college board clep
Liam Parker
Updated on June 02, 2026
For over 50 years, the College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP) has offered exams at a fraction of the price of a college course, saving you hundreds of dollars.
What does a CLEP score of 50 mean?
The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends a credit-granting score of 50 for each CLEP exam. This is a scaled score, equivalent to earning a C in the relevant course.
Are CLEP exams worth it?
Even with added costs, such as $10 study guides, the CLEP remains a bargain. These exams can also help you to get a degree faster. While a college undergraduate degree can often take students four to six years, CLEP exams can cut that time substantially to as little as one year.
What is the hardest CLEP exam?
Calculus is the hardest math CLEP, for almost everyone. Unless you’re a math wiz, it’s also one of the hardest CLEP exams among all the subject categories. Precalculus is harder than College Mathematics and Algebra, but not as advanced as Calculus.
Can you CLEP an entire degree?
8. Can you CLEP your way to a degree? Yes, it is possible, though passing CLEP exams will not get you a degree by itself. To get a degree, you need to find a university that will allow you to transfer the credits you earn through CLEP tests.
Is CLEP free for military?
The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) provides free College Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations to eligible military service members, spouses and civil service employees.
Is CLEP multiple choice?
Overview of the Exams
Most CLEP exams are designed to correspond to one-semester courses, although some tests correspond to full-year or two-year courses. The format of most questions is multiple choice.
Is CLEP exam hard?
#4 Overestimating CLEP Difficulty
Thankfully, CLEP tests are actually easily passed by anyone willing to put in the study time and effort. I’ve personally talked with hundreds of CLEP students from high schoolers to adult learners who have successfully passed and earned college credit.
Does CLEP affect GPA?
CLEP exams have no effect on your grade point average—all they do is allow you to receive course credit. That means any passing grade on a CLEP test earns you the same amount of college credit—no matter if you get a “C” or an “A” on the exam.
What are the 34 CLEP exams?
History and Social Sciences CLEP Tests
American Government (3 credits)History of the United States I (3 credits)History of the United States II (3 credits)Human Growth and Development (3 credits)Introduction to Educational Psychology (3 credits)Introductory Psychology (3 credits)Introductory Sociology (3 credits)
Is CLEP easier than AP?
CLEP vs AP Test Difficulty: Which is Harder? According to May 2019 pass rate data, students may have found AP exams more difficult. CLEP exams had a 68% pass rate while AP exams had a 65% pass rate. However, there were many more AP examinees than CLEP test takers.
What happens if you fail a CLEP test?
So what happens to your old score if you retake the exam? If you fail, the College Board will keep your failed score until you retake the test. The next time you attempt the test, they will replace your old score with your new score. After that, the College Board won’t have any trace of your first failed score.
What is the easiest CLEP exams?
9 Easiest CLEP Exams Ranked
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature.College Composition / College Composition Modular. Spanish, French, or German. Information Systems and Computer Applications. Introductory Sociology. College Mathematics. Social Studies and History. Principles of Marketing.
Can you pass CLEP without studying?
Probably not unless you’re already well versed on those topics. Obviously the hard fact based and formula based tests will require studying and lots of knowledge such as the math and science CLEPs (not counting environmental and natural science, you can pass these with minimal knowledge).
What is a passing CLEP score?
Generally, only 50 out of 80 is needed to pass a CLEP exam, which comes out to a grade of 63%. The catch is that a CLEP test will appear as a “P” for “pass” on your transcript whether you get a 50 or an 80. Since CLEP exams cover such a broad range of concepts, you are not expected to pass with flying colors.
Does Harvard accept CLEP?
Credit by Examination
We accept a maximum of 16 credits, combined, for coursework completed by an examination, such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or professional training approved by the American Council on Education (ACE).
What is the easiest degree to obtain?
10 Easiest College Degrees
English literature. Sports management. Creative writing. Communications studies. Liberal studies. Theater arts. Art. You’ll study painting, ceramics, photography, sculpture and drawing. Education. An article on CBS MoneyWatch named education the country’s easiest major.
Does MIT accept CLEP?
No, Massachusetts Institute of Technology does not accept the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). The CLEP is an exam sponsored by the College Board that allows students to gain college credit by demomstrating their knowledge in college level coursework.