CLEP for Service Members for Free!

(Helloooo??? Anyone want some FREE COLLEGE CREDIT???)

Subject matter proficiency exams may allow you to gain free college credit. You heard me...credit that you don't pay for, sit through, buy books for, and so on. The tests (oh, a Marine once told me not to call anything a test or I won't be able to get you to do it), sorry, the credit by exam option may help you save money and time and help you fast track your degree. All of these reasons should motivate you to pay attention to the rest of this article. 

CLEP has 33 exams available and DSST has 38. Exams cover entry-level subject matter and credit is awarded accordingly. Think general education subject matter.  If you are still on active duty, the first exam in each subject is free for you aboard the base. If you fail and want to retest you will need to wait three months and pay a fee (usually about $100). Retirees, dependents, and vets can also test aboard the bases for the same fee.

The first thing you need to do before taking any CLEP or DSST is to check with the school that you want to attend to make sure they accept this type of credit and in what manner they will use it (which class they knock out per test). You don't want to waste your time studying for a test that your school won't take. Many schools award the credit but limit the amount and the subject matter. Some schools will give you more credit if you achieve a high score.

After checking with your school, go to www.petersons.com/dod for free (for active duty and vets) test preparation materials for all CLEP and DSST tests (woops!), I mean credit by exam options. Check out the Modern States website (https://modernstates.org/) where you can also get free test prep. The site offers online classes taught by university profs that help you prep to test. You may even be able to get a voucher to test for free (Hello vets and spouses!) even if you have already failed once through the military. Once you are ready to go, contact your closest military base to schedule an appointment. If the site offers computerized testing (most do now) you can get instant results for all except the essay portions of the English exam (CLEP) and the two optional essays on the DSSTs.

Vets can reap the reward of taking and passing these exams even if you have to pay (just use modernstates.org and don't pay). They can help build a buffer into your semester schedule and/or help you get back into the workforce faster. If you are still on active duty, you can make greater headway into your education by taking advantage of these exams while still on active duty (and, HELLO! They are free for you!).