Online Learning College Degree Program, College Equivalency Tests?
Q: When I went to college, you could take equivalency tests & get credit
for courses which you hadn't taken, such as algebra.
As the US economy worsens, & as savvy students try to avoid student
loans & heavy debt, ... wouldn't a cheaper way to earn credit, for the
first two years or so of required college courses be, to study these
subjects at home/library/internet, & then take the equivalency tests?
Do colleges still offer these equivalency tests?
A:I assume you are talking about CLEP (College Level Examination
Programs????). Yes the do exist. In my experience, you generally need
to be a student somewhere in order to take these - at least that was
my experience in Virginia
Others may have better information
Generally these tests are the "general education requirements". As I
recall I took American History, English Lit, that kind of stuff.
I believe NJ has a college site called something like Edison College Program
which awards college credit for jobs, life experiences, various college courses
taken for interest, etc.
Guess you would have to contact your state Dept. of Higher Education for
specific requirements in your state.
The best I can remember, they had us take the equivalency tests, the
summer before our first semester at college, in order to see which
courses we could skip & which we'd have to take.
So, you might have to sign up for one semester of college at some
places, in order to take these tests & receive the college credits for
them, ... or not. ???
If you learned enough on your own, then you might could skip taking (&
paying for) most of the courses required in the first two years of
college, & still get credit for them.
They are called CLEP tests. Available in New York and probably elesewhere.