Which tests for an over achieving middle schooler.

[hgreen0]

My daughter is an over achiever. She would like to begin taking some clep tests for college credit. Which Cleps would you suggest for someone her age? She plans to attend a brick and mortar school in CA. Possibly a UC school.

Thanks for your assistance!

[ajs1976]

Is this the right school? look at the top of the 2nd page. http://admission.universityofcalifornia....actice.pdf That is 2 years old so maybe something changed.

[Carnation]

University of California does NOT accept CLEP exams for credit.
Some homeschoolers still take CLEPs just to support their "Mommy grades" on their homeschool transcript.

The California State University system DOES take CLEP exams and you could essentially CLEP out of almost all of your general ed requirements if you are aiming for a cheaper college degree.
If your student takes the CLEP exams before graduating from high school, they can still qualify for freshmen scholarships but gain advanced standing from the CLEP credits.

In general, you want to start CLEPs in subjects your student excels at or is passionate about.
For instance I have a son who loves history and government so that's where he is starting.
So whatever subject is your student's passion, let them study it in depth and then take practice tests to see if they have the knowledge to gain college credit.

Edited to add: If your student is younger than 13 years old, then it can take a week to get them signed up to take an exam.
https://clep.collegeboard.org/parents-info

Best wishes.

[passit1]

My daughter watched me progress through TESC...sitting in the hallway at the community college while I took CLEP and DSST tests. She was a good sport and is interested in testing herself. She's bright, but I wouldn't say an overachiever per se (but she did make it into Odyssey of the Mind - momma so proud!!!).

How young can kids be and still have a decent shot at passing?

[dfrecore]

Carnation is right, not a single UC school accepts CLEP. A lot of private schools here won't accept CLEP either. They DO, however, accept AP exams, so if you want to get some college credits, that would be the way to go instead. Yes, you can take AP exams even if you don't take the AP class at school. It just requires a whole lot of planning, as you have to find a school which administers the exams, and take them at the exact time they're offered (it's a national exam, everyone takes the same exams at the same time every year). You have to make arrangements months in advance (there's a particular procedure for homeschoolers). There's a calendar that shows when to apply and which courses are given at which time. Also check your preferred schools for what they'll accept where - most won't give you credit for English Comp AND English Lit for example, or more than 1 language. The good news about AP - they are a little cheaper, especially if you don't have to pay a proctoring fee. They are accepted more readily than CLEP. And many of them are very similar to a CLEP exam, so you might get away with using the same study materials (and at our local B&N, there are WAY more study materials for AP than CLEP).



Most of the 23 state schools (the ones with "state" in the name like SDSU or CSUSM) accept them, and they almost all have the same policy. But look up each school's policy to see where the courses fit.

Another option might be to actually take community college courses through dual enrollment. You'll need to work with your high school (when you get there) to do it, but you save on tuition (still have to pay for some fees and books). Just look up "dual enrollment" on the website of your local cc.

[Carnation]

How young can kids be and still have a decent shot at passing?

This REALLY depends on the student.
Can they sit and pay attention for 90 minutes while taking an exam?
Are they passionate about a subject enough to study it in depth?
Is their reading level high enough to comprehend a college textbook?

This is just off the top of my head but I'm sure there are other things to consider.

[hgreen0]

I appreciate all the great information! As dfrecore stated, I looked into the dual enrollment program that is offered in high school, we were just trying to get a head start on it. Well Clep is still not out of the question, there are a few state schools on her list as well.

Thanks!

[cookderosa]

My daughter is an over achiever. She would like to begin taking some clep tests for college credit. Which Cleps would you suggest for someone her age? She plans to attend a brick and mortar school in CA. Possibly a UC school.

Thanks for your assistance!

Passing tests is a good skill to have, and it can yield college credit of course. What does she like better- passing tests or diving into a passion? I'm being serious with that question, because different things make different people tick. If she really loves testing and wants to go full tilt, just pick a different school. There are over 12,000 regionally accredited colleges and universities- UC is just one. If she is a little worker bee, she can do actual classes (self paced even) that yield college credit. If I knew at 14 what I know now, you couldn't have stopped me from earning a degree as a teen- I for sure love the thrill of accumulating credentials
Now, if she enjoys diving into subject she is passionate about, sometimes studying it academically can kill that love. I have a very talented artistic son who would sooner run away than let me enroll him in an art class at the community college - his words "no, art is mine" and that's fine; it's a love of his and he doesn't want to muddy that up with someone constraining his love of the subject. I love biology type subjects (microbiology, genetics, nutrition, research) but found the subject -academically- very demanding; I earned a masters degree, but it sucked a little bit of the joy from me- it's coming back now that I've had some distance, but still. I spent 6 months in a lab, and I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't do it again- it was fine, but my passion is fed by pursing things that excite ME, not that someone tells me to pursue.

So, just throwing both perspectives out there- something to think about as you approach this journey with her.