Online College And University Degrees

Also known as the College-Level Examination Program, the CLEP can shave off critical academic time and thousands of dollars off of a degree. A computer-based exam, it assesses one's erudition on a subject. If one passes, he or she needn't take the course on the same subject.

It should be noted that not all schools treat the CLEP the same. Their policies do vary widely from school to school. Some colleges limit the total amount of credit you can earn. Others grant exemption from a course, but give no credit toward a degree. So before registering for a CLEP exam, check which exams are accepted and how much credit you'll get, the best way to do so is with one's career counselor.

As said before, all exams are administered by computer. They usually take 1 ½ hours and consist mostly of multiple-choice questions, with some fill-in-the-blank questions or a possible essay. For instance, the English Composition with Essay includes doing a complete piece in 45-minutes. From there, one usually has another 45-minute block for 50 multiple-choice questions.

Each test is timed to take 1 ½ hours and it is highly advised to never take more than two exams in one day. If you are unsure about whether you should take the exam or not, samples of old exams are available on the Web. Once your CLEP exams are finished you will know what your online education will consist of.

As the exam is administered by computer, it can provide one's score within minutes of finishing it. Even though you'll know if you passed or not, no university will take your word for it. You'll have to wait additional four or so weeks for a printed result to be sent to you and the university. The only exception to this process is the English comprehension test. Due to the essay, one won't get their score for four weeks no matter what.

The cost of the test is $77 with a service fee charged by the testing center. If one is in or just left the military, the additional charges could either be covered or waved by the federal government. No matter how you look at it, taking the CLEP is not only a considerable time saver, but also of money. Most schools accept as many as 12 credit hours via the CLEP. That adds up to a full semester one ends up not having to take and getting one's online education that much faster.