The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) gives students the chance to gain college credit for what they have learned in high school, internships, on-the-job training or independent study.

Instead of taking a course for an entire semester, save some money and get it over in 90 minutes or less by taking one of the 22 exams offered.

CLEP is especially convenient for college seniors who need a few more credit hours, but don’t want to spend another semester at school. They can take as many tests as needed in order to graduate on time.

Each test costs $25 for the registration fee and $77 that goes directly to CLEP for funding. Students may receive from three to six credits depending on the exam. Most are worth three credits, but a few award four or six hours.


J.T. Brumley, a freshman majoring in pre-business/management, has been out of school for eight years since high school and found taking a CLEP test not only helped his study habits, but allowed him to save time and money.

“I have taken three CLEP tests, which is the equivalent of a full-time student’s semester,” Brumley said. “If time and money are important to you, then CLEP would be a good way to go.”

CLEP testing has several positives compared to regular courses, but it depends on the student’s learning style. If a student learns better from peer interaction, lectures and study groups, then CLEP may not be a good idea.

“I would stress that students take CLEP tests in areas in which they have a reasonable amount of knowledge. It will make preparing a lot easier than starting from scratch,” Brumley said.

Assistant Director of Testing Services Danzo said students should call in advance, at least one week, to ensure they can take the test on the day they want.

A list of textbooks and study guides for each test can be found on the College Board website at www.collegeboard.com. Students can also check local libraries for the texts before buying since text books can be expensive and the book is only needed for a short period of time. CLEP is especially convenient for college seniors who need a few more credit hours, but don’t want to spend another semester at school. They can take as many tests as needed in order to graduate on time.

“I recommend that students give themselves at least a month of preparation time before taking the test,” Danzo said.“People are very emotional about the test. I’ve heard some students screaming and some crying.”

The complete list of exams offered by NKU can be found at testing.nku.edu/testing/clep.php. The site also lists the recommended skills and knowledge required to successfully complete a specific exam.

Exams can be taken Monday through Friday at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. or 1 p.m in the Testing Services office. To schedule a CLEP exam, students can call the Testing Services office at (859) 572-6373, stop by the office at University Center 101 or e-mail Danzo at danzoa1@nku.edu.

Story by Derick Bischoff