NOT UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED
The one limitation with CLEP testing is that the credits are not universally accepted. Some colleges accept all, some accept a few, and some accept none. Some will discount the number of credits on certain exams.
A DILEMMA
College choice and college acceptance are unknowns for the high school student. The idea of putting a lot of effort into an exam which may not be accepted at a future college can be a turnoff for students and parents.
TARGET COLLEGE
It saves of lot speculation if you have a college picked out. Simply look up that college’s CLEP list on its website and choose those exams. See Locating College CLEP Lists and College CLEP Policies.
ARTICULATION AGREEMENT
In North Carolina there is a way to get more CLEP credits accepted. The community colleges and the four-year colleges in North Carolina have an agreement that certain courses taken at the community college along with credits by exam (AP, CLEP, Dantes, IB, and Cambridge) are guaranteed to transfer to the four-year school for students who first earn an associate degree. The student will transfer in as a junior and all the general education requirements will be waived. This agreement essentially allows CLEP credits otherwise not accepted by the receiving school to accept them. For more information read my post CLEP and NC’s Comprehensive Articulation Agreement.
MORE THAN JUST COLLEGE CREDIT
If you have no idea which college your child may choose, taking CLEP exams still has plenty of merit beyond fulfilling future college credits. The additional benefits were unknown to me until my children applied to college, yet I pressed on. You will have to determine if the benefits make it worth the risk of studying for credits that may not be accepted.
CLEP CREDITS ON THE HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT
The letter grades on homeschool transcripts tend to be mom-grades. I suspect that college admissions officers believe that grade inflation occurs when mom is assigning grades. Having objective, standardized scores will invariably validate grades on a homeschool transcript. Read CLEP Credit on the High School Transcript for ideas on how to document CLEP credits on the high school transcript.
CLEP CREDITS AND COLLEGE
CLEP credits are a way that homeschoolers can stand out from their peers on a college application and make them more competitive for college acceptance and merit scholarships. Colleges want evidence that a student has academic goals and has worked hard to achieve them.
Students at competitive high schools earn multiple AP and IB credits that could place them as sophomores or juniors, yet they enter competitive colleges as freshmen. They use these credits to boost their GPA for college acceptance and scholarship money. CLEP credits can be used to achieve the same goals even if they are not accepted by the college.
IMPROVED STUDY AND TESTING SKILLS
My students easily spend 150 hours studying for most CLEP exams. They have to process large amounts of information in an organized way. The challenge pushes them to establish effective study and memory methods. The practice exams provide testing experience which is something homeschoolers don’t get much of. After each test, we assess the questions and learn testing taking strategies too.
IMPROVED ATTITUDE
Processing a sometimes-overwhelming load of facts and passing a CLEP exam can bolster self-esteem and confidence. It lets a child know that she can handle more than she thought. Passing a CLEP exam lets homeschool-doubters know that homeschool can provide some pretty rich opportunities. Homeschool students often compare themselves to students in the traditional schools and wonder if their education measures up. Certain family members may question the quality of homeschool education too. Passing a few CLEP exams can improve a doubter’s attitude about homeschool. And it can spark confidence in your student.
EXPEDITED DEGREE
A student can use CLEP credits to earn an early associate degree. Our local community college accepts all CLEP credits which allows students with a lot of CLEP credit to obtain an associate degree with the addition of a few courses. My daughter only had to take four courses to obtain an associate degree. She did this before graduating from high school. The students at her college who won the top scholarships had achieved associated degrees before high school graduation.
Many colleges including private ones accept most CLEP credit. I’ve seen students transfer into these schools as a junior on CLEP credit alone. I’ve even seen students transfer in as a senior using CLEP credits plus Straiter Line credits.
Students can even earn a bachelor’s degree in the 12th grade by using CLEP credits and an online college. Read Bachelor’s Degree in the 12th Grade.
CLEP CREDITS NOT ACCEPTED
What if a college does not accept the CLEP credits my child studied so hard for? When I first started CLEP exams with my kids, I worried that they would be very upset if some of their CLEP credits did not transfer. The prospect of that gave me lingering dread over the years.
It did in fact occur that some of their CLEP credits did not transfer to their private four-year college. Only 23 of my older daughter’s 56 CLEP credits were accepted but she does not regret taking any one of them. She is grateful for the study and testing experience she gained during high school. They are both thankful for receiving full college scholarships plus cash back. They are not mad at me for leading them through the CLEP pathway.
DO THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE RISKS?
I went into CLEP testing with blind faith not fully understanding the benefits beyond credit fulfillment. I somehow trusted that the CLEP credits would improve both the academic record and the abilities of my children. We plodded forward. And yes, I now have proof that the benefits gained through the process greatly outweigh the credits that were not accepted.
My experience with CLEPs. I have coached my kids and their friends through 16 different CLEP exams over a period of 9 years. Collectively, they have passed 39 CLEP exams and earned over 159 college credits. I’m still coaching my younger son through his CLEP journey. My high school graduates have received full-ride merit scholarships.