As I learn more about earning college credits through CLEP tests I was thinking I wish I had known more about these a few years ago and so thought I would share the information with others.
 
If your high school students take a high school level class, let's say American History, you may consider having them take the CLEP to earn some college credit from their study. The CLEP is offered through BCC Central campus--you do not need to be a student there, but you do need an appointment which must be made in person. They are offered most weeks.
 
Colleges differ as to what they consider the 'passing' grade and for some tests award more college level credit. For example, doing really well on a Spanish CLEP can earn up to 6 hours just from the one test. CLEPs cost about $80 and take less than two hours. It is computerized and scored instantly.  CHEAP for three credit hours when the average price for one credit hour at a private school is over $200., plus brighter students can finish up their general education requirements this way.
 
If a student will likely go onto graduate school this enables them to finish their undergraduate work in less time and/or take classes of high interest to them. We were contemplating graduating our son a year early from high school but as he gleans credit hours from CLEPping out of various classes and takes a few classes online through Taylor University (check out their dual enrollment program, which is $30. less per credit hour than the listed price for high school students), he will make up that year in the long run and still have the extra year as a high school student to work on his music to enable him to be more competitive for scholarships. 
 
My daughter, a college sophmore, decided to CLEP some of her general education requirements this summer. Her specific school only required a 50 on a Western Civilization test to give her three hours of credit; BCC required a 57! She studied for about 20 hours and scored a 67.
 
Last year my daughter took the trigonometry CLEP because it was a required class for a major she was considering at a particular college. She decided not only on a different major but a different college as well which does not even accept the trig CLEP so she will not even receive those as elective hours. That is why it is important to consider which CLEPs the colleges you are considering honor.
 
I just discovered a site http://www.passyourclass.com/ that has study guides which take about twenty hours of prep work. My daughter's college allows her to take a particular CLEP to satisfy the Intro to Lit general education requirement, so that is next on her list to do this summer. They have a money-back guarantee. The site gives more information about CLEPs in general as well specific CLEP tests.

- Deborah Candland