<p>You can take Clep Tests at any point - high school (or before for the gifted student) to non traditional adult student. Check out College Plus. They use the Cleps to help students earn college credit and then there is the option to transfer those credits to a particular school. However, I think anyone who puts their mind to it can take the Clep and earn the credit without a middle man.</p>
<p>As a student whose high school doesn’t offer AP classes, I found it beneficial to opt for a CLEP test rather than an AP one because I could immediately pursue more advanced courses at local colleges. I can’t compare the two as I’ve never glanced at AP material, but I think the CLEP is often maligned because someone needs to score only a 50/80 to pass and receive credit, and not necessarily because the ceilings of the tests are incredibly low. Fortunately, though, an individual’s exact scores remain on file for (I believe) two decades, so I suppose a college’s impression would hinge more on the numbers rather than the label of the test itself.</p>
<p>As a student whose high school doesn’t offer AP classes, I found it beneficial to opt for a CLEP test rather than an AP one because I could immediately pursue more advanced courses at local colleges. I can’t compare the two as I’ve never glanced at AP material, but I think the CLEP is often maligned because someone needs to score only a 50/80 to pass and receive credit, and not necessarily because the ceilings of the tests are incredibly low. Fortunately, though, an individual’s exact scores remain on file for (I believe) two decades, so I suppose a college’s impression would hinge more on the numbers rather than the label of the test itself.</p>
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<p>It varies from college to college. At Maryland, it’s a 67.</p>
<p>For students who find handwriting difficult or who struggle with essays for other reasons, the CLEP is easier. Only a few CLEPs have “optional essays” -most CLEPs are strictly multiple choice.</p>
<p>It’s a computer based exam and instantly scored (except for optional essays), so the student doesn’t have to wait for results.</p>
<p>My son scored a 3 in AP US History. I suspect it was due to his handwriting. He has never had to write much by hand and did not know conventions for editing handwritten work. All of his computer-based practice tests scored 5’s, so the 3 was a shock. </p>
<p>He will get only 3 credits for that AP. If he had taken the CLEP for US History I and US History II, he’d have earn 6 credits. I know he could havve aced the multiple choice on the CLEPs but we didn’t know about these exams at the time.</p>
<p>I strongly recommend taking the corresponding CLEP if there is any doubt of scoring a 4 or 5 on the AP. Many schools require a 4 or 5 on AP but will take a 50 (equivalent of a C) on the CLEP. For reference: <a href=“HugeDomains.com”>HugeDomains.com;
<p>Today I compared official materials for the Spanish CLEP and Spanish AP Language, and Princeton Review material for the Spanish SAT Subject test. I haven’t been able to locate official materials for the SAT Subject in my library yet.</p>
<p>SAT Subject has no listening portion, and has more “Complete the Sentence” and “Match Words to Blanks” questions than the CLEP. The “Reading Comprehension” readings are a bit longer, and have more questions than the CLEP. This might be because it was Princeton Review rather than official materials, or maybe it is just the way the exam is written.</p>
<p>AP Lang listening section does not include an equivalent of the CLEP short “Rejoinder” listening questions. AP Lang does not have “Complete the Sentence” or “Match Words to Blanks” sections. The dialogues and narratives in the listening section are longer than for the CLEP, and they are each followed by more questions than in the CLEP. The Reading selections are longer than in the SAT Subject, and have more questions. There are additional sections in the AP Lang exam that are not covered by either the SAT Subject or CLEP.</p>
<p>If a student performs well on the SAT Subject, he/she could use the AP Lang listening activities as prep for the CLEP exam and will probably perform quite well on the CLEP. A student who doesn’t perform as well as hoped on AP Lang should take a look at the CLEP so see if there is a chance of earning credit or placement.</p>
<p>Based on the score a student earns on the foreign language CLEP, colleges may grant credit for Level 1 or Level 2 of the language. Some colleges grant up to 12 creditsfor passing at Level 2. Look at page 2 of this report to see how UNC schools award credit. (Instructions for how to read the chart are at the bottom of page 1.) <a href=“HugeDomains.com”>HugeDomains.com;
<p>How much do Clep tests cost?</p>
<p>CLEP exams are $77 each. Testing centers usually charge an administration fee of $20-$30 so the total cost is about $100.</p>
<p>edit: sorry wrong forum</p>
<p>Seeing that this thread has been revived, I want to jump in here and mention one other advantage to the CLEP exams in comparison to the AP program. CLEP exams are delivered year-round with immediate results for those taking the computer version (except for the College Composition exam).</p>
<p>I cannot stress enough how important it is to know your university’s CLEP policy if you are thinking of doing this. I have seen some that allow CLEP results right up to the time of graduation. I have heard of others who place a requirement that all CLEP testing end before the student earns 30 units of credit at the university (so before the end of freshman year). You are always welcome to contact the registrar’s office as they should know the specifics.</p>
<p>If in your research you see the name DANTES or DSST mentioned in the Credit by Examination policy, this is another comparable program to CLEP that offers even more test titles. Cost is the same, exams are offered at test centers in either paper format (scantron and longer wait for results) or on the computer (immediate results). Some people get confused and think these tests are limited to the military but that is WRONG. This program was initially designed for the military, but has been open to the public for decades!</p>
<p>Very few colleges accept both CLEP and DSST credits, but they are out there for those who are interested.</p>