Fast forward to my senior year of high school, I read Kathy Cooksey's His B.A. Was Only $8k: Quick, Fun, College For Ages 12-99 Years. I was very inspired to at least try a CLEP test. I figured I had nothing to lose except a little time and money. Worst case, if I failed the test, I would be extra prepared for the classes that I was trying to test out of. I first set my sights on the Introductory Psychology CLEP test. I started studying for it in May of my senior year and took it three months later in August. I was ecstatic! A few months after successfully passing this first one, I decided I wanted to attempt a second CLEP test. This time, I wanted to take the Introductory Sociology CLEP test. I studied for this second test over Christmas break (about four weeks) and passed it successfully as well. Six college credits with only a few weeks of studying! The tests were not easy, but they were not impossibly hard either. With some dedicated study time, they are definitely doable. I now personally know a family whose son obtained his degree by only taking CLEP and DSST exams. Pretty amazing!
To prepare for each of the two CLEP tests, I bought the REA CLEP study guides for the respective tests (about $20 each on Amazon) and two months access to Instantcert online flashcards ($20 a month). These were the only resources I used, which cost roughly $80 in total. Even with these expenses and the cost of the tests themselves, it was still exponentially cheaper than paying for six college credit hours plus textbooks. If you are looking to save money on college, CLEP tests are the way to go.
Looking back, I have nothing but great things to say about the entire experience. Receiving inexpensive college credit from the convenience of my home was unrivaled. Another advantage of CLEP tests is you do not need to have already graduated from high school to start earning college credits. Additionally, the tests are pass/fail. If you pass the test, you receive credit for that course. If you don't pass the test, the failed attempt does not show up on your college transcript. I recommend checking with your college of choice to ensure they accept CLEP credit and that it counts towards your degree requirements. As a nursing student, obtaining my degree solely through CLEP tests is not possible. However, I was still able to benefit from taking the two tests that I did. I highly recommend looking into CLEP tests to see if they will work for you and your program of study.
