How to avoid taking "uneeded" tests?

[Iamtehking]

Hello everyone! Thanks for all the feedback and discussions, really helping people get their lives to the next step!

I'm curious how people go about taking tests that they might already have credit for. I'm attending a local CC and will be taking Politcs 1 and maybe a computer class
Any references I can use to make sure these aren't covered in a CLEP or DANTE?

Thanks! I know this is a bit confusing.

[jsd]

I'm not sure what you're asking. If, for example, you've taken an Intro to Psych course, you just don't take the Intro to Pysch CLEP (or vice versa)

[bluebooger]

step 1) look at the school you're going to and see what courses are needed for the degree

step 2) look at the list of exams that are offered

Exam Fact Sheets | DSST | Get College Credit

https://clep.collegeboard.org/exams

do any of those exams correspond to the courses listed step 1 ?

step 3) contact someone in your school and see if they accept that exam

so let's say you chemistry is required for your degree
you look at the list and see CLEP offers chemistry
you ask your school ... too bad, they don't accept CLEP chemistry

so you don't take it

however, Algebra is also required
CLEP offers ALGEBRA
your school accepts it

so you take it

[swalke321]

It is up to each individual school to decide how a course transfers in. If you take Intro to Psych at a CC and again as a CLEP some schools would consider the two to be duplicates. Some schools will put together a list as to what exams they will accept and how the exams will transfer in. If you start at a CC and then transfer to a 4 yr college it is up to each college to decide what courses/exams to take in transfer and how it transfers in. Careful planning and research will help avoid duplication.

[cookderosa]

you're asking how to know if an exam duplicates credit, which means that it won't get counted twice.

That's a great question.

So, the answer for EVERY EXAM will sit with the college that awards the credit. If you transfer, you'll have the same situation.
For instance, let's say you take CLEP Biology.
Your college awards 8 credits and counts it as BIO101 with lab (4cr) and BIO102 with lab (4 cr.)
the college down the street may award 6 credits in the science elective category SCI199 (6 cr.)
and a college in the state next to yours may award you 3 BIO credits for BIO102, as long as you already have earned credit in BIO101.

In short, the duplication is impossible for some just to tell you- you have to find out which exams your college accepts, and which course equivalencies go with the exams. If it's not on your college's website, then contact someone in advising and ask them to SEND YOU the list via email (you'll want it in writing). In addition, though 50 is a passing score, sometimes colleges use different scores for different courses- so you might see something like "score of 50 = 3 credits, a score of 60 = 4 credits" or such.

[KayV]

You can search for terms like CLEP, DSST, credit by exam, and testing services both on your college's website and in your college catalog (use CTRL F and the search box will come up). Some schools will list the equivalency guide in the catalog but not overtly on the website beyond saying they offer testing services, but it should be in the catalog.