composition with Essay are the CLEPs she has passed so far. I like CLEP tests because they are less pressure than some other tests. Also, CLEP tests are out of 80 points, so a 50 is usually the minimum passing score. Not many people know about CLEP, even though it is run by the College Board. Anyone else a CLEP test fan?

[fourisenough]

2 minutes ago, BookwormTo2 said:

I know CLEP tests aren't accepted at as many universities for college credit as AP exams, but I wanted to share our experience with them. Over a year ago, I found out about CLEP tests and that at some universities, they are accepted in lieu of a subject test to prove proficiency as a homeschooler. Thus began our CLEP test journey. So far, dd has passed a number of CLEP tests and has 24 college credits from them. Spanish CLEP was the hardest; she passed level 1 (in our state, you have to get a 63 to pass level 2 Spanish). Macroeconomics, College Algebra, US Government, Sociology, and College Composition with Essay are the CLEPs she has passed so far. I like CLEP tests because they are less pressure than some other tests. Also, CLEP tests are out of 80 points, so a 50 is usually the minimum passing score. Not many people know about CLEP, even though it is run by the College Board. Anyone else a CLEP test fan?

My current college sophomore has CLEP ‘ed out of one general education class at her school and she plans to take another before the end of the year. This just gives her a little flexibility in course scheduling/possibly a lighter semester. I like that her school allows students to take CLEP tests even after they have matriculated at the school (up until the point they have earned 60 credits, then the remainder must be earned at that college.) In fact, it was suggested by her advisor. She also came in with a good chunk of AP credits.

Can I ask you to detail what prep your DD did for each of the above tests? I’m curious what success students have had with test in subjects for which they haven’t take a course? Spanish, obviously, requires several years of class work. But what about College Algebra? Did she take that after Algebra 2? What English class had she taken before College Composition? What did she use to study Government? Macro Econ? Sociology? Thanks for any info you can share.

[8filltheheart]

My college jr CLEPed out biology, macro and micro, both US histories,  US govt, and cal 1. Other siblings CLEPed out of history and econs.

My current sr is wishy washy on whether she wants to test out. Her siblings keep telling her yes, but she hasn't decided.

[Mom0012]

My ds CLEPed out of a semester of college classes which really gave him a leg up by knocking out a bunch of his gen ed requirements.  He took some of his CLEPs after taking a specific class — US History, US Govt, College Algebra and then he took the Macroeconomics and Microeconomics after watching the AC/DC videos and working through the worksheets for them.

He used speedyprep flash cards to prep for US History and Govt. We also used the online REA practice tests and the Peterson practice tests to prep.

My dd may do the Econ CLEPs if the college she attends accepts them.

Edited November 6, 2019 by Mom0012

[cbollin]

My middle gal is a fan.  She completed 9 clep exams and received 37 credits toward her associates at the community college.  This is most likely her final degree for many years due to work plans and all of that.  The college will accept transfer (including credit by exam options such as clep) for up to 75% of the degree (although one part of the website says only 2/3 of degree).  In any case, she took and passed those 9 clep and then needed 8 classes to finish.  Very doable for her abilities and challenges to take part time load.

clep exams taken and passed: sociology, psychology, US history 1, US history 2, am. gov, biology, humanities, english lit, pre calc (yes!)

she took those in her "gap year" (year after high school completion and start of community college).  Some people tell me I should of/could of had her in a 5th year of high school and listed those as honors.  She would have been eligible for a state grant for free community college.  I counter that with the grant needed full time enrollment at CC, and she could not do that with her challenges, and it all worked out for us especially since the clep exams were free via vouchers from modernstates. 

stuff studied for prep: in high school, using MFW's sequence helped a lot (even with math sequence doing Saxon through advanced book.)  Then in the gap year, she took the self paced courses on Modern States dot org.  And got vouchers for the exams to be free and test center reimbursed.  So those 37 credits were no final cost to us .  After the courses and before the test date, she did practice exams via the resources at our library to access the Peterson's CLEP prep (see if your library system has them. something in the "gale testing resources". ask at reference desk for that stuff in your system).   So she had 3 practice exams at cost of library card (free).  And some of the tests we did an extra practice with REA guides.  bought used to keep cost down, and/or just the online access to the practice exam.  For humanities and Eng Lit, I used "instacert" website for flash card studies.  I guess I should amend my statement the credits were no final cost.  I spent under 100 for all of it from 2 months of instacert and a couple of REA guides.  I didn't track the total cost, but you get the point it was super low cost.

I recommend and suggest looking at a site that covers a lot of "resourceful planning via clep (and other tests and methods)" called  Homeschooling for College Credit HS4CC https://homeschoolingforcollegecredit.com/

good site for lots of information for clep exams, etc.

CLEP worked great for my middle daughter.  It would not have worked as well for my oldest who was a triple STEM major, although she took Analyzing and Inter Lit to fulfill her gen ed requirement at her college.  She also took college alg clep after completing saxon alg 2 just because I thought it was good thing to do at the time.

 

[BookwormTo2]

31 minutes ago, fourisenough said:

My current college sophomore has CLEP ‘ed out of one general education class at her school and she plans to take another before the end of the year. This just gives her a little flexibility in course scheduling/possibly a lighter semester. I like that her school allows students to take CLEP tests even after they have matriculated at the school (up until the point they have earned 60 credits, then the remainder must be earned at that college.) In fact, it was suggested by her advisor. She also came in with a good chunk of AP credits.

Can I ask you to detail what prep your DD did for each of the above tests? I’m curious what success students have had with test in subjects for which they haven’t take a course? Spanish, obviously, requires several years of class work. But what about College Algebra? Did she take that after Algebra 2? What English class had she taken before College Composition? What did she use to study Government? Macro Econ? Sociology? Thanks for any info you can share.

@fourisenough The College Algebra CLEP was interesting, because I read somewhere that one can take it after finishing Algebra 2. When dd was taking Algebra 2 Honors using the online Derek Owens class, I emailed him about the timing of taking the College Algebra CLEP. His opinion was that knowing the material covered during a College Algebra course, it would be better to finish Pre-Calculus before taking the College Algebra CLEP. So, that is what we did. DD finished Pre-Calculus (Saxon) and then passed the College Algebra CLEP. For Spanish, she did Spanish 1-3 and then took and passed level 1 of the Spanish CLEP. For Macro, dd took a semester class online, but hardly learned anything and ended up just studying the AC/DC videos on YouTube. I did buy the study packet for the CLEP/AP Macro test from the AC/DC teacher (Jacob Clifford?) available online, and it was the best $20 spent.

For the College Composition with Essay CLEP, dd has done only Honors English in high school, in addition to Rhetoric with Kolbe Academy online for 11th grade. I looked at AP English before she went into 10th grade, and it seemed to me that it has a lot of busy work and would make her hate the subject. She used study.com for College Comp as well as the REA book for College Composition and got a high score on the multiple choice and essay. I did give her feedback after she did her first timed essay at home, and her second practice essay was a lot better. It seems like if one is a good writer, the only thing needed is to review for the multiple choice section and then do 2-3 practice and timed essays at home before taking the College Comp. w/ essay CLEP.

For US Government, she brushed up on what she knew from 9th grade American History class, and found it to be pretty easy. She did have an AP Government review book and studied the important cases; there are some questions about Supreme Court decisions on the test. She also used the REA book and did the diagnostic, studying what they pinpointed as "weak areas" before doing a practice test.  Sociology was probably the easiest CLEP she took so far. All of the CLEP tests she has taken I bought the REA CLEP book for it. REA CLEP books have a diagnostic and 2 practice tests in them. Typically, you want to try and score 10 points higher on a practice test than you need to pass. From my experience, actual classes are not necessary to pass CLEP tests if you have a dedicated student who will study for the CLEP tests. The Spanish CLEP is the only one where I would say in order to get a 63 you probably need through Spanish 4; it is very difficult.

[cbollin]

2 hours ago, fourisenough said:

 

Can I ask you to detail what prep your DD did for each of the above tests? I’m curious what success students have had with test in subjects for which they haven’t take a course? Spanish, obviously, requires several years of class work. But what about College Algebra? Did she take that after Algebra 2? What English class had she taken before College Composition? What did she use to study Government? Macro Econ? Sociology? Thanks for any info you can share.

 

I'm different poster, obviously, but wanted to add our experience on college alg:  my oldest did saxon alg 1, jacobs geo, then saxon alg 2. On the Dive into Math saxon alg 2 cd, there was test prep for the clep college algebra exam. It covered material from 20 specific lessons in saxon advanced book (aka pre calc).  She did the prep lessons and easily passed the clep college alg.

middle gal for sociology: that was an older version of modern states class that was the free version of the arizona state university "global freshman academy". and plenty of REA and PEterson's practices after finishing that course.  never did soc in high school stuff.  other stuff as listed in another post. but sociology was not the same thing it is now on modern states and the whole ASU thing changed too. but test was taken fall 2017.

[frogger]

Yes son did both Western Civ tests, macroecon, biology, and he decided to do Chem too to save time after getting to his school.  The Western Civ courses required an essay test administered by the history department at his school for credit. They were just essay response type questions. 

 

Prep- his regular high school education and classes were plenty to get his scores. 

[BakersDozen]

I have used the CLEP as a final exam which my kids/students have really liked (great incentive to study!). Most of the CLEP exams taken have been in the areas of History and Psychology. My kids really like it because they are financially responsible for their college save for the CLEP which we will cover (once/exam).

[mumto2]

Both my dc’s took and received credit for several CLEP exams.  Quite a variety between both of them.  For most they used REA, Peterson’s, and we paid for Instacert https://www.instantcert.com/college.php4 for a couple of the harder exams.

From my memory I think that one of my kids took these exams......French, Spanish, Chemistry, Gen Science, Humanities, American History, Western Civ., both Economics, Business Management, Calculus, and literature.