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Sunday, July 17, 2011

Testing Out: Perfect For All Ages

I’m going to start with the high school kids again…don’t worry adult re-entry students and current college students this post is for you too. Taking tests to receive college credit is another great way to save money on tuition costs.  Most of these tests (but not all of the tests) do cost money, but the test cost is still significantly less than paying for a class.


The first two tests I am going to talk about are done in high school. The Advanced Placement tests (or AP tests) are completed in the Spring after taking an AP class.  AP tests span many subject areas and are widely accepted by most colleges and universities. You can even take an AP exam if you never took the AP class.  Usually a score of a 4 or 5 will get you credit, but sometimes schools will grant a credit for a score of 3 (I have yet to meet a person who got credit for a 3, but I have heard claims that sometimes 3’s are accepted). There is a fee associated with each exam, but many high schools subsidize most or all of the cost of each exam.  The college board (the same group responsible for the SAT) is responsible for administering and scoring these exams and they provide additional details about AP exams on their website: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html

The International Baccalaureate or IB is a challenging program that lasts for several years focusing on an international instruction model.  Students do take exams and are held to rigorous standards.  The downside is the IB program is still small in the United States and not every college or university will grant you credit for your work (but they will be impressed).   You can learn more about the IB program at their website: http://www.ibo.org/

Now for all of you older students who are no longer in high school (hey high school kids read this part anyway because some of this still applies to you)!  The infamous College Board brings you the CLEP test.  These are subject based tests that you can take for a fee.  Most colleges and universities accept CLEP tests, but each college and university that accepts these tests has their own standards that decide if and how many credits you receive. The advantage of these tests is that you don’t have to take any class at all to take the test.  You are required to know/study the information that is on the test on your own.  If you want to learn more about the specifics of the CLEP test here is the link: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html

Many colleges and universities offer department tests for various subjects.  Some of these tests are required when you are first enrolled (usually math and reading/English tests).  Doing well on these tests are critical because if you do poorly you will get stuck with extra classes that don’t always count towards your degree (these are often called developmental or remedial classes).  On the other hand if you do well you can skip over one or two classes and gain credit in the process. Other departments also offer mastery exams for students with prior knowledge of the subject area (for example computer programming classes like java, C+, or other subjects). Sometimes a professor will tell the class in the beginning of the semester, but you can also find out about these department exams through the college or university websites or advisors.  Occasionally colleges or universities will charge a fee for taking these exams but this is not always the case.

Work experience for credit.  Adult re-entry students this is for you.  If you have worked a fairly technical job, or a position where you have learned on the job about subjects that your degree requires sometimes colleges and universities grant credit for experience.  For example if you have worked with computers and have learned several computer languages and even received certifications because your work required it you may be granted credit.  Computer related fields are not the only careers where credit can be granted based on experience.  Talk to your advisor about your skill set from your work experience and ask if you are eligible for course credit due to work experience.

As you can see there are many ways to test out of individual classes. This pathway is one of the most versatile because it can be combined with other pathways I have yet to mention and with duel enrollment.  Take advantage of these tests whenever possible!  

There are still more pathways to paying for school; tune in tomorrow for the next option.  
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