I plan on applying to grad school once I get my BA and I was wondering if my CLEP scores could impact whether/where I get accepted. I know that generally that type of thing doesn't matter, but generally one doesn't test out of the bulk of a degree.

Do these things matter? Does getting a '92' on an exam create and advantages that a '50' would not get?

What I've heard is all CLEPs are pass/fail and are not given a grade. Some colleges will only give credit though if you get above a certain score. Passing score is (normally) 50, highest is 80, and lowest is 20.

Most DSSTs are graded though so just a head's Up!

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Nick94

Much Still to Do!


Online:
Principles of Macroeconomics: Grade A / 3 Units
Music Fundamentals: Grade A / 3 Units
Computer Literacy: Grade A / 3 Units

Taken:
English Composition w/ Essay CLEP 57/80
Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP 65/80

Scheduled:
Principles of Management CLEP 7/23/09

In the Queue:
None Yet

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." ~C. S. Lewis

With CLEPs, a pass is a pass - barely squeak by, achieve a perfect score, it's a pass either way. At Excelsior, the only exceptions are the foreign language exams, where the number of credits awarded depends upon your score.

Excelsior gives letter grades for all ECE exams (except nursing clinicals) and many DSST exams, based on the ACE-recommended minimum passing score and scaled up based on EC's evaluation of the exam. Excelsior students taking the DSST History of the Vietnam War will get a C for scoring 44-46 points, a B for 47-52 points, and an A for 53 points and higher. No bonus points for scoring a perfect 80!

Offhand I don't know of any other school that gives letter grades for DSST. The TESC and COSC veterans may know otherwise?

A whole heck of a lot of Big 3 graduates have gone on to grad school, and some of them must have tested out of the overwhelming majority of their credits. The only school I've seen with a relevant official written policy is San Diego State University. Applicants must have at least 60 graded credits (at least 30 upper-level) with a 2.85 GPA, or must have both a 2.85 GPA on whatever graded credit exists AND written documentation that their classroom performance would meet the GPA standard (like a written evaluation by the faculty of your undergrad school). As SDSU is one of my top choices for grad school, and I'm an Excelsior student, I'm sticking strictly with DSSTs to get graded credit.

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BSLS Excelsior College, conferred 9-09
starting MS in Instructional Design program, Spring 2010

April 4 through July 6: 1 GRE subject exam + 1 Penn Foster credit + 11 DANTES exams = 61 credits. Average per-credit cost = $23.44.

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." (Maria Robinson)

Hi! On my EC transcript my CLEP exam show in the grade column as a P indicating I passed it and received credit, but next to the exam name it also includes my score so if another school wanted to apply a "grade" equivalent they would have the score to do that. I'm not sure it would matter, but it is there. My DSST exams give me a letter grade, but again they post the score received next to the name. I hope this helps.

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Excelsior College

BSLS Focus in Psychology Depth in Health Professions -Done! - Conferral 3/10

BS in Health Sciences 105/120 - Hoping for completion 9/10

AS Liberal Arts - 4/17/09 Hanging on my wall! - Thanks to IC 18 credits in 1 month to finish!

Exams Completed - Since 2/09

ECE - A&P - B
ECE - Foundations of Gerontology - B
ECE - Ethics: Theory & Practice - B
ECE - Psychology of Adulthood & Aging - A
ECE - Social Psychology - B
ECE - Abnormal Psychology - B
CLEP - American Govt - 58
CLEP - Intro. to Sociology - 63
CLEP - A & I Lit - 70
DSST - Organizational Behavior - A (67)
DSST - Environment & Humanity - A (62)
DSST - Foundations of Education - A (64)
DSST - Here's to Your Health - 461 (Pass)
DSST - Substance Abuse - 460 (Pass)
DSST - Principles of Supervision - A (61)
DSST - Lifespan Developmental Psych - A (59)
DSST - Criminal Justice - 443 (Pass)
DSST - Management Information Systems - 415 (Pass)
UExcel - Intro. to Psych (Beta)- Pass

Some grad schools will ask you for your scores on required or core classes. For example, I applied to Marylhurst for MBA program. They will accept CLEP English Comp w/ Essay exam on your transcript, but only if your score is 60 or above, not just the "passing" 50. I've always advised one to be careful with the "pass is a pass" attitude- best to check w adviser of your intended grad school.

I hope this helps. Greg

My current status report at COSC does include the numerical score for all my exams. All the CLEPS are Pass/Fail, like at EC, and all the DSSTs under the old scoring system are with letter grades. The DSSTs under the new scoring system are Pass/ Fail. However, there is an additional column I am not very familiar with, "Quality Points" which seems to be some sort of weighted system to give me a GPA? One thing to note, the cut off scores at COSC appear to be higher than EC. My score of "48" in Business Law II got me a "B" at EC, but it is a "C" at COSC. COSC does give you one month after your official enrollment to remove anything you want off of your transcript. That "C" is definitely going.

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~~ Alissa~~
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right." - - Henry Ford
DONE:
BS Liberal Studies, Excelsior College May 2009
Current website favorite:
http://www.careeronestop.org/

Wise words. Trying to keep your scores at a certain level is definitely wise.

I know of an undergraduate school, Hillsdale College in Michigan, that only accepts 60 and above for any CLEP test.

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"I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of prose and poetry; prose—words in their best order; poetry—the best words in their best order." — Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table Talk (July 12, 1827)

American Government (68) ~ Analyzing and Interpreting Literature (70) ~ Astronomy (66 / A) ~ College Algebra (62) ~ Church History (A) ~ College Mathematics (73) ~ English Composition with Essay (59) ~ GRE Literature in English (610/73%tile) ~ Humanities (75) ~ Introduction to Business (62 / A) ~ Introduction to Computing (459) ~ Introduction to World Religions (478) ~ Introductory Sociology (77) ~ Social Sciences & History (76) ~ US History I (69) ~ US History II (64) ~ World Geography (A)
CLEP Credits: 45 (-9) ~ DSST Credits: 12 ~ GRE Credits: 24 ~ PSEO Credits: 8 ~ Total Credits: 80 ~ In Progress: ENG 407: Chaucer ~ Next: Information Literacy, Western Civilization I & II, Technical Writing, Psychology