Wylie future and current college students might be interested to know that the Dual Credit program isn’t the only way that they get college credits without attending college classes.
CLEP testing is another way.
CLEP (College Level Examination Program) allows students to get college credit for a course if they can pass a standardized test over the subject matter. CLEP tests cost a fraction of the cost of taking the actual class, and studying for the test can be quicker than going through the course.
“A lot of people don’t realize how much they can save on tuition with CLEP,” said Wylie school board member Jeff Rogers who owns a business called Speedy Prep that helps students study for CLEP tests. “It’s a huge time and cost benefit for students. For a lot of students, that can be the difference in whether they can afford to go to college.”
Rogers got involved with CLEP because of a business he owns called Mid-America Learning which recruits students for nursing schools.
“A lot of them would be lacking 6-9 general education courses,” he said. “If I were in my 40s, I would not want to take those classes. That got me thinking, wow there needs to be a better way.”
He discovered CLEP testing and began to realize how many colleges accept CLEP tests. All the major ones do, including all the major Texas colleges and all the local universities. Yet, many people don’t know about it.
“I thought this is a much simper and less expensive way to get your general education courses out of the way,” he said. “But it’s not something colleges are going to promote. They want you to take the courses there.”
So Rogers joined forces with some partners to purchase Speedy Prep. For $20 per month, Speedy Prep subscribers can get access to study guides for 24 CLEP tests. If the subscriber follows the program to its completion, the subscriber is guaranteed to pass the CLEP test or get his money back.
“I wish I had known about it when both my boys were in college,” Rogers said. “I was totally ignorant about it. It’s a huge opportunity and benefit. Why spend 1000s of dollars for a general education course.”
For more information, go to www.speedyprep.com or clep.collegeboard.org.