How CLEP Can Help High School Students

If there’s one thing we know at SpeedyPrep, it’s that CLEP exams are an effective way to save money and earn college credit. But what most people don’t realize is that you don’t necessarily have to be enrolled in college to take CLEP exams and bank credits for your college career.

In this blog, the CLEP study guide experts will show you how CLEP exams can be beneficial for high school students, helping them to shorten their college careers and earn college credit before they fill out college applications or receive acceptance letters. All it takes is a little money and some hard work to find some college success in the high school world!

You can earn college credit.

Obviously. The whole point of CLEP exams is to help you earn college credit—it doesn’t matter if you’re in high school, the military, or living on campus. For some high schoolers, AP, IB or dual-credit courses might not be available, which leaves CLEP as an excellent option for earning college credit before you even set foot on a college campus. Plus, you don’t have to take an actual course to earn CLEP credits like you would with AP, IB or dual-credit.  

CLEP exams in high school can make the college experience easier as well. Let’s say you pass five CLEP exams during your high school career, and all five count for college credit. That’s at least 15 college credits (basically an entire semester) earned before college even begins!

Now let’s break down the money behind that. Five CLEP tests will earn you 15 credits and cost you $425 ($85 x 5 tests), and 15 college credits will cost you $4,725 on average ($315 per credit hour), which doesn’t include other fees that come with being a college student. That’s roughly $4300 in savings for a single semester of college credit. The best part? It’s possible to take more than five CLEP exams, earn more college credit, and save more money.

This doesn’t even take CLEP’s time-saving benefits into account. Students are taking longer and longer to graduate than ever before, so if you can shave off a semester or a year from your college career, you’ll be closer to the working world (and hopefully, a high earning potential) than someone who takes a more traditional college route.

Be sure that you check with your prospective college(s) to make sure the CLEP exams you’re going to take will count as college credit. With an already busy high school schedule filled with classes and extracurriculars, it might not be worth your time to pursue a CLEP exam that isn’t going to earn you college credit.

However, CLEP exams for college credit or not certainly have their benefits…

You can appear more college ready.

If you’re vying for spots in competitive universities and degree programs, every extracurricular activity and extra effort counts. In a sea of applicants with similarly stunning GPAs and ACT/SAT scores, you need to boost your application with accomplishments that go beyond honor’s society and community service—and that’s where CLEP courses can help. Even if some of your CLEP exams don’t necessarily translate to college credit, they show university admissions employees that you are dedicated to furthering your education, expanding your range of knowledge, and most importantly, working hard to achieve your academic goals. That’s what sets you apart from all the other 4.1 GPA, three-sport athletes of the bunch.

You (or your parents) can save money.

CLEP isn’t just a great investment in your education—it can be a great investment for your parents as well. Whether you or your parents are paying for your education (or perhaps you’re splitting the bill), a single CLEP exam that could earn you three college credits costs $85—a single credit hour costs about $315 on average. That could save you $850 on a single class before you even factor in student fees and other college costs.

Follow these instructions: Copy the link to this blog, email it to your parents, and have a sit-down meeting with them on the benefits of CLEP tests. They’ll most likely be happy to spot you the money to register for the tests when they know it’ll save them thousands down the road, and you’ll be happy to have an easier and shorter college experience when the time comes.

Speed up the process with SpeedyPrep!

The academic, extracurricular, and social obligations of high school can leave you with little time to tackle CLEP exams and earn college credit. Fortunately, SpeedyPrep’s CLEP study guides and test prep materials can help you learn CLEP exam material and pass CLEP exams quicker and easier than ever before. Save thousands, shave semesters off your college career, and graduate faster—and get started before college does. Try SpeedyPrep today!