College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP), sponsored by the College Board, is a national program of credit-by-examination. CLEP allows you to prove college-level achievement through exams in subject areas that correspond to undergraduate college courses.

Approximately 2,900 colleges and universities grant credit and/or advanced standing for CLEP exams. Each college or university determines which CLEP tests it will accept for credit and the amount of credit it will award.

Prior to testing, contact the college you wish to attend to inquire about its policy on CLEP scores and other admission requirements.

 

  • Course credit earned through CLEP exams will count toward graduation as though you had passed the course. Note: It does not count toward the resident credit requirement.
  • CLEP credit is only awarded to enrolled students and will be awarded based on the college policy in effect at that time.
  • To award CLEP credit requires Kirkwood to assess the scores and, where applicable, essays themselves. Therefore, CLEP credit awarded by other institutions cannot be transferred in. Contact the College Board to have your scores sent to Kirkwood. Exams with essay components where the essay was not initially sent directly to Kirkwood cannot be assessed.
  • CLEP credit is awarded as “credit by exam.” Kirkwood awards a maximum of 18 credits by exam per student. Students with more than 18 credits by exam from CLEP, AP, alternative credit and departmental test-out exams must meet with their advisor to select which 18 credits will be awarded.
  • CLEP credit appears on the transcript with a letter grade of T.

The examinations accepted for credit by Kirkwood Community College and their course equivalencies are as follows. Students planning to transfer after Kirkwood should make sure their next college or university will also accept their CLEP exam scores for the same course credit.

 

American Government
Exam Score: 65
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
POL-111 American National Government

 

Biology
Exam Score: 57
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
BIO-104 Introductory Biology with Lab

 

Calculus
Exam Score: 70
Credits Awarded: 4.0
Course Awarded:
MAT-210 Calculus I

 

Chemistry
Exam Score: 63
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
SC-XXXT General Science

 

College Algebra
Exam Score: 74
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
MT-XXXT General Mathematics

 

College Mathematics
Exam Score: 74
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
MT-XXXT General Mathematics

 

Financial Accounting
Exam Score: 65
Credits Awarded: 4.0
Course Awarded:
ACC-152 Financial Accounting

 

French Language
Exam Score: 55
Credits Awarded: 4.0
Course Awarded:
FLF-141 Elementary French I

Exam Score: 62
Credits Awarded: 8.0
Courses Awarded:
FLF-141 Elementary French I
FLF-142 Elementary French II

 

History of the United States I: Early Colonization to 1877
Exam Score: 56
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
HIS-151 U.S. History to 1877

 

History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present
Exam Score: 57
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
HIS-152 U.S. History Since 1877

 

Human Growth and Development
Exam Score: 50
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
PSY-121 Developmental Psychology

 

Information Systems and Computer Applications
Exam Score: 50
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
CSC-116 Information Computing

 

Introductory Business Law
Exam Score: 50
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
BUS-185 Business Law I

 

Introductory Psychology
Exam Score: 59
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
PSY-111 Introduction to Psychology

 

Introductory Sociology
Exam Score: 59
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
SOC-110 Introduction to Sociology

 

Principles of Macroeconomics
Exam Score: 63
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
ECN-120 Principles of Macroeconomics

 

Principles of Management
Exam Score: 56
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
MGT-101 Principles of Management

 

Principles of Marketing
Exam Score: 65
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
MKT-110 Principles of Marketing

 

Principles of Microeconomics
Exam Score: 64
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
ECN-130 Principles of Microeconomics

 

Spanish Language
Exam Score: 55
Credits Awarded: 4.0
Course Awarded:
FLS-141 Elementary Spanish I

Exam Score: 63
Credits Awarded: 8.0
Courses Awarded:
FLS-141 Elementary Spanish I
FLS-142 Elementary Spanish II

 

Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648
Exam Score: 56
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
HIS-126 West and the World I: Ancient to Medieval

 

Western Civilization II: 1648 to Present
Exam Score: 56
Credits Awarded: 3.0
Course Awarded:
HIS-128 West and the World III: Enlightenment to Modern

  • To learn which exams will count as credits and the required score, review the above drop-down, Kirkwood Course Equivalency Credit from CLEP Examinations.
  • Review the College Board's information on the CLEP exam.
  • Purchase the exam. Be sure to specify that the CLEP Score Report be sent to the Associate Registrar at Kirkwood Community College. Kirkwood’s Institution Code for the College Board is 6027.
  • Once the exam has been purchased, contact an official CLEP test center. Among the sites available in Iowa, the closest to Kirkwood’s main campus is at the University of Iowa. Test takers may contact the UI Department of Distance and Continuing Education by email at DCE-Exams@uiowa.edu or call 319-384-4800.

About Transferring Credits

Some colleges and universities place limits on the number of exam credits that they will accept from a transferring student; these limits may include CLEP credits.

If you intend to transfer CLEP credits, consult the college or university to which you wish to transfer about their policies concerning credit by examination.

Kirkwood cannot and does not assume responsibility for the transferability of CLEP credit to other colleges and universities.


Questions?

If you have any questions, contact Enrollment Services:

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 319-398-7600 or 1-877-386-9101
Fax: 319-398-4928
Email: Enrollment - enrollment@kirkwood.edu

FAFSA School Code: 004076

Location: 3rd Floor Iowa Hall

Mailing Address:

Kirkwood Community College
Enrollment Services
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404