Rather than take a 15-week course, students can earn college credit by taking just one exam.

The College Level Examination Program allows individuals to earn college credit by displaying mastery of a college subject through testing. CLEP is offered only to current TCC students, and examinations are administered by appointment only. Each test is $70 per exam, and an additional $15 administration fee is paid separately.

All 34 CLEP examinations are supported by TCC, but TCC gives credit for only 20 of those exams. Students can take the 14 remaining exams at TCC but must receive credit for courses at another college.

In a single semester, 18 total credit hours can be given through CLEP.

The most popular subjects would be the foreign languages with an estimated 14 credit hours awarded. The most frequent subject to CLEP out of is Spanish.

The posted grade will appear on a transcript as “CR” rather than a letter grade. The test cannot substitute for a class the student is currently enrolled in nor will the credit be given in a semester other than the one the student is currently in.

New students on campus must be currently enrolled and have completed one semester to become eligible to have credit posted on a transcript. 

Students must also pay $25 to have credit posted on a transcript upon passing the test with a wait time of four weeks for official test scores. However, in the case of a failed examination, students must wait six months before retesting.

“You can take the CLEP as many times as you want. However, you can’t contest a grade until after six months of the exam,” said Faith Hadley, NE Campus advisor.

Students can pick up sample tests in the testing centers or take a practice test online to know what to expect on the real exam.

“CLEP is pretty difficult,” Hadley said. “It is not easy, especially in math. Take the practice. That’s important.”

Most students register to take the CLEP test either in the beginning or the end of the semester.

For more information, contact Hadley on NE Campus at 817-515-6868.

Students can also call the general number for testing on any campus 817-515-TEST (8378).