Press Releases
Yearly Deadline Approaches for Minnesota Students to Take Advantage of CLEP® to Earn College Credit
High School Students Can Test Through June 30, 2008
01/24/08
NEW YORK — This year Minnesota high school students have until June 30, 2008, to take up to six free College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP®) exams as part of the Get Ready, Get Credit initiative. The testing window for the 2008-09 school year is October 1, 2008-June 30, 2009.
“Minnesota students can accelerate their college education and receive credit for the rigorous courses they are taking in high school through the CLEP program,” said Minnesota Education Commissioner Alice Seagren. “I encourage students to take advantage of the CLEP program to advance their education, save money for you and your family and increase the likelihood that you will finish a degree in four years.”
This program allows students to earn college credit while still in high school by earning qualifying scores on exams, thereby saving families significant money on college tuition. The state of Minnesota will pay the $65 examination fee; students are responsible for paying the college test center administration fee (usually $15-$25). To take advantage of this initiative, students must obtain a CLEP Authorization Form from their school counselor. Home-schooled students need to obtain a form, which is available from the Minnesota Department of Education. The form serves as a voucher for payment at the test center on exam day.
Nearly 3,000 colleges and universities grant credit or advanced standing based on CLEP exam performance. All Minnesota state colleges and universities grant credit for a CLEP score of 50 or higher. CLEP exams are offered in 34 subjects ranging from English Composition to U.S. History, Spanish and Precalculus. Earning credit by exam saves students a significant amount of time by allowing them to avoid taking college courses in the subject areas they have already mastered. The 90-minute, computer-administered CLEP exams are available at 20 college test centers throughout Minnesota. Students will receive their scores immediately upon completion of the exam (except for English Composition with Essay).
Angela Isker, 2006 graduate of Waseca High School, took the Principles of Management exam while still enrolled in high school, and took two additional exams when she enrolled in college. “Thanks to CLEP exams, I will be able to add a whole minor to my college curriculum,” Isker remarks. “Without those CLEP credits, I would not have had room in my schedule for the courses I will need for a minor.”
Complete information about the Get Ready, Get Credit program and the required forms can be found on the Minnesota Department of Education Web site at: http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Academic_Excellence/Postsecondary_College_Prep/CLEP/index.html. For more information about CLEP and to locate the nearest test center, visit www.collegeboard.com/clepMN.
CONTACT: Sheila Jamison, The College Board, (212) 713-8052, sjamison@collegeboard.org