Preparing for the CLEP Exam

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CLEP® Exam FAQ

What is CLEP®?

How old must I be before I can take the CLEP®?
Who takes the CLEP® exams for college credit?
How much does the CLEP® test cost?
Will my school accept CLEP®?
Where do I take the test?
Will my CLEP® credit transfer to my 4 year school?

How much college credit will I receive for CLEP®?
How long is the exam?
How many and what CLEP® tests are available?

What is CLEP®?

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP®) is a standardized test format much like AP Advanced Placement or SAT that colleges and universities use to provide college credit for classes. There are 35 lower division (Freshman & Sophomore Year) subjects available. This is known as Credit by Examination, or Testing out of Class.

How old must I be before I can take the CLEP®?

There is no absolute age requirement that qualifies one for the CLEP® test, only the drive and motivation to get ahead. One student as young as 14 years of age has reported successful advancement with CLEP® college credit.

Who takes the CLEP® exams for college credit?

  • Anyone who wants to save money and time by testing out of college classes
  • High School juniors and seniors who want to get a head start on college credit
  • Competitive college students who want to advance to their degree while saving money
  • Home schooled students and parents that want to certify their skills and knowledge
  • Corporate and industry workers looking for advancement
  • Working adults with little time
  • People who speak a foreign language and want to demonstrate their knowledge
  • Military service members who want to advance and earn more by utilizing their military education benefits

How much does the CLEP® test cost?

The fee for taking the exam on test day is $65. Sometimes the school or testing center will charge a small service fee for administrating the exam.

Will my school accept CLEP®?

Most schools do, in fact over 2900 city, state, and private schools and universities accept CLEP® credit by exam. To find out if your school accepts CLEP® credit, click the following link:

Colleges & Universities that Accept CLEP® Credit

Where do I take the test?

CLEP® testing centers can be found here:

CLEP® Test Center Locations

Will my CLEP® credit transfer to my 4 year school?

It is likely your credits will transfer to your new university provided they accept CLEP®. It is best to call your advisor or counselor to find out for sure. For more information, click here:

Colleges & Universities that Accept CLEP® Credit

How much college credit will I receive for CLEP®?

This is typically different for every school. Generally most colleges and universities award the same number of credits and units that its class would award. Additionally, colleges and universities can differ on the score required to achieve credit for the subject being tested.

How long is the exam?

Each CLEP® exam is 90 minutes long with a multiple choice question/answer format. English Composition is the only exam with a graded essay.

How many and what CLEP® tests are available?

There are 34 possible subjects and exams that one can test out of using CLEP®.

Composition and Literature

  • American Literature
  • Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
  • English Composition
  • English Literature
  • Freshman College Composition
  • Humanities

Foreign Languages

  • French Language (Levels 1 and 2)
  • German Language (Levels 1 and 2)
  • Spanish Language (Levels 1 and 2)

History and Social Sciences

  • American Government
  • Human Growth and Development
  • Introduction to Educational Psychology
  • Introductory Psychology
  • Introductory Sociology
  • Principles of Macroeconomics
  • Principles of Microeconomics
  • Social Sciences and History
  • U.S. History I: Early Colonizations to 1877
  • U.S. History II: 1865 to the Present
  • Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648
  • Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present

Science and Mathematics

  • Biology
  • Calculus
  • Chemistry
  • College Algebra
  • College Mathematics
  • Natural Sciences
  • Precalculus

Business

  • Financial Accounting
  • Introductory Business Law
  • Information Systems and Computer Applications
  • Principles of Management
  • Principles of Marketing