College Level Examination Program
Testing Center

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program. More than 2,900 accredited institutions of higher education, including Fort Lewis College, award credit for satisfactory scores on CLEP exams. CLEP offers a way to receive credit for "what you know." At FLC, students can earn between 3 and 16 credits from taking a single exam.

Taking CLEP exams can shorten the time it takes to earn your degree, allow you to skip general introductory courses, and even satisfy a proficiency requirement by demonstrating that you've already mastered the content. CLEP exams can reduce the number of courses you need to graduate, saving hundreds of dollars in tuition.

CLEP exams are recommended for students who have a strong background in a subject (from high school or self-education) and want to skip elementary level classes in that subject. For example, a student who lived in Spain for six months may feel more comfortable taking the Spanish Language CLEP exam instead of introductory level Spanish classes. Or a student who took an AP Biology class in high school but didn't take the AP exam may want to take the CLEP Biology exam to get credit for his/her higher level of knowledge in that subject.

CLEP exams are not recommended for students who want to skip a subject because he or she doesn't like it or doesn't usually do well in it. For example, a student who didn't like Mathematics classes in high school and earned C's and D's in them shouldn't take a CLEP exam just to finish the Mathematics portion of General Education.

If you want to know if you are a good candidate for a CLEP exam, please contact the Testing Center Coordinator or your College Academic Advisor to discuss it.

There are two steps to register for a CLEP exam:

1. Schedule an exam time
2. Create an account on the CLEP website. Here you will purchase your exam and print a registration voucher. You MUST bring the registration voucher to your appointment. You MUST also bring one current photo ID with a signature, such as a driver's license, passport, or state identification card.

The total cost for CLEP exams is $118, but it must be paid in two separate parts.

• $93 to CLEP, payable online when you register for your exam on the CLEP website. Remember to print your registration and payment voucher. Bring this to your appointment.
• $25 is paid to FLC for proctoring and is payable by cash, check, charge to your FLC student account, or online by credit card.

• https://clep.collegeboard.org/register
• Pre-pay Fort Lewis $25 Proctor Fee - https://secure.touchnet.com/C20760_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=41&_ga=1.73446098.1791034069.1391206184

• You may earn no more than 24 credits through CLEP.
• You may not repeat a particular exam within three months of a previous attempt.
• You may not take credit-by-exam for a course that is equivalent to a class that you have already taken. (For example, you may not take the College Algebra exam if you have already completed Math 110.)
  Exceptions to this policy: If you have a "W" (withdrawal) for the equivalent course, you are still eligible to test in that subject. If you have an "I" (incomplete) for the equivalent course, you are not eligible to test. If you discuss this issue with the instructor of the course, and he/she chooses to change your "I" to a "W", then you would be eligible.
• You may not take credit-by-exam to get credit for a course that is more elementary than a course that you have previously completed or are currently enrolled in. For example, if you are currently enrolled in Comp 250, you may not take the College Composition exam to receive credit for Comp 150
  • Exceptions to this policy: If a CLEP exam covers more than one course ( multiple semesters of Modern Language) and you have taken one of those courses, you must prove your eligibility to take the exam.
    Eligible students:
    a) Have received a grade of C or higher in that class; and
    b) Acknowledge that any grades previously earned by equivalent coursework will not be replaced by CLEP “X” credit.
• CLEP Policy from the Writing Program (Effective 5-1-2010): Fort Lewis College will not grant credit for a CLEP examination if a student has successfully completed (with a C- or higher) a more advanced course in the sequence (including transfer credit) or is currently enrolled in a more advanced course in the sequence. For example, CLEP credit for CO-1 (COMP 150) will not be given if a student has already successfully completed or transferred in a CO-2 course (COMP 250, 252, or 253; SOC 210; HIST 250; ENGL 268) with a C- or higher or is currently enrolled in CO-2.

The College Board makes a compilation study guide each year that covers information and types of questions for all tests.  You may purchase a guide online at https://clep.collegeboard.org or you can rent study material from the FLC library.  A CLEP Official Study Guide book may be looked over in the Testing Center during our hours of operation. They can be purchased online through various online markets for just under $16.

Credit earned by exam becomes part of your permanent academic record after you successfully complete one semester of regular coursework at FLC. This means that you may take as much credit-by-exam as you like, provided it is under the 24 credit limit. However, it will not become part of your academic record until you complete your first semester. If you leave FLC before the end of your first semester, credit-by-exam will not appear on your transcripts.

Fort Lewis College offers credit for only the College Board CLEP exams listed above. FLC only recognizes the passing scores listed on our CLEP brochure, available at the Testing Center. FLC does offer credit for some locally prepared challenge exams. Students may receive credit-by-exam similar to CLEP credit by taking such an exam.

When you complete the computer-based CLEP, you will receive an unofficial score report immediately (excluding English Composition with Essay). This is the only score report you will receive. An official score report is mailed to the college or university of your choice once your payment has cleared and CLEP verifies that you have not tested within the last three months. If you have taken a CLEP exam at a different location and need your scores mailed to Fort Lewis College, call CLEP at (609) 771.7865.

For more information about CLEP, please visit CLEP's website.