Should I take a CLEP exam or register for a course in school to get the credits?
That depends on a number of things:
- Does the college/university you plan to attend grant credit for CLEP exams? If yes, what do they consider a passing score?
- Are you in a hurry? People typically take CLEP exams if they already have some familiarity with the subject (feel confident that they can pass without much studying or by studying on their own). CLEP exams can be taken any time throughout the year (versus typical semester college courses).
- Do you have any prior knowledge of the subject CLEP exam? If not, and especially if it might be in your college major, you might want to stick with the college course.
CLEP is clearly the cheaper and quicker option but it depends if you think you can pass. Personally, I think most you can self-study for fairly easily, especially if you use a website like Instacert. Their flashcards are supposed to be amazing.
Contact your school first and get a current list of the CLEPS they accept and how many credits they give. If you have a strong grasp on a certain subject, such as English or history, I would definitely recommend taking CLEPs! I came into school with 12 hours of credit and am clepping an additional 12 this fall. Taking CLEP tests saves a lot of time and money!