If you want to earn credit for life experience, one option is testing for college credit.

You can speed up your degree by taking certain tests, which will exempt you from as much as one-third or more of your total required credits. These tests range from testing proficiency in a particular field to measuring your previous academic experience, so be sure to research which tests are right for your situation.

The institutions that accept these tests will vary, but most will charge a small fee for each test and/or applicable credit exemption. The fee is minimal, and usually no more than $100 per test. Compared to $600+ for a course, not to mention the time commitment, this is a bargain! Below are some common tests that are widely accepted, and some information about the appropriate uses of these tests.

Here are 5 common tests you can take to earn credit for life experience:

College Board Advanced Placement Examinations

Before you start college, try taking the Advance Placement Exams given by the College Board. These are designed to give students credits prior to their first year of college. There are 13 program that offer these tests, including: arts and languages, computer science, history, mathematics, the natural sciences, and social sciences.

These exams are ideal for an adult student who is prepared for college, and who has taken a GED before applying. The fees for this exam are around $80, with a $22 reduction for students proving financial need, as well as some compensation by certain institutions. About one-fifth of students applying for college would benefit from this exam, so if you want to knock off some credits even before your education starts, the Advanced Placement Examinations are a great place to start.

CLEP (College Level Examination Program ) College Credit by Examination

More than 2,800 institutions recognize and award credits based on the CLEPs exams taken by students each year, making it the most widely accepted exam for testing for credit. It costs only $50 to take, and can greatly accelerate your time in college or university

The CLEPs are divided into two categories. The General Examinations cover basic areas of knowledge, such as English, Humanities and Science, and can cover up to 30 hours of semester credits for a student who does well. The Subject Examinations are more specifically tuned to a particular topic, and each one of the 29 tests can account for between 3 to 12 hours of credits.

DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSSTs)

These tests examine a student’s proficiency in college and technical subjects, and are equivalent to the final exams for many undergraduate courses. The DANTES Tests are intensive, and determine whether a student has knowledge equivalent to prior college education. They are especially useful for military personnel, but civilians may take the tests as well. There are 37 different tests, in subjects such as business, physical science, social science, applied technology, and humanities. The tests are $40 each.

Proficiency Examination Programs (PEP)

These exams are available on a variety of topics, and are accepted by about 900 colleges and universities. They come in multiple choice and exam format, and the price ranges from $40 to $140 depending on the format and subject.

Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)

For students going to graduate school, these examinations are the most common form of application. They can be applied to up to 30 credits of graduate school if a student does extremely well. The exams come in two formats, general and subject-specific, and the price ranges from $99 for the general and $130 for the specific exam.

This is Part 2 in a 3-part series on college credit for life experience. To continue to Part 3, visit: Life experience Credit: Challenge Course Work to Earn Credit.

(To start over at Part 1, visit: Life Experience Credit – Earning College Credit for Life Experience.)

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1. DANTES Testing
2. CLEP Prepration
3. College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
4. Challenge course to get college credit for life experience
5. College Level Examination Program (CLEP)