College Level Examination Program
Shorten Your Path to a College Degree
CLEP testing is a great way to earn college credit by studying and taking a test.
Need help getting started? You can contact Academic Advising for help with selecting appropriate CLEP tests.
CLEP is a national program of credit by examination that gives you the opportunity to receive college credit for what you know. Whether you are just entering college and hoping to accelerate your studies, a part-time student concerned with the fastest route to a degree or a working adult thinking about beginning or resuming college, CLEP can help you!
The 34 different CLEP tests are computer-based, approximately 90 minutes in length, and most give immediate scores. Each college and university will have their own acceptance policies and minimum scores required to award credit. Contact the school you are attending or plan to attend to ensure the CLEP exam you would like to take meets their requirements.
Explore Credit by Exam Options:
Contact Us
- Testing Center
- (815) 921-2385
- Email Testing Center
- RVC Main Campus
Student Center, Ground Floor - Monday and Thursday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Placement Testing Walk-Ins:
Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
By Appointment Only:
Tuesday and Wednesday: 5:30 p.m.
Prepare for CLEP Testing
There are two options for studying and preparing for CLEP Testing: Free and Traditional.
Option 1: Free
Sign up with Modern States, take their FREE courses, and pay nothing to test. Modern
States Education Alliance is a non-profit group funding the resources to help you
get college credit for FREE! This program is open to anyone with no limit on location,
age, or income. They offer:
- Free access to over 30 online classes taught by professors from schools such as Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and Rutgers University
- Free online lessons and materials
- Free voucher for taking the corresponding CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) test
- Free test center administration fee (reimbursement)
Option 2: Traditional
Use a study method that works best for you – see suggestions below. Then, buy your
CLEP test and test when you are ready.
- CLEP offers an Official Study Guide App called examIam, which is available for most of the CLEP exams ($14.99 per subject).
- CLEP Study Guides are also available for purchase at most major bookstores, including Amazon. You can also download a study guide for each individual exam for $10 each.
- CLEP At-A-Glance Sheets are available for each exam. Each provide a Description of the Exam, outline the Knowledge and Skills required, and include Some Sample Test Questions and Study Resources.
CLEP Testing
Rock Valley College offers CLEP testing year-round and has been a top 100 national CLEP test center in the last 5 of 8 years. We believe in helping you save money and getting closer to your educational goals. In addition to RVC, CLEP is offered at several other test sites. Search CLEP Test Centers
Register for CLEP Testing:
- Appointments are required. Email the Testing Center with your preferred test date, test name, and contact information including a phone number. Upcoming test dates are available on our website calendar.
- Register for the exam.
- Go to clep.collegeboard.org and create an account
- Browse & select your exam; add to cart
- Pay $93 exam fee by credit or debit card
- Print off registration ticket; bring ticket with you on exam day to RVC
- Registration ticket is valid for six months
- A $20 test proctor fee will be due on the day of the exam; cash or check only (made payable to Rock Valley College).
Please Note: If you have a documented disability, contact (815) 921-2385 to discuss testing accommodations prior to scheduling your CLEP exam.
Testing Procedures:
- Arrive 10 minutes prior to your exam at the Main Campus Student Center
- Bring a valid government issued photo ID (i.e. driver's license, state ID, passport)
- Remember to bring your registration ticket and $20 cash/check proctor fee
Frequently Asked Questions
Students considering taking CLEP exams should consider themselves well-versed in the subject area of the test. Having succeeded in taking honors or advanced courses in the subject area or having extensive knowledge of the course material is suggested.
Students interested in taking a CLEP test should first review the Rock Valley College CLEP policy to see what credit will be awarded for each exam. Meeting with an academic advisor prior to testing is suggested. Students planning to attend other colleges or universities should first check with them regarding their CLEP and transfer policy to understand what credit will transfer from RVC.
Students should refer to the CLEP Policy to see what credit will be granted at Rock Valley College for corresponding courses. Please note that each school has its own policy for accepting credit. Therefore, any student who plans to transfer to another school or is taking the test for another school should first contact that school’s admissions office to confirm acceptance of CLEP exams. CLEP policies can be found on the College Board website at CollegeBoard.com/CLEP.
Students may earn a maximum of 44 credits at Rock Valley College through CLEP.
CLEP exams are administered across the country. Students can test at any open CLEP site. CLEP exams are offered at the RVC Testing Center by appointment only.
CLEP exams are administered on the computer. All CLEP exams are timed at 90 minutes and are composed of mainly multiple choice questions and some fill in the blank. The two exceptions are 1) College Composition, a two hour exam consisting of multiple choice questions and two timed essays, and 2) Spanish Writing, a 1 hour and 50 minute exam consisting of 100 multiple choice questions and two writing tasks.
For the exams which are allowed the use of a calculator, one is built into the test program. Students are NOT allowed to bring their own calculators to the exam.
At least one month prior to starting a new semester. If you plan on taking the College Composition Exam or Spanish Writing, plan on taking the exam a few months prior to the beginning of the next semester.
No. If you score high enough to earn credit, you will receive a T (test) credit, not a grade.
If you do not score high enough, no credit will be added and nothing will be put on your transcript indicating failure.
Active Military & Veterans
To assist military personnel in meeting their educational goals, the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) funds CLEP exams for eligible military service members and eligible civilian employees. Visit the College Board website to learn more.