CLEP

Developed by the College Board, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) has been the most widely trusted credit-by-examination program for over 40 years, accepted by 2,900 colleges and universities and administered in over 1,800 test centers.  CLEP exams test mastery of college-level material acquired in a variety of ways — through general academic instructions, significant independent study or extracurricular work.

Whereas CLEP exams are typically for college-level students (i.e. they can be thought of as the college version of credit-by-exam), it is possible for high school students to use them as credit-by-exams.  Though considered to be more challenging than the traditional CBE’s, a student could take a CLEP exam and earn both college and high school credit.

Students may earn credit by exam for subjects in which they have had no prior instruction if the student:

• Scores a three or higher on a College Board advanced placement examination that has been approved by the school district board of trustees for the applicable course,
• Earns a scaled score of 60 or higher on an examination administered through the College-Level Examination Program and approved by the school district board of trustees for the applicable course.

If the student earns credit by exam for a course (via AP or CLEP), the school will record the student’s CBE score as a “pass” mark on the transcript.

Course conversions for credit-by-exams via CLEP are as follows: