Anybody ever CLEP?

Most of the ones on here who know me know that I am a non-traditional college student. That basically means that my youngest daughter is a Freshman in the college that I also attend.

I'm about a year away from my BS, and all I have left are electives.

Someone mentioned to me that since all my concentration classes are finished, and I am just basically "meeting requirements," I should try to CLEP as many as I can.

I don't know a lot about it - anybody done this?

Superfly said:

Most of the ones on here who know me know that I am a non-traditional college student. That basically means that my youngest daughter is a Freshman in the college that I also attend.

I'm about a year away from my BS, and all I have left are electives.

Someone mentioned to me that since all my concentration classes are finished, and I am just basically "meeting requirements," I should try to CLEP as many as I can.

I don't know a lot about it - anybody done this?

Click to expand...

I CLEP'd for English Literature and then English Comp. I recommend you try something you know you're already good at and go from there. I used Educational Testing Service (ETS) for self-study for American History and they came with SIX practice tests and I knew I could get credit for two semesters there. Barrons only gave two practice tests and College Board only gave three. That fit my style because I could read through the review book, take a practice test, and then read through the book and then do a practice test again.

So tl/dr I'd go with ETS first and Barron's last.

EDIT: Oh and check your university to see which actual CLEP courses are accepted.

Superfly said:

Most of the ones on here who know me know that I am a non-traditional college student. That basically means that my youngest daughter is a Freshman in the college that I also attend.

I'm about a year away from my BS, and all I have left are electives.

Someone mentioned to me that since all my concentration classes are finished, and I am just basically "meeting requirements," I should try to CLEP as many as I can.

I don't know a lot about it - anybody done this?

Click to expand...

Usually it entails signing up for the test, taking it, having the scoresheet scanned, and you should know right away if you passed or not. There isnt a letter grade. The test is essentially full term quiz on what you would be expected to know after taking the class. I CLEPed more than my university would take. Honestly...you can get a good general knowledge text and read through a subject and probably have enough info to pass the test. The last class I CLEPed was Astronomy...I checked out a book and read it over the weekend.

My college program was military affiliated. We tested through the base education office and CLEP tests were free. Credit for the course was full. You will probably have to pay a fee for the test, but should get the credits without having to pay for the class. There may be a limit as to the number of credits you can get via CLEP.

Its good you mentioned electives only. You have to be careful CLEPing classes if you might need the class experience for an advanced class. I CLEPed out of College 1 and 2 math. College 3...kicked my ass. I needed College 2.

Superfly said:

Most of the ones on here who know me know that I am a non-traditional college student. That basically means that my youngest daughter is a Freshman in the college that I also attend.

I'm about a year away from my BS, and all I have left are electives.

Someone mentioned to me that since all my concentration classes are finished, and I am just basically "meeting requirements," I should try to CLEP as many as I can.

I don't know a lot about it - anybody done this?

Click to expand...

What CLEP does is give you credit for passing a test in that subject area, but you get no grade for the class. One consideration is simply that CLEP does not change your GPA. If you "test out" of a course that you would have earned a high grade in that is effectively lowering your GPA unless, of course, you got all high grades in the college classes that you actually did take. This may not matter much except for getting a "first" job based on your college degree requirement alone, after that, your past work experience is lilely to be the most important factor.

Another consideration is that prerequisite course rules of a particular school may not accept CLEP as having taken their prerequisite class and, even if they do, then the CLEP material may not have prepared you for the next level course in a subject as well as actually taking the course at that school would have.

Superfly said:

Most of the ones on here who know me know that I am a non-traditional college student. That basically means that my youngest daughter is a Freshman in the college that I also attend.

I'm about a year away from my BS, and all I have left are electives.

Someone mentioned to me that since all my concentration classes are finished, and I am just basically "meeting requirements," I should try to CLEP as many as I can.

I don't know a lot about it - anybody done this?

Click to expand...

I blew my opportunity to CLEP, epecially when I was going to be credited 67 credit hours by Tidewater Community College and UNH for prior experience. My background is naval/marine propulsion and related auxiliaries, so advanced math was going to be a prerequisite for any degrees relative to my experience. I took the lazy way out and blew off taking the classes because I hated math. Many of my enlisted friends used CLEP, but some of them wasted their efforts on BS degrees in law enforcement, Criminal justice, and other social studies.

Awesome. Thanks for all the tips and information. I have contacted my AA to see what I can CLEP, and if it will help me. Not too worried about it affecting my GPA. Right now I have a total 3.14 and a 3.45 institutionally (and my summer classes haven't been credited yet, 4.0 on both) so as long as it doesn't drop it, I am not too worried about raising it. I'm happy with what I have.

I'm way too old to be one of those "first time job" kids, too.