How Homeschoolers Earn College Credit with CLEP Exams
Published:
March 18, 2025
Contributor:
Sarah Shelton
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.
If you’re thinking about how to speed up your child’s journey to a college degree and save a LOT of money, then CLEP exams might be just what you need. The College-Level Examination Program, or CLEP, offers a way for homeschoolers to earn college credit by taking tests that show what they already may know about certain subjects.
Earn College Credit with CLEP Exams
Having your homeschooler CLEP some college courses can help them move faster to a degree and save you a lot of money! Many homeschool families like to encourage their high schoolers to study for CLEP exams over summer break and tailor their homeschool studies to help them to pass CLEP Exams.
Some students may want to take an extra year in homeschool, sometimes called a “super senior year”. This is a great time to have your child explore careers, and work on some independent study for CLEP exams to earn college credit hours.
Let’s break down what CLEP exams are, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage in your homeschool.
What is CLEP?
CLEP stands for College-Level Examination Program. It’s a set of tests that cover a wide range of subjects, from social sciences to foreign languages.
By passing these tests, your student can earn college credit for what they already know. This can be a huge help if they have studied a subject on their own, through job training, or in your homeschool and they want to get credit for it.
Why Take CLEP Exams?
- Save Money: CLEP exams are a cost-effective way to earn college credit. The CLEP exam fee is currently around $95, which is much less than paying for a full college course. There might also be a small administrative fee at the testing center.
- Save Time: By passing CLEP tests, you can skip some introductory or advanced courses, which means your child can finish their degree faster.
- Flexible Options: CLEP exams are offered at official CLEP test centers across the United States, and they can also be taken through remote proctoring, which lets you take the test online from home.
- Wide Range of Subjects: CLEP tests cover many different subject areas, including general education subjects like college composition, and more specific topics like social sciences and foreign languages. You can choose the exams that best fit your student’s needs and knowledge.
How Do CLEP Exams Work?
- Choosing an Exam: There are many CLEP exams available, so you’ll want to check the list of CLEP exams on the College Board website. You can find exams that cover general subjects or specific courses.
- Preparing for the Test: To get ready for a CLEP exam, you can use study guides and practice tests. The College Board website provides official study guides, and Modern States offers free online courses to help you prepare.
- Registering for the Exam: To sign up for a CLEP exam, you’ll need to go to the College Board CLEP website and complete the CLEP registration. You’ll pay the CLEP exam fee, and receive CLEP registration tickets to bring to the testing center.
- Test Day: On the day of the exam, your student will need to bring a valid photo ID, like a driver’s license or passport, along with the CLEP registration ticket.
- Taking the Exam: CLEP exams are usually made up of multiple-choice questions, though some exams might include essay questions. The test will be taken at a CLEP test center or through remote proctoring, where a proctor oversees the exam online.
- Receiving the Scores: After taking the exam, you’ll get an unofficial score report. The official results are sent to the colleges you chose during registration. The minimum score needed to pass varies by school but is generally around 50 out of 80.
How Does CLEP Credit Work?
- Earning Credit: When your student passes a CLEP exam, they will earn college credit that is usually equivalent to completing the college-level course on that subject. The number of credits and how they apply to the degree depends on the college’s examination policy.
- Applying CLEP Credit: The CLEP credit can be used for various types of course credits, including general education requirements, elective credit, or even advanced standing in some degree programs. If your homeschooler is already in college, check with the academic advisor to see how CLEP credits can be used for their specific degree program.
- Credit Transfer: Not all colleges accept CLEP credits, so it’s important to check with the school or the College Board CLEP website to see if the scores will be accepted. Each college has its own policy for accepting CLEP credits.
- Credits for Military Personnel: CLEP exams are also useful for military personnel and veterans who want to earn college credit for their training and service. Special resources and support are available for these students.
Can Homeschoolers Take CLEP Exams?
Originally, CLEP exams were designed for adult learners and people serving in the military that didn’t have time to go to college. Now, they are open to anyone!
There is no age requirement, and you do not have to show that you are enrolled in any school to register to take the CLEP Exams.
What topics do CLEP Exams cover?
You will be surprised to see how many topics you can get college credit for. There are 33 subject-specific exams offered. The topics that CLEP Exams cover are:
Business
- Financial Accounting
- Information Systems
- Introductory Business Law
- Principles of Management
- Principles and Marketing
Composition and Literature
- American Literature
- Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
- College Composition Modular
- College Composition
- English Literature
- Humanities
History and Social Sciences
- American Government
- History of the United States I
- History of the United States II
- Western Civilization I
- Western Civilization II
- Social Sciences and History
- Principles of Macroeconomics
- Principles of Microeconomics
- Introductory Sociology
- Introductory Psychology
- Human Growth and Development
Science and Mathematics
- Biology
- Calculus
- Chemistry
- College Algebra
- College Mathematics
- Natural Sciences
- PreCalculus
World Languages
- French
- German
- Spanish
- Spanish with Writing
Helpful Tips for Success
- Plan Ahead: Review the list of CLEP exams and choose the ones that match your student’s knowledge and college goals.
- Study Smart: Use available study guides and practice tests to prepare. Join study groups if possible, and consider using online resources like Modern States.
- Know the Requirements: Be aware of the minimum score needed for passing and how the credits will apply to the degree. Have your student consult with an academic advisor to make sure they are on track.
- Prepare for Test Day: Ensure you have all necessary items, including your photo ID and CLEP registration ticket. Arrive early and follow all instructions provided by the test center or remote proctor.
CLEP Study Resources
These are different resources that we recommend to help with prepare for any of the CLEP exams that are completely free to use. There are quite a few different ones that your students can choose from.
Study.com CLEP Test Prep Courses – These online test prep courses include engaging videos that have practice quizzes with them. The quizzes cover the types of questions that will be on the exam. All courses have chapter exams and final assessments to help reinforce what has been taught.
The video lessons, flash cards, practice questions and practice tests will help prepare your student for the exams. These can be accessed on any device, and can even be done offline.
Modern States – Modern States is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to making college free for anyone. The courses from Modern States are taught by college professors specifically for CLEP subjects. All of the courses are self-paced and free to use.
Modern States will even pay for your student to take the CLEP exam which saves you close to $100! After the coursework and practice questions are completed, you can request a CLEP voucher code to bring to your testing center.
CLEP College Board Study Resources by Exam – The official college board website CLEP page has links to many different study resources for each specific CLEP exam subject. This includes Modern States and other resources from different colleges.
CLEP Exams Study Books
Study Books of Amazon for CLEP Exams
A great source to find study books for any of the CLEP exams can be found on Amazon. In addition to the study materials, the books usually include at least 1 full practice test to see if your homeschool student knows the material. There is usually a good variety of used books to save you even more money.
Conclusion
CLEP exams are a great way for your teens to earn free college credits and achieve a college degree much faster than normal. It is very flexible and great for independent learners just like homeschool students!
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Sarah Shelton
Sarah is a wife, daughter of the King and Mama to 4 children (two homeschool graduates) She is a an eclectic, Charlotte Mason style homeschooler that has been homeschooling for over 20 years. She is still trying to find the balance between work and keeping a home and gardens. She can only do it by the Grace of God, coffee and green juice!
