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Take Advanced Placement classes and exams in high school. Get CLEP credits. Look for schools that offer prior learning credit, if you have work experience. Find out if your college offers placement exams. Talk to your adviser about challenging prerequisites.
AP classes and exams are a great way to earn college credit before you start college. After you complete an AP class, you can take an exam in that subject to assess your understanding of the material. A high score on an AP Exam can translate to college credit, meaning you don’t have to take as many courses in college. Talk to your school guidance counselor or AP teacher about whether AP classes are right for you. While there is a fee for taking an AP Exam, many high schools offer assistance for students who have trouble paying the fee. Talk to your school counselor or AP Coordinator about applying for a reduced fee. CLEP, or the College Level Examination Program, allows you to earn college credits for things you already know. This could be knowledge that you picked up from high school, work experience, or studying on your own. In order to get CLEP credits, you will need to take a CLEP exam. Talk to your high school counselor about how to take a CLEP exam, or visit the CLEP website at https://clep.collegeboard.org/ to find a test center near you. Before taking a CLEP exam, make sure that the college(s) you are interested in accept CLEP credits, and find out how those credits are applied.  The College Board offers free online courses to help you prepare for taking a CLEP exam.  Currently, there are 33 different CLEP exams which cover a variety of topics, including business, literature, foreign languages, math and science, and history and the social sciences.  There is a $85 fee for taking each CLEP exam. Some colleges or universities will offer credit for knowledge and experience that you gained from working. This is a great option for non-traditional students who have spent time in the workforce before starting or returning to college. Prior learning credit policies vary from one school to another. Speak to an admissions officer or search your prospective school’s website for information about credit for prior learning. Depending on your school’s policies, you may need to take an exam or create a prior learning portfolio in order to get prior learning credit. Requirements vary from one school to another, but many colleges or universities let you “test out” of some basic general education courses based on proficiency tests or placement exams. Placement tests usually assess your most essential skills, such as math, reading, and writing. Check with the admissions office at your college or university to find out about their placement test policies. For example, if you ace the algebra portion of your math placement test, you may be able to jump straight into pre-calculus. If you can demonstrate sufficient background knowledge, you may be able to convince your adviser, department head, or course instructor to let you skip prerequisite courses even if there is no formal way to “test out.” Work closely with your academic adviser to determine which courses you can skip. Every school has different policies when it comes to challenging prerequisites and other course requirements. Policies may also vary from one department to another. Talk to your adviser to find out how it works in your program.