College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP ®)
CLEP and PLA
Using Credit by Exam to
Demonstrate Learning
Why Do We Want or
Need Adult Learners?
• Only 39% of the U.S. adult population hold a two- or 4year degree (SOURCE: Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, 2007)
• There are 6.8 million adult learners or 70% of the
enrollment involved in some form of post-secondary
education (SOURCE: National Center for Education
Statistics)
• Our national and states’ economic recovery depends on
a highly skilled and educated labor force.
CLEP AND PLA
Efficiency and Effectiveness
 Early research indicates assessing prior college-level learning
experiences increase effectiveness and efficiencies for the college
student.
 A greater emphasis on seamless articulation across higher
education systems and institutions increases.
 Ways to standardize the assessment of prior learning:
 PLA recognition for “course-match” models.
 Nationally recognized, standardized credit by exam increases
credit portability (See-ACE, CLEP, CAEL)
•
CLEP is the most widely used, college-based credit-by-examination system
in the United States and is also used by international students. By
succeeding on a CLEP exam, individuals may earn between three and 12
college credits at 2,900 institutions.
CLEP Overview
• Credit-by-examination program serving a diverse group of students,
including adults, non-traditional learners, and military service members
• More than seven million exams taken since 1967
• 1,700+ colleges administer CLEP
• 211,000 exams administered in 2009–10, including 76,500 administered to
military service members
• Exam fee = $77.00
• New website- http://clep.collegeboard.org
CLEP Core Purposes
CLEP allows students to demonstrate acquired mastery of
college-level course content.
CLEP allows students to translate knowledge into college
credit, commonly recognized by qualifying scores in the
program’s 33 exams.
CLEP allows diverse groups, including adult students, nontraditional learners, and military service members to save
time and money as they pursue a college degree.
Where can I find more information about the
College Level Examination Program?
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html
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Save Time. Save Money. Take CLEP.
The College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP) provides the opportunity
to receive college credit for prior learning by earning qualifying scores on
any of 33 examinations. Earn credit for knowledge you've acquired
through independent study, prior course work, on-the-job training,
professional development, cultural pursuits, or internships.
Check out the College Board CLEP website to find outHow to prepare?
What do the exams cover?
Where to test?
How to order a transcript for scores?
Which colleges accept CLEP for credit?
About the CLEP Exams
Structure
 33 computer-based exams.
 Mostly multiple-choice, essays, and listening sections for foreign languages
 Most are approximately 90 minutes in length.
Scoring
 “Rights-only” scoring (no penalty for wrong answers).
 Immediate score reports (except exams with essays).
 Scores based on American Council of Education (ACE) recommendations for credit-granting.
Development
 More than 600 faculty contribute to the development of and standard-setting for CLEP
examinations.
 Standing faculty committees oversee ongoing test development, shape content, review data,
set exam policies.
 Opportunities to participate in College Board ACES Placement Validity studies.
33 CLEP Examinations
History and Social Sciences
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American Government
History of the United States I
History of the United States II
Human Growth and Development
Introduction to Educational Psychology
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Introductory Psychology
Introductory Sociology
Social Sciences and History
Western Civilization I
Western Civilization II
Business
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Information Systems and Computer
Applications
Principles of Management
Financial Accounting
Introductory Business Law
Principles of Marketing
Composition and Literature
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American Literature
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
College Composition
College Composition Modular
English Literature
Humanities
Science and Mathematics
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Calculus
College Algebra
Precalculus
College Mathematics
Biology
Chemistry
Natural Sciences
Foreign Languages
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French Language
German Language
Spanish Language
New CLEP Composition Exams
College Composition
College Composition Modular
Effective July 1, 2010
Has your institution set credit policy for the new exams?
www.collegeboard.com/clepcomposition
CLEP Scoring and Standard Setting
What does the recommended credit-granting score of 50 represent?
• A scaled score of 50 is used as the passing score—equivalent to a C in the
comparable course—for all CLEP exams.
• Each exam undergoes a standard-setting study by a panel of college faculty
who teach the equivalent course.
• The panel determines the skills and knowledge that a typical C student can
demonstrate upon completing the comparable course. Then each exam
question is evaluated for difficulty and relevance in light of that typical
student’s abilities.
• CLEP scaled score range is 20-80. The final credit-granting score
recommended by the panel is converted to a scaled score of 50.
Who Takes CLEP?
 Adults returning to college
 Military service members and
veterans
 Students who are fluent in
Spanish, French, or German
 Students at risk for stopping out
or struggling with finances
 Students with high SAT or ACT
scores and homeschooled
 Juniors or seniors who have not
met lower-division
requirements
 Transfer students
 International students needing
to translate their overseas
credit
CLEP Makes a Difference to Students
91% said CLEP made a
difference in their ability to
complete their degrees
70% said CLEP made a
difference in their ability to
finance their degrees
2004 Survey of Students
2008 Survey of National Test Takers
45% have taken an
online course
70% are working
full- or part-time
45% are first-generation college
students
Age Group
Exams Administered to National Candidates, 2009-10
36 and
older, 21%
Under 18,
8%
30-35, 11%
18-22, 38%
23-29, 22%
Education Level
Exams Administered to National Candidates, 2009-10
College
grad, 12%
College
senior, 27%
High school
student,
11%
High school
grad, 9%
College
freshman,
14%
College
junior, 11%
College
sophomore
, 16%
Advising Students about CLEP
Connect your students to CLEP!
Easy to follow steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Review Campus credit-by-exam policy.
Talk to your advisor. Determine how CLEP will fit with your academic
plan and degree program.
Identify which exam(s) to take.
Locate a CLEP test center by visiting:
www.collegeboard.com/cleptestcenters
Schedule an appointment with the test center.
Prepare/review for the exam.
Take the exam.
8. Count the money you saved on tuition and textbook costs!
Strategies to Connect
Adult Learners with CLEP
Partnerships with local, regional, and state
agencies.
State and system policies (Adult Learning
Consortiums) support consistent credit policies for
CLEP to minimize course duplication and
accumulation of excess credits.
Partnerships with military and reserve units.
CLEP exams are fully funded for active military and
costs can be reimbursed for veterans.
Highest Volume CLEP Exams
National CBT, 2009-10
30,000
26,500
25,000
20,000
15,000
9,300
10,000
7,600
7,700
6,600
College
Algebra
Introductory
Sociology
5,000
0
Spanish
Analyzing & English Comp
Interpreting Lit w/ Essay
Highest Volume CLEP Exams
Exams Administered to National and Military Candidates, 2008-09
40,000
35,000
34,000
30,000
27,000
25,000
20,000
14,000
15,000
14,000
13,000
9,000
10,000
5,000
0
Composition
Exams*
Spanish
Analyzing &
Interpreting
Literature
College
Math
College
Algebra
*Freshman College Composition, English Composition with and without Essay
Sociology
CLEP Test Prep for Students
• CLEP prep center provides links
to free online resources and
textbook suggestions
• CLEP Official Study Guide,
covering all 33 exams
• Downloadable study guides for
each exam
www.collegeboard.com/clepprep
CLEP Services for Students and Colleges
• CLEP website for professionals: professionals.collegeboard.com/clep
– Information on test development, administering CLEP exams, advising students,
self-paced CLEP 101 tutorials
• CLEP website for students: www.collegeboard.com/clep
– Exam descriptions, test prep information, test center search, transcript request
forms
• Order form for free publications for students:
www.collegeboard.com/clepresources
Connecting Students to CLEP
on Your Campus
Faculty &
Advisers
Admissions
Office
Test Center
Registrar’s
Office
Students
Adult &/or
Veterans
Office
The College Board
College Completion Agenda
•
In a knowledge-based economy, critical-thinking and research-oriented
skills are necessary to be successful productive employees.
•
The % of American adults with postsecondary credentials is not keeping
pace with other industrialized nations.
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To help policymakers and educators achieve the goal of 55% by 2025, The
College Board Advocacy & Policy Center has developed the College
Completion AgendaTwo new resources for policymakers and educators, The College
Completion Agenda 2010 Progress Report and The College Completion
Agenda State Policy Guide provide:
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groundbreaking reports to provide the best state by state data and information to inform and
shape education policy and improve college success. ( Chapter 10-Adult Education)
a new dynamic, interactive website combines data with policy strategies, allowing
information to be easily accessed and customized by each state.
http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org
Contact
Pamela A. Kerouac
Senior Assessment Manager
The College Board
pkerouac@collegeboard.org
CLEP Email: clep@collegeboard.org