Online Education

During these tough post-recession economic times, high school students who get accepted into the schools of their dreams end up finding that they have a difficult time paying the bills. In order to combat this, many will delay their college education, not realizing that they’ll end up paying more in the long run with this method, due to inflation and the rising fees and tuitions colleges seem to introduce each semester. The only prudent way to beat the high cost of a higher education is to get started early. High school students are in especially good territory, as they are able to access a number of methods, such as CLEP (College Level Examination Program), which can save them money once they’re out on their own.?

Attempting to get an academic head start is not unfamiliar to most high schoolers. Advanced Placement (AP) tests and programs offered at the secondary education level allow students to exempt themselves from introductory coursework at their college or university. For instance, if the college you want to attend offers credit for good AP Biology test scores, taking that course and testing at the end of the school year has traditionally been recognized as the best way to skip past your preliminary freshman biology coursework. Although the AP system has been successfully in place since shortly after World War II, the fact of the matter is that in modern times where every penny saved is valuable, there are better alternatives.

CLEP exams are low cost ways for students to gain college credits, costing less than AP exams do. Passing standardized CLEP exams will result in your being awarded with anywhere from 3-12 college credits, at a fraction of the cost that the equivalent course enrollment would cost. By saving thousands of dollars with CLEP, many modern students are able to avoid the stigmas of the overbearing loans commonly associated with higher education.

CLEP is a good way to complete college quickly and efficiently, going at your own pace all the while. This is made clear to anyone who takes a CLEP test and doesn’t have to commit a whole semester to a subject they can easily master with online self-administered CLEP study programs. Collegeboard, the same company that regulates AP standards, is responsible for CLEP test content, offering CLEP programs for 34 different subjects. The wide range of available CLEP subjects means that a student can knock a year or two off of an expensive, bill-filled educational experience.

Your CLEP exam might consist of a 90 minute long session with about 90-140 test questions. In the US, active-duty and reserve military servicemembers have their CLEP costs paid for by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program, and there are 1,400 testing centers worldwide. If you’re wondering whether the CLEP exam and CLEP Tests credits you earn now will be accepted after high school, your chances are good, as 2,900 universities and colleges currently honor the CLEP system.

AP tests are unfortunately just less accessible than CLEPs. In order to receive your credits, you must study attentively in the corresponding AP class for the year. You are also limited as to when you can take the AP exam. CLEPs are also cheaper than AP exams.

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