How To Test Out of College Courses

Everyone is excited to join college immediately after high school. However, college tends to be more expensive and time-consuming. This is why most people find it easier to get college credit to knock out some entry courses. Credit by examination is a new secret that’s gaining a lot of popularity in the higher education world. It involves taking particular examinations on similar topics to those in entry or intermediate level courses.
What’s credit by examination?
This simply means taking tests for particular subjects or topics to help you earn college credit in the program of your choice. Credit by examination is largely used for general education classes. The number of credits accepted depend on the institution’s policies and mostly ranges between 15 and 30 credit hours. Some people view taking tests for classes not attended to be actually intimidating. However, the truth is that there’s nothing to fear since the tests mainly cover the subject generally. Additionally, some programs will also provide study resources and materials which you can use to prepare for the actual test. It’ll be even easier for those with life or work-related experience with the topic or subject. If you’re willing to take credit by examination, you must determine if the college you’re going offers such tests. You can simply talk to the enrollment officers within the institution.
How to test out of college courses
There are many ways to test out college courses to earn credit by examination, as explained below:

College level examination program (CLEP)
You’ll be lucky to earn credit by examination if the college of your choice policies allow this. One of the common credit by examination options you’ll likely get in this case is the college level examination program (CLEP). Regardless of your background or age, you can easily use this program to showcase your knowledge in entry level subjects and earn credits. There are many types of CLEP examinations that students can take in many different topics, including business, history and social sciences, composition and literature, science and mathematics, and world languages. The average testing fee to take CLEP is around $89. In most institutions, this fee is usually non-refundable if the student fails or doesn’t show up for the exam. It’s essential to be adequately prepared in advance.
Excelsior College Exams (ECE)
They’re also called UExcel or ECE exams. These forms of credit by exams aren’t popular in institutions of higher learning. However, this shouldn’t stop you from exploring or gaining interest in the program. If you’re willing to undertake UExcel examinations, it’s advisable to check out if the college of your interest provides such services before you register for their tests. The main benefit of the Excelsior College Exam is that you can apply to various degree programs or transfer your credits to other colleges. Although it’s not popular in most colleges, it provides more subjects compared to other credit by exam options like CLEP and DSST. This also translates to its higher testing fees. The common subjects tested in Excelsior college exam programs include social sciences and history, humanities, business and technology, and natural science and math.
DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST)
This is another common credit by exam option in most institutions of higher learning. This program is limited to certain institutions. People who’ve served in the military tend to choose this credit by exam option since they’ve got some knowledge that makes it easier to pass entry level courses in colleges. The DSST covers 38 subjects in topics like social science, business, math, technology, humanities, and physical science. Military members and veterans take the tests for free.
Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IP) testing
This program provides tests to students to earn college credits during the end term. If you manage to pass this test, there are higher chances that you’ll complete the first year of your college studies. AP and IB testing programs are costly, although students can get financial help from their high schools. If a student passes an advanced placement test, the college will either award credit hours, advanced standing, or both.
University challenge exams
If you’re not willing to take the common credit by exam options, you can consider getting university challenge exams, also called institutional exams. As the name suggests, these are tests developed internally by the schools to help students advance their suitable programs by gaining credit. These exams are similar to final tests, which the student has to pass to be exempted from completing various classes in their program of interest. The best thing about university challenge exams is that once you fail the test, you’ve got the option to retake the test after a specified period. University challenge exams also require some fees. Generally, they’re less costly compared to buying books and paying tuition fees to take the complete course.
Importance of testing out college courses
There are many benefits why students should test out college courses, as explained below:
a. Saves money
Credit by examinations helps students save a lot of money. With college courses going for $300-$600 per hour, earning some college credits means that you’ll cut these costs by a huge margin. Students are advised to test out courses that aren’t of importance to cut costs by even half.
b. Saves time
If you manage to earn college credits, you can save at least 15 hours per week which can translate into a full semester.
c. Graduate faster
Everyone wants to graduate faster and enter the job market as quickly as possible to gain some skills, experience, and career growth in general. Testing out college courses will reduce your course workload and help you complete your studies faster and graduate.
d. Enjoy college more
Testing out college courses will help you eliminate boredom and workload, thus making your experience more interesting. Generally, you’ll focus on more advanced academic areas.
In conclusion, these are the top benefits of testing out college courses. It’s essential to check if the school provides your favorite program before enrolling.