Good college credits have become necessary for fulfilling college requirements or for applying for a good job. Each of the students can earn credits by obtaining high marks in their optional subjects. However, there is a certain level of competence that gives a ceiling to the credits that can be obtained. Though earning a certain amount of credits can cost a few hundred dollars, the number of hours that you have to spend in class is unimaginable and moreover a tedious task. So, alternative college level examinations are presently on the rise that will help you earn credit easily. This article will give details on such examinations and how to earn credit by appearing for them.
How to earn credit from College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
College level examination program tests allow students to gain necessary college credits easily in reduced time and less fraction of a cost. These examinations are available for those who have commendable proficiency in foreign languages. Hence, the college level examination program can be considered as a short-cut for gaining college credits. College level examination program offers examinations and college credits in the following languages:
- French: Level I and Level II
- German: Level I and Level II
- Spanish: Level I and Level II
Each level of examination is equivalent to one or two years of language class in college. The language examinations are a combination of subjective and objective questions. Some peculiarities of the examination are:
- It consists of a total of 120 questions with an allotted time of 90 minutes.
- It has basically two sections, namely listening and reading.
- In the listening section there is a subsection called Rejoinders, where you have to choose the best response after listening to a short prompt.
- Another subsection in listening is the Narratives and dialogues part, where you similarly have to choose an apt response after listening to longer prose or passages.
- In the reading section you will be given a reading comprehension where there are sentences, clause passages and reading paragraphs. This primarily tests your vocabulary structure and comprehension ability.
- Each test is scored in a range of 20 to 80.
In each of the above mentioned tests, students can earn credits between 3 and 12 per test. Each CLEP exam costs $72 on each credit administered whereas traditional universities and private institutions charge shockingly at the rate of $200 to $1000 per college credit. These CLEP test credits are accepted by over 3,000 colleges and universities in the US and abroad. Further at the discretion of the students they have to inquire with desired colleges and universities about the lowest accepted score for taking up CLEP exam. This can help you determine the CELP score you must achieve to receive college credit.
These college level examination programs are a phenomenal way to meet your credit requirements. This is because of the following advantages:
- It helps in staying within budget and earning credits faster.
- As compared to different levels of foreign language requirements, it would cost a lump sum of $1000 to $500 in a traditional classroom.
- It helps to save time as those who are proficient in foreign languages merely need 2 days of CLEP preparation, while a college course might take you 8 to 10 weeks.
In short, the saving offered by CLEP on your money as well as time is spectacular.
How to earn credit by appearing for GRE
Another exam that helps you in earning credit is the GRE examination. These examinations help graduate school applicants to achieve college credits that distinguish them from their peers. The GRE or Graduate Reasoning Exam helps students to gain college credits that are equivalent to a college year, merely from a single test.
Certain colleges and regional universities offer up to 30 credits for taking one of these exams! Some popular subjects on which GRE examinations are available are:
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Computer Science
- Literature in English
- Biology and Biochemistry
- Molecular biology
- Mathematics
- Physics
The cost of the examination for US residents is about $150. If you can attain a minimum score as stipulated, 30 credit hours can be assured immediately. Each college and university has different exam and credit policies for GRE, so it is necessary to find out their recommended GRE score before you can enrol. It is advised that you check with your advisors to verify the college credit policies at your institution.
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