CLEP exams (College-Level Examination Program)

Overview

What is CLEP?

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a set of 34 exams from the College Board covering introductory college material in history and social sciences, composition and literature, science and mathematics, business, and world languages.

Unlike AP or IB, CLEP is not tied to a high school course. You study on your own or in any class, then schedule the exam at a test center or through remote proctoring.

How is CLEP scored?

You get one point for each correct answer, and nothing is subtracted for wrong or skipped answers, so it pays to answer every question. Points convert to a scaled score from 20 to 80.

The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends that colleges grant credit for a score of 50 or higher. That is a recommendation; the college decides.

Eligibility considerations

Who can take CLEP exams?

CLEP is open to learners of any background, including high school students, homeschoolers, adults and service members. The College Board publishes resources for high schools that use CLEP to give students a head start on college, and some states fund CLEP exams for high school students.

Eligible military service members can have exams funded through DANTES, which covers one government-funded attempt per exam title.

The process

How do you take a CLEP exam?

• Check the college's CLEP policy first: whether it accepts the subject, the score it requires, and whether the credit meets a requirement in your intended degree.
• Register and pay the $97 exam fee with the College Board, then schedule with a test center or a remote-proctored session. Test centers and remote proctoring may add their own fees.
• Scores are kept for 10 years for exams taken after July 1, 2022.

How do CLEP scores reach a college?

When you register, you can send your scores to two institutions for free. After that, each transcript costs $20. Military test takers with DANTES-funded exams order through the Parchment transcript service, which charges $40.

Can you retake a CLEP exam?

Yes, but not within three months of the test date for the same exam title. Scores from a retest taken too early are canceled and the fee is forfeited.

Potential benefits

When is CLEP worth it?

• You already know the material, for example from a strong high school course, a language spoken at home, or work experience.
• A subject your school does not offer as AP or dual enrollment can still earn credit.
• The fee is fixed at $97 per exam no matter how many credits the college awards for a passing score.
• In some states the rules are standardized. Florida's public colleges and universities must award at least the minimum credit the state's Articulation Coordinating Committee sets for each CLEP exam.

Important limitations

What should you watch out for?

• Acceptance varies by exam and by school. Arizona State University generally requires a 50 but sets different rules for English, history and some language exams.
• CLEP may not count for every requirement. At ASU, CLEP credit cannot satisfy the general studies requirements in natural sciences or literacy and critical inquiry.
• Previous coursework can block credit. The College Board warns that some colleges refuse CLEP credit if you already attempted a closely aligned college course, and ASU does not give CLEP credit that duplicates credit already earned.
• There is usually no grade. Valencia College records CLEP credit without letter grades or quality points, so it does not raise your GPA.
• Totals are capped. Valencia allows at most 45 credits from all alternative methods combined, and ASU counts CLEP within its 60-hour credit-by-exam limit.