subject: Economic Downturn Makes Clep Tests Attractive Choice [print this page] With the economy in its current state, students have to be smart about where and when they invest their educational dollars. Getting a college degree is still important, but with budget cuts coming to a lot of schools, tuition is going up and things are much harder for the average student. For that reason, the CLEP makes a lot of sense. Taking CLEP exams gives students the chance to earn college credit at a huge discount. Instead of paying thousands of dollars per class at college, they can take the CLEP test for less than one hundred bucks. That is a huge difference and it's one key element to the popularity of the CLEP exam.
CLEP keeping college costs down
Today's colleges do everything in their power to keep students in school for a long time. Though it is traditional to graduate in four years, you can hardly do that without taking a huge load of classes each semester or adding on some summer classes. This means that you might end up paying for an extra year of college or you will have to invest $300 per hour for summer courses. These costs are outrageous, which is why the CLEP exam is a good test to take. When you take the CLEP test, you will be paying $72 for the opportunity to earn 3-12 college credits. The savings are significant in that regard.
The other costs of college courses
Even beyond what courses cost in tuition, you have to think about the fees and other things that go along with them. Today's college student will spend an average of $500 on books each semester. That is an outrageous amount and it is often forgotten when you start thinking about the total combined cost of attendance. Those who pass CLEP exams do not have to buy books for that class when the time comes in college. They can take the money that might have gone towards books and they can use it for other things. In today's economy, saving and being efficient is important. The CLEP helps you do that by knocking out some of the extra costs associated with college.
Taking the CLEP when you want to
In addition to just being cost effective, it is worth noting that the CLEP is a test that you can take when you want to. You can prepare for it at your own pace and you don't have to take it at a pre-determined time. This flexibility is a key element and it's one of the things that attracts students. They know that they can take their time with the CLEP and CLEP tests, and they don't have to change around their work schedule to make it happen. For prospective students who have jobs and are trying to save money in this difficult economy, it is worth noting that the CLEP allows you to go at your own pace.
