University Requires High CLEP Scores for One Subject Only?

[soliloquy]

Hello,

I am currently a senior at a B&M and have found out that my institution requires a 64 for all of the History CLEP exams and aligns with the ACE recommendations for the rest. I also did some quick research on other Universities throughout the state (VA) and found that they too go with the standard 50 for all of the History exams as well as all of the other core classes.

I am currently disputing this to the department chair as it seems illogical to have this precedent for History only. My first response from the department chair was "Our standards are high! Are you reluctant to take a course this fall? Are you having trouble finding an open course?" as he may have thought that I was a prospective student as I went through the registrar first since they handle most of the transfer credits.

IMO his response is BS and doesn't make sense as I can take (an probably will have to) US History I at the local community college and make a C and then roll it in to my 4 year institution in order to graduate.

I sent a response and haven't heard anything from the department chair since the 12th so I followed up again. I plan on heading to the Academic Dean (his boss) if I don't get something that validates his claims.

Anyone else ever fought the system and have any pointers?

My responses:

1:
" I am only reluctant on taking History this fall as I am tentatively a graduating senior this summer and I have taken the CLEP tests for US History I and II with passing scores for every institution in the state of Virginia with the exception of XXX. So my question is why does XXX have a CLEP score policy that is higher than the rest of the state and more than likely the rest of the institutions nationwide that accept this test as acceptable credit? Looking at the SCHEV website XXX follows suit with the other institutions throughout Virginia in regards to AP/DANTES/CLEP credits awarded per score but breaks ranks with its CLEP score requirement in History only.

Is there a way to change the policy to align with the rest of the state, be granted a waiver from the History department, or any other method that would allow me to graduate by the end of the summer vice waiting another term to take a single class? "

2:
"Dr. XXX,
Have you had a chance to evaluate my previous email quoted below?

Do you have an official or unofficial position as to why XXX requires score in History that is 14 points higher than the recommended level or a score that is 7-8 points higher than the B- level?

Doing some more research I have found that for all other core classes XXX adheres to the score of 50 for CLEP credit granting. On average if XXX requires a higher score than the ACE recommended limit it is 3-5 points higher than the recommended levels, and this only applies to the Business and Foreign Language departments.

According to the American Council of Education (ACE) a score of 50 equates to the level of a C- in US History and Western Civilization subjects. Now they (ACE) have taken the same scaled score and equated it to a B- equivalent and those numbers are 56 for the first portions of the course (US History I and Western Civilization I), and 57 for the second portions of the course (US History II and Western Civilization II). Given the scaled scores for a B- it can be calculated that the XXX score of 64 equates to the level of an A. According to the transfer credit policy "Only those Courses with a grade of "C" and above will transfer". So that means that I can take the same course at XXX and transfer it in at a C level, but can not "test out" of the course without an equivalent score of an A. Do you see this as an inconsistency as I do?

Source: ACE Credit Recommendations | CLEP

Is it possible that the required score of 64 is from the past when the tests were evaluated differently and have not been revised to the current ACE recommendations?

If this is out of your scope of duties can you direct me to the representative of the Undergraduate Academic Policy and Procedures committee for the College of Arts and Letters so that I may voice my concern?

Sincerely,
Me
"

It will be interesting to see the outcome of your request. I think you make a valid argument when taking into account the scaled scores and the grade ACE is presumed to assign to the scores. I'll say also that this is not terribly uncommon. In my experience a lot of schools have different passing scores for the variety of tests that CLEP offers.

If the school does not change it's standards, don't let that discourage you. Keep in mind that the colleges can do what they want with those tests. I've seen colleges give passing scores for a 47 which is below the recommendation. I've seen colleges accept 4 of the numerous CLEP tests and not accept the remainder of them. So just continuing studying for this exam (I'm sure you are) while you wait for a response from the school. I don't think it ever hurts to ask but you don't want to put all of your effort into fighting the system when you could beat the system with the same amount of energy by studying.