Once you discover CLEP, the first order of business is usually trying to find out how CLEP exams are accepted at your teen’s target college. You’ll hear the HS4CC community call this “CLEP Equivalency” because once a college accepts a CLEP exam, it will become “equivalent to” a course offered at the college- and THAT’S how you knock out college credit (and save a lot of money) by using CLEP.
HS4CC Tips for CLEP Equivalency Research
- College policies change!! Realize that until your teen graduates high school and officially enrolls in college, your CLEP research should be considered “unofficial” because colleges can (and do) review policies like these every year.
- A “good” college CLEP policy page:
- Has a table or chart on their website that lists each exam and the course it represents
- Has a date that identifies the last time the chart was updated (within 2 years is best)
- Has a link to the college’s transfer policy for credit by exam (CLEP, AP, DSST)
- Lists minimum scores needed to earn college credit (score of 50 is standard)
- Explains how CLEP is recorded on your official college transcript (“cr” or “credit” is standard)
- Explains how CLEP impacts GPA at the college (“does not impact” is standard)
- Provides contact information if you have questions
- If your target college does not provide equivalency information, contact the college’s registrar via email and ask for it. Public colleges will all have this policy in place (even if it isn’t on their website) while private colleges can be more reserved about what they’ll accept.
- In this 8 minute video below, I narrate the process and take you with me as I encounter a couple snags looking up a CLEP equivalency and transfer policy for a friend.
OTHER BLOG POSTS ABOUT CLEP
Parent Question: CLEP Locations?
Q: What locations offer CLEP exams in my state? A: Great question, and I have a NEW answer!
HELP: My CLEP registration expired
We have great news. If your teen’s CLEP registration expired for any reason, CLEP is giving everyone an opportunity to take their exams at home.
Breaking News: CLEP at Home!
This is the post I’ve been dying to write! Since COVID-19, the #1 most asked question is “will we ever get to take a CLEP at home?” College Board just made history and is allowing you to take your CLEP exam at home!!!
Parent Question: How do you start a CLEP plan when you don’t know where your child will be going to college yet?
There are two schools of thought on how to do this. I’ll explain both and give my recommendation as to which is the better option.
