Modern States for CLEP & AP

Posted on September 19, 2017September 18, 2017 by Jennifer Cook-DeRosa

Modern States is a new, totally free, mini-curriculum that is aligned specifically to CLEP exams. Their AP catalog is really just a collection of MOOCs that they’ve assembled in one place. Still, a great resource. I want to tell you how much I love ❤ them, but instead, I’ll tell you that I like them, but I have problems with their deceptive marketing.

Modern States Official Website

When you visit their site, you’ll notice their tagline “Freshman Year for Free.” Before we go forward, I want to help you understand what Modern States is, and what it isn’t – as much as I want to promote this new opportunity for parents and teens, I can’t understand why they aren’t more transparent – the nuances of college credit aren’t easy to grasp, so to be less than clear does everyone a disservice.

Their website:

“Take tuition-free, high quality courses online from top institutions for college credit.”

In my opinion, this statement is really misleading because you’re not taking courses from a top institution for college credit. You’re taking courses developed by Modern States for you to learn independently. In the case of the AP courses, you’re simply taking an open courseware course.

Make no mistake, you are not an enrolled student at a college when you take courses through Modern States. Further, the courses themselves do not award college credit in any way. There is no direct ACE credit (as is the case with Saylor, Straighterline, or Studycom) and you must also pass a CLEP exam that is accepted by your receiving college in order to earn college credit. In short? It’s CLEP prep.

As a CLEP-prep resource? It’s great! These mini-courses are meant to fit into your busy (homeschool) schedule. Estimated completion at 6 hours per week is 4 weeks. A big benefit to parents is that they can either offer this as an accelerated course, or there is enough time in the school year to use this as a “final quarter” course that follows a traditional homeschool curriculum. It really depends on the subject, and how important it is to you that your teen get a full-robust experience. Doing Modern States alone will not provide enough contact hours, homework, writing, research, etc. to merit counting as a full course for most parents. On the other hand, not every subject needs depth, so in that case, you would be fine.

You have to dig- but once you get into the site and visit their FAQ page, allllll the way down at the bottom you’ll get the real truth. There is nothing to be ashamed of, I’m not sure why this isn’t on the front page?

“How does it work?

Modern States offers free, high-quality online courses taught by college professors that prepare you for virtually all of the major AP and CLEP exams, which are well-established and widely-accepted. Solid performance on the exams (each participating college decides what scores you need for credit) can earn you college credits and enable you to save tuition dollars. You can take one course or many; if you do well on eight exams, you can potentially earn Freshman Year for Free.”

Did I mention the cost?

It’s free. As in, totally no cost at all. You will, however, have to pay for your CLEP exam, any proctoring fees, and any transfer fees to your college if applicable.

But wait….there’s more.

Modern States is currently running a voucher program. In short, if you complete the entire Modern States course as outlined in their instructions, you can receive a voucher to pay for your CLEP exam! The program was initially open to the first 500 people, but they’ve extended time and time again. My contact with them recently suggested there was “no indication of ending the voucher program anytime soon.” So, there is plenty of time for you to sign up. Modern States Voucher Program

Their catalog as of today:

CLEP

American Government

CLEP

American Literature

CLEP

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature

CLEP

Biology

CLEP

Calculus

CLEP

Chemistry

CLEP

College Algebra

CLEP

College Composition

CLEP

College Mathematics

CLEP

English Literature

CLEP

Financial Accounting

CLEP

French Language

CLEP

History of the United States I

CLEP

History of the United States II

CLEP

Introduction to Educational Psychology

CLEP

Human Growth and Development

CLEP

Humanities

CLEP

Information Systems

CLEP

Introductory Business Law

CLEP

Introductory Psychology

CLEP

Introductory Sociology

CLEP

Natural Sciences

Passing the CLEP and Learning with Modern States

CLEP

Precalculus

CLEP

Principles of Macroeconomics

CLEP

Principles of Management

CLEP

Principles of Marketing

CLEP

Principles of Microeconomics

CLEP

Social Sciences and History

CLEP

Spanish Language

CLEP

Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648

CLEP

Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present

AP Courses

AP Biology – Part 1: The Cell

AP Biology – Part 2: Genetics

AP Biology – Part 3: Evolution and Diversity

AP Biology – Part 4: Ecology

AP Biology – Part 5: Review and Exam Preparation

Calculus 1A: Differentiation

Calculus 1B: Integration

Calculus 1C: Coordinate Systems & Infinite Series

AP Calculus BC

AP Computer Science A: Java Programming

AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Classes and Objects

AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Data Structures and Loops

AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Polymorphism and Advanced Data Structures

AP English Literature & Composition – Part 1: Stories

AP English Literature & Composition – Part 2: Poems

AP English Literature & Composition – Part 3: Plays

AP Environmental Science – Part 1: The Living World

AP Environmental Science – Part 2: Populations

AP Environmental Science – Part 3: Pollution and Resources

AP Environmental Science – Part 4: Exam Review

Introduction to AP Human Geography

Introductory AP Microeconomics

AP Italian Language and Culture

AP Macroeconomics

AP Physics 1 – Part 1: Linear Motion

AP Physics 1 – Part 2: Rotational Motion

AP Physics 1 – Part 3: Electricity & Waves

AP Physics 1 – Part 4: Exam Prep

AP Physics 2 – Part 1: Fluids and Thermodynamics

AP Physics 2 – Part 2: Electricity and Magnetism

AP Physics 2 – Part 3: Optics and Modern Physics

AP Physics 2 – Part 4: AP Review and Exam Preparation

AP Psychology – Course 1: What is Psychology?

AP Psychology – Course 2: How the Brain Works

AP Psychology – Course 3: How the Mind Works

AP Psychology – Course 4: How Behavior Works

AP Psychology – Course 5: Health and Behavior

AP Psychology – Course 6: Exam Preparation & Review

AP Spanish Language and Culture

financial aid, High School, Resources, Scholarships, working

100 Employer / Employee Scholarships

Posted on June 18, 2017 by Jennifer Cook-DeRosa

Last week, I wrote a nice long post demonstrating some of the financial and real-world benefits of Working During College. At the end of that post was a list of companies that would pay your teen’s tuition while they went to college!

In today’s post, I want to share a list of 100 companies that frequently offer scholarships to their employees or children of employees!

Parents: check with Human Resources immediately! Scholarship application deadlines are sometimes a year in advance.

Who qualifies?

It depends. In some cases, a parent’s dependents are eligible to apply, but in other cases, the teen must be an employee. If you or your teen already work for one of these companies, simply contact your Human Resources department and ask for more information.

My teen wants a job that isn’t on this list

Working is great, no matter how you slice it, but rather than browsing and hoping to find your teen’s employer, be proactive and talk to them about seeking employment at a company that offers educational benefits through scholarships or tuition reimbursement. That’s being smart and planning ahead. A summer job isn’t supposed to be a permanent career that’s deep and rewarding. It’s a nice way to earn some spending money, learn responsibility, develop a work ethic……. and possibly earn a scholarship!

What’s the difference between tuition reimbursement and a scholarship?

Tuition reimbursement generally requires continued employment with the company while you go to school. When you’ve finished a course, the company writes you a check to reimburse you for the tuition you paid. Tuition reimbursement can sometimes pay for a full degree, but often has a service requirement or other obligation in exchange for the educational benefit.

Scholarships are awards given to a student for achievement. Often, these are one-time awards. Scholarship amounts vary by employer, but it’s not unusual to see scholarship awards for $500 – $2,500. Typically, a scholarship is a one-time award without further obligation.

I’m seeing a few names that are also on the tuition reimbursement list.

That’s right! Many companies consider investing in an employee’s education as a very important part of their mission. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (the largest HR organization in the world), as many as 91% of large companies maintained or increased their educational benefits since 2014. In contrast, as few as 4% offer any kind of student loan forgiveness program. In short: plan to find these benefits before you start college and resort to borrowing. Among millennials, as many as 1/3 reports falling behind on their student loan payments. Ouch!

A&W
Abbott Laboratories
Adobe Systems
ADP
Aetna
Alcoa
Amazon.com
American Airlines
American Cancer Society
AT&T
Baxter International
Biogen Idec
BMW Group
Bosch
Build A Bear
Burger King
California Grape Grower
California State University Bakersfield
Capital One Financial
Carmax
CenterPoint Energy
Chevron
Chobani
Citigroup
Community Bankers Assoc. of Illinois
ConocoPhillips
Costco
CPS Energy
Cracker Barrel
CVS Pharmacy
Darden Restaurants
DirecTV
Dish Network
Dominion Resources
Duke Energy Corporation
DuPont
Edison International
Express Scripts
Exxon
GameStop
General Electric
General Mills
Genzyme
H&R Block, Inc.
Harley Davidson
Hewlett- Packard (HP)
Home Depot
Humana
Hyundai Motors
IBM
Intel
J Crew
JetBlue Airways
Kentucky Fried Chicken
L.L. Bean
Land O’ Lakes
Long John Silver’s
Lowe’s
Marathon Petroleum
Mayo Clinic
McDonald’s Corporation
Meijer
Morgan Stanley
Mutual of Omaha
National Roofing Contractors Assoc.
Nordstrom, Inc.
Nucor
Oshkosh
Pacific Gas & Electric
PepsiCo
Pfizer Inc.
Phillips 66
Pizza Hut
Rockwell Collins
Roller Skating Association
SAS
Servco – HI
Southwest Airlines
Starbucks
State Farm
Subway Restaurant
Sunoco
Taco Bell
Texas Instruments
Tj Maxx
Uline
Union Pacific
United Technologies
US Bank
USDA
Valero Energy
Verizon
Vermont Grocers Assoc. Member
Wakefield Healthcare Center
Wal-Mart
Walgreens
Walt Disney
Wells Fargo
Whole Foods
Yum!

High School, Resources, Transcripts

Transcript Resource Page

Posted on June 8, 2017September 11, 2017 by Jennifer Cook-DeRosa

It’s only the most important homeschool document you’ll ever create! I have a few favorite resources that I know you’ll love. If you want to read my thoughts, Homeschooling for College Credit, Chapter 7 is dedicated to the creation of transcripts specifically for families earning college credit in high school.

GPA Calculation

My favorite GPA calculator is Back2College SUPER easy to use, I’ve used it for at least 5 years. Totally free, but it is really just a calculator. They use a standard 4.0 grading scale, so if you’re planning to use a different weighted grade scale, this isn’t the best site.

Alternative GPA calculator if you use weighted grades GPA Calculator

Transcript Template

My favorite ready-made transcript template is by How To Homeschool You can create a pdf document that can be printed or saved, all totally free! Uses a standard 4.0 grading scale.

DIY Your Own Transcript

I’ve made my son’s transcripts using Microsoft Word and Open Office. I’m happy to teach you how to do it too in this free online course I created just for you!

Build it! Homeschooling for College Credit Transcript using MS Word

Transcript Services

If you want to use an online template that looks really official, HSLDA offers a transcript service. Note that they won’t write your transcript for you, rather you enter your data in their system and they store it for 12 months. While I have not personally used it, I know many who have and were very satisfied with the product. HSLDA Transcript Service

Transcript Writing Help

HSLDA has a nice section of samples, videos, and tutorials that can walk you through a lot of the basics. HSLDA Transcript Help page

Not my Favorite

Transcript Pro Software& DVD $189.00

I balanced sharing my negative opinion vs. not saying anything at all, but I opted to share my opinion for this product because of the cost. The bottom line, if you shell out this kind of money, you’re going to be disappointed. The full package is $189 ($49 base +$29 for the digital download and an additional $79 for the DVD +$29 for the printable syllabus). I purchased this program in 2017, but the new version they are selling (version 4) was written in 2009. Unfortunately, the DVD only teaches you how to use their software, so unless you’ve purchased that too, there is very little for the parent to learn. The software is locked, and you’ll need a password to open it. Once open, you can make a total of only 8 transcripts. You can buy another 8 attempts for $49 more. Their software operates offline, so no updates to their product are available, and you’ll have to save your files to your computer. Again, computer technology since 2009 has changed significantly, so it’s a shame that they haven’t moved their product to a web-based platform. As a result, you’ll not be able to use the program if you have Mac or a mobile device. It only works (properly) on Windows 98 or Vista, and there isn’t a mobile app, so you’ll need a desktop computer. My advice, this is an extraordinarily expensive product for something that you can do for free on a dozen websites.

Suspicious Colleges

This article appeared in Inside Higher Education on September 11, 2017. While the student was NOT a homeschooled student, the article stresses that “anyone” can create a homeschool transcript and pose as a homeschooler. (Imagine that? For years homeschoolers couldn’t get into college and now students want to pose as homeschoolers! We’ve come a long way baby!) Still, I suspect that stories like this may become more frequent, and my advice to you is to maintain a file of curriculum content – books, titles, writing samples, workbooks, catalog course descriptions, print out of certificates, etc. Anything that might help you provide verification if it’s necessary. It probably won’t be, but better safe than sorry. That folder is for you – and won’t be part of their application package or written on their transcript, but don’t trust your memory, start a file today.

Revoked Admission, Inside Higher Education (Sept 11, 2017)

Homeschooled Student’s Transcript Might Be for a Cat

Revoked admissions offer by University of Rochester raises questions about lack of oversight of transcripts from homeschooled students. Experts see the real risk is lack of information about curriculum, not fraud.

By

Scott Jaschik

September 11, 2017

When word spread that the University of Rochester revoked an admissions offer from a student who lied about her high school background, many were stunned by the story. The student had attended a private high school, but she submitted a transcript that said she had been homeschooled. Only when she boasted on social media that she was about to enroll at Rochester, and someone at her high school realized it hadn’t sent the university any information about her, was she caught.

The applicant who lied in this case was not a homeschooler, but someone who attended a private school. Many admissions officers — including those at Rochester — said the incident made them fear that they have limited ways to tell if a transcript from a homeschooled student reflects reality. With transcripts from public or private high schools, the documents are sent by the school. (And in cases where colleges allow students to self-report grades, the institution gets an official copy of the transcript when someone is admitted.)

Fake transcript for Home Acres Academy features Social Security number 123-45-6789 and weighted GPA of 4.0. Courses taken include English, civics, environmental science, Spanish, algebra, European history, biology, geometry, American history and chemistry. Activities include tree-climbing club and fishing club. Comments on the Rochester article suggested that anyone could create a homeschooler transcript, for a student real or imaginary and with grades real or imaginary.

So I tested that, creating a transcript for my childhood pet, a cat named Thomas. I paid $19 to an online service, which got me not only the transcript but a water mark for my faux home school (the name reflects my childhood neighborhood). I followed standard courses for the first three years of high school and added activities that reflected Thomas’s interests. The Social Security number listed (at right) might have been a clue that the student wasn’t real. No verification of any kind was required.

I wrote to Transcript Maker, the service I used, to ask about authentication, and the company wrote back to say that some parents take the transcript to be notarized, but the company provided no information on actual authentication, and asked no questions (except for my credit card number) as I created the transcript. In fairness to the company, its competitors appear to do the same thing — let anyone create a transcript, no questions asked.

What Is the Risk?

So if Rochester received a fake transcript, and one can easily create one, is that a major risk with regard to homeschooled applicants? The issue matters as the number of children being homeschooled has been going up. An Education Department report in 2012 found that the number of homeschooled students was about 1.8 million and increasing.

Tom Green, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, said there is good reason for admissions officers to give scrutiny to homeschoolers’ transcripts, but the real issue isn’t complete fraud, as in the Rochester case.

“I always go back to the question of how often does someone really lie in admissions,” Green said. It may happen, but it’s “pretty rare,” he said.

The more common issue is doubt about whether the grades assigned in homeschooling “reflect what a student would have received in another environment,” Green said.

“The fact is that there’s no independent vetting, and that allows for” grading that may not be accurate, he said. This need not be malice, he said, but just the reality of grading without context or comparisons.

At the same time, Green stressed that over the years in admissions on campuses, he saw many homeschoolers who were well prepared to succeed in college.

Green said that colleges should treat a homeschooler’s transcript much the way they would a transcript from a public or private high school that hadn’t previously been represented in the admissions pool. In the case of a high school, an admissions officer would go online and do some research about the high school, the rigor of its programs and the range of grades awarded.

For a homeschooler, an admissions officer might ask for much more detail about the curriculum — what textbooks were used, what material was covered and so forth. (Some colleges suggest just that, encouraging homeschooled applicants to provide such details or others that can help evaluate a curriculum. Here are suggestions provided by American University and Princeton University.)

Green also said that he paid more attention to SAT or ACT scores with homeschoolers than with others, and that he would recommend that admissions officers do so, even in cases where colleges are test optional or intentionally limit the impact of test scores. Some colleges urge homeschooled students to submit SAT II (subject matter) test scores, even if these are optional for other applicants.

He said that when he compared test scores to homeschoolers’ transcripts, sometimes the test scores were consistent with what one would expect to see with a certain grade point average. But other times, he said, the test scores were well below what one would associate with the GPA reported on a homeschooler’s transcript. And that called for more scrutiny and, in some cases, rejection, he said.

Lori Dunlap is a homeschooling parent and advocate for homeschoolers. Her new book, Home Education to Higher Education: A Guide for Recruiting, Assessing and Supporting Homeschooled Applicants, was published in June.

Dunlap said she was concerned the Rochester incident would give homeschool transcripts a bad reputation, and she said it was important to note that the woman in that case was not in fact homeschooled.

She acknowledged that there is no verification for a standard homeschooling transcript, which relies on the instructor, typically a parent.

But Dunlap noted that many homeschool parents supplement their instruction with programs offered by museums or other institutions. So a homeschool transcript may include grades or certifications awarded by someone who is not the primary instructor or parent of the student.

Dunlap said that she advises homeschool parents to keep detailed records about the curriculum used and to provide information to colleges. In many cases, she said, the curriculum is more rigorous than what one would find at many public or private high schools.

At the same time, Dunlap said that colleges should not rely too much on standardized tests in evaluating homeschoolers’ applications. Some homeschool parents have their children take many standardized tests as a means of showing what their children can do.

But Dunlap noted that one motivation of parents for homeschooling is a belief that public schools spend too much time on testing. These parents, she said, very intentionally (and for educational reasons) try to minimize testing. This creates “an interesting friction” in evaluating homeschooled applicants, she said.

“If you have that same student with a much lower SAT score” than a transcript would suggest is appropriate, “the question is if the transcript is wrong or does this student not test well?” Dunlap said. Many homeschoolers are the latter, and should not be denied admission, she said.

AP Advanced Placement, CLEP, Credit by Exam, Resources, Tuition

Cost of Tuition in the United States

Posted on May 15, 2017May 11, 2017 by Jennifer Cook-DeRosa

The current and historical cost of tuition in the United Sates is tracked and sorted for us to learn from. The United States Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics keeps data on this kind of information, and much more! (Psssttt, it’s one of my favorite sites to browse)

The costs below reflect averaged “rack rate” tuition for 1 year, which is to say the price stated by the college as their tuition rate. Individual student’s scholarships or other grants are not reflected here, this is simply the price of tuition. Note that public colleges generally have “in-state” and “out of state” tuition rates- this is because of the economics of a state-funded educational system, and out-of-state students will typically pay a significantly higher rate than in-state students.

Now, because this is the Homeschooling for College Credit page, of course, I’m also including the breakdown for several popular college credit exams that your teen can take – you’ll be able to see the TREMENDOUS cost savings as you get down to the bottom of the page.

“Cost of attendance” is also collected, and includes OTHER expenses besides tuition. Books, meals, dorms, etc. may all be estimated on your college’s website. As you dig deeper, you’ll want to sort out the costs that are variable and those that are fixed. For instance, if a student lives at home, there aren’t many living expenses to add in, but a student living in a dorm will spend about $13,000 more per year. For the purposes of this post, we’re only talking about TUITION.

Official Calculation as per-year

(Data Source: National Center for Education Statistics: November 2016)

Less than 2-year (Diploma/Certificate)
Public	Non-Profit	248 schools	$6,505 in-state	$7,288 out-state
Private	Non-Profit	86 schools	$13,433	N/A
Private	For-Profit	1,616 schools	$15,269	N/A

2-year (Associate Degree)
Public	Non-Profit	1,016 schools	$3,941 in-state	$7,780 out-state
Private	Non-Profit	178 schools	$13,899	N/A
Private	For-Profit	891 schools	$14,864	N/A

4-year (Bachelor’s Degree)
Public	Non-Profit	710 schools	$8,141 in-state	$18,341 out-sta.
Private	Non-Profit	1,602 schools	$26,355	N/A
Private	For-Profit	700 schools	$16,066	N/A

Unofficial* Calculation as per-credit

Less than 2-year (Diploma/Certificate)
Public	Non-Profit	$217 in-state	$243 out-state
Private	Non-Profit	$448	N/A
Private	For-Profit	$509	N/A

2-year (Associate Degree)
Public	Non-Profit	$131 in-state	$259 out-state
Private	Non-Profit	$463	N/A
Private	For-Profit	$495	N/A

4-year (Bachelor’s Degree)
Public	Non-Profit	$271	$611 out-state
Private	Non-Profit	$879	N/A
Private	For-Profit	$536	N/A

Credit by Exam Calculation as per-credit

Credit By Exam
AP Exam	$93	3 credit exam= $31 per credit	6 credit exam= $16 per credit	9 credit exam= $10 per credit
CLEP Exam	$80	3 credit exam= $27 per credit	6 credit exam= $13 per credit	9 credit exam= $9 per credit
DSST Exam	$80	3 credit exam= $27 per credit	N/A	N/A
ACTFL foreign language	$70 (written)	12 cr. exam= $7 per credit
Saylor Exam	$25	3 credit exam= $8 per credit

Unofficial* = calculated by dividing the yearly tuition by 30, the standard full-time load.

Resources

The 10 BEST Resources

Posted on April 24, 2017September 7, 2017 by Jennifer Cook-DeRosa

These are my favorite 10 BEST resources you can use during your resourceful high school planning years.

There are so many excellent experts, products, and resources, and new players enter the market every day – but these are the BEST of the BEST.

1. The BEST Curriculum Review Guide

102 Top Picks by Cathy Duffy. Cathy Duffy is the guru of curriculum reviewing- if you are considering a brand, she’s done a review. Her reviews are on point and detailed. Parents who are looking for specifically Christian or specifically secular material will find her reviews exceptionally helpful! She is 100% my “go-to” when I’m researching curriculum.

2. The BEST Test Prep Flashcards

InstantCert I’ve been a subscribing member of InstantCert for OVER 10 years, and am a HUGE FAN. Many of our Homeschooling for College Credit moderators “cut our teeth” by learning and contributing over at InstantCert first. InstantCert 2 things. First, it is an online flash card test prep site, and second, it is a community. The first resource (flash cards) are targeted directly to a credit by exam product (CLEP, DSST, etc). The pass rate among IC members who use the flash cards is exceptionally high – over 90%. Subscribers get access to their whole catalog and then share feedback in a special folder called “Specific Exam Feedback.” This is where you’ll find the latest about questions, topics, and what was/wasn’t covered. This fuels a steady stream of exam analysis. Enter code 100150 at checkout for a $5 off coupon.

The second resource (free) is their forum and community page. There, members share tips for earning credit by exam and preparation books/ websites. In addition, they are the BEST support community for those pursuing a degree from one of the Big 3 colleges.

You’ll find me (Jennifer) there as “cookderosa” so be sure to say “hi!” Though I’m the top contributing poster in that community, discussions there are not specific to homeschooling or teens- the population there is mostly adult learners. Still, if you’ve gone through a curriculum with your teen and are ready to focus on testing, I highly suggest giving IC a month’s investment- you might end up staying on for 10 years!

3. The BEST Free CLEP Prep Site

freeclep Free CLEP Prep You may not know that there is an excellent and completely free prep site for CLEP and DSST exams. They even give a suggested ranking of “difficulty” for certain tests, provide simple study guides, and even have a few practice tests. I hope they eventually develop content for all the exams, but until then, there are excellent guides for most of the popular ones!

4. The BEST Site to Check a College’s Accreditation

Department of Education Database Accreditation is so very important, but colleges that aren’t legitimate will lie or stretch the truth on their websites, so you should never trust a college’s own website! There are different types of accreditation, and while there are situations that don’t require it, my recommendation is to always choose a REGIONALLY ACCREDITED college unless you can make a strong argument for not doing so. Within this link, click on the first option (“Get data for one…”) and then you can choose to search by institution or search by accrediting agency. Pan down and choose from their list. Note: Regional accreditation is superior to national accreditation.

5. The BEST Selection of Audio Books

book Loyal Books Loyal Books (formerly called Books Should Be Free) is so incredible that you should stop reading right now and check it out. I can’t even do them justice. Phenomenal. You don’t even have to download- just click play.

6. The BEST Selection of Massive Open Online Courses

edX I realize that free classes are sometimes poor quality, but that’s exactly why edX is such a big deal. edX is a nonprofit collaboration that started in 2012 between Harvard and MIT. This collection of completely free and completely open (no application) courses are taught by Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Princeton, and dozens more elite universities from all over the world. In the past year or so, they’ve also expanded to offer college credit options, certificates, transfer classes. In cases where you’re seeking credit or a credential, they’ve added a cost. Learning remains free.

7. The BEST Official CLEP Book

clep CLEP Official Study Guide There are a lot of CLEP books, but if you only buy one book, this is the one. It runs about $15 new and contains specific exam information for all 33 exams. Each exam’s outline, base content, and then practice questions. It also explains how scoring and testing works. Since it’s very likely that all exams will undergo revision in late 2018, you’ll want to get a new edition for 2019, but until then, used is fine. My edition is from 2006!

8. The BEST ACT Prep

act ACT has an official course that aligns perfectly with their exams. Currently, it’s about $40 and allows access to course materials for 6 months. The prep course has a mobile app and will give a pre-test to your teen before they study. From that, it develops a learning program customized to your teen. All of this is done online from your home computer/phone. Official ACT Prep Course

9. The BEST SAT Prep

If you’re planning an SAT exam this semester, check out the official collaboration between Khan Academy and The College Board – they’ve put together an interactive study program that’s totally free and open access! In addition, it includes 6 adaptive practice tests, which correct and target questions toward your weaknesses. Before you pay for an expensive SAT Prep program, try this first. Khan Academy SAT Course

A tip: The SAT was redesigned in 2016, so be sure any prep materials you plan to use are for the new test format!

10. The BEST CLEP Prep Guides

I think the REA Guides are hands-down the best CLEP Prep books on the market. Why? They do things that the other guys don’t do.

They include content that is an identical distribution match to the exam. For example, if the exam will test you on 15% of a specific topic, then 15% of that topic will be in the REA guide.
They are not teaching guides, they are summaries. While this can be a disadvantage if you haven’t spent time on the subject, for those who have spent a whole semester or year in the topic, you really just need to go in and nail the key points – this is that.
They include practice tests, at least 2 but sometimes 3.
They give you a score “guesstimate” based on your practice test scores.
There are fantastic explanations for every practice question – know why an answer is true is sometimes essential when preparing for the real exam.

Many exams were revised in 2015, so please watch publication dates. It won’t necessarily mean an older book won’t work, but just do your homework and check that the distribution in the book you use is on target or that you’ve added in updated content. These links take you to the newest edition of each book.

“How does it work?

Did I mention the cost?

American Government

American Literature

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature

Biology

Calculus

Chemistry

College Algebra

College Composition

College Mathematics

English Literature

Financial Accounting

French Language

History of the United States I

History of the United States II

Introduction to Educational Psychology

Human Growth and Development

Humanities

Information Systems

Introductory Business Law

Introductory Psychology

Introductory Sociology

Natural Sciences

Passing the CLEP and Learning with Modern States

Precalculus

Principles of Macroeconomics

Principles of Management

Principles of Marketing

Principles of Microeconomics

Social Sciences and History

Spanish Language

Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648

Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present

AP Courses

AP Biology – Part 1: The Cell

AP Biology – Part 2: Genetics

AP Biology – Part 3: Evolution and Diversity

AP Biology – Part 4: Ecology

AP Biology – Part 5: Review and Exam Preparation

Calculus 1A: Differentiation

Calculus 1B: Integration

Calculus 1C: Coordinate Systems & Infinite Series

AP Calculus BC

AP Computer Science A: Java Programming

AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Classes and Objects

AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Data Structures and Loops

AP Computer Science A: Java Programming Polymorphism and Advanced Data Structures

AP English Literature & Composition – Part 1: Stories

AP English Literature & Composition – Part 2: Poems

AP English Literature & Composition – Part 3: Plays

AP Environmental Science – Part 1: The Living World

AP Environmental Science – Part 2: Populations

AP Environmental Science – Part 3: Pollution and Resources

AP Environmental Science – Part 4: Exam Review

Introduction to AP Human Geography

Introductory AP Microeconomics

AP Italian Language and Culture

AP Macroeconomics

AP Physics 1 – Part 1: Linear Motion

AP Physics 1 – Part 2: Rotational Motion

AP Physics 1 – Part 3: Electricity & Waves

AP Physics 1 – Part 4: Exam Prep

AP Physics 2 – Part 1: Fluids and Thermodynamics

AP Physics 2 – Part 2: Electricity and Magnetism

AP Physics 2 – Part 3: Optics and Modern Physics

AP Physics 2 – Part 4: AP Review and Exam Preparation

AP Psychology – Course 1: What is Psychology?

AP Psychology – Course 2: How the Brain Works

AP Psychology – Course 3: How the Mind Works

AP Psychology – Course 4: How Behavior Works

AP Psychology – Course 5: Health and Behavior

AP Psychology – Course 6: Exam Preparation & Review

AP Spanish Language and Culture

Share this:

Like this:

Who qualifies?

My teen wants a job that isn’t on this list

What’s the difference between tuition reimbursement and a scholarship?

I’m seeing a few names that are also on the tuition reimbursement list.