Transfer Life Experience into College Credit Using CLEP Exams

Being able to receive an undergraduate degree in less than four years is an appealing thought to many college students. The sooner students complete their desired degree, the sooner they can enter the workplace and receive compensation for their knowledge and skills. With unemployment on the rise and economic uncertainties abounding, many college students are searching for ways to minimize their student loan expenses and maximize their future earning potential by completing their degree as quickly and affordably as possible.  



College Level Examination Programs (<a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=http://www.speedyprep.com/>CLEP</a>) allows college students, professionals, and other individuals pursuing a college degree to take computerized, multiple choice examinations in order to gain valuable college credit. A successful CLEP test score will often count toward a degree requirement. For example, a student who achieves a satisfactory score on the Introductory Psychology CLEP test will often earn three credit hours and skip his or her Introductory Psychology college course, which is required for the desired degree. With over 2,900 colleges and universities accepting CLEP, many students will find that they can use <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=http://www.speedyprep.com/clep_exam_procedure.aspx>CLEP exams</a> to earn credits for many courses they are required to take in the first two years of college.



Many students are able to transfer life experience into college credit using CLEP exams. For example a college student pursuing a business degree who has worked as a restaurant manager and attended management training seminars on management may be able to take and pass the Principles of Management CLEP test. A satisfactory score on this CLEP test will likely meet the three hour Principles of Management business degree requirement.



What are the reasons for students to take <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=http://www.speedyprep.com/clep-test-study-guides.aspx>CLEP tests</a> instead of the actual college course, you may ask?  One answer is another question and one of economics – why should students spend a great deal of hard earned money on tuition to attend courses that cover material they already know?  Each CLEP test costs only $72 to take, plus a small administrative fee, and can provide the student between between 3 and 12 credits. The cost savings of CLEP exams are very apparent when compared to the price of tuition.



Time savings is another advantage of credits earned through CLEP exams. By taking a CLEP test instead of the actual course, students can significantly reduce the amount of time in the classroom by as much as two years.  Over that period of time, an enormous amount of money is saved in tuition fees, textbooks, and living expenses. Using CLEP to receive credits allows the student to skip lower level courses, move onto exciting upper level courses, decrease semester course loads, and even graduate sooner. By graduating sooner, students are able to maximize their lifetime earning potential.




General Information on CLEP can be found online at www.collegeboard.com. CLEP policies vary between colleges and universities so students interested in CLEP should contact their academic advisor prior to taking a CLEP test. Start using CLEP today to turn valuable life experience and knowledge you already possess into actual college credit!