Free University Guidance Office

Updated Oct. 15, 2006

At the present time, the prepared material for this site consists of a discussion of the benefits of Credit by Examination in the file Why CBE? and a detailed Step-by-Step Guide.

You might also want to check How to Budget Your Time and
the extensive links on improving your Study Skills.

How to Save Money Using Credit By Examination, and Multi-exam Strategy.

Briefly stated (we will add more examples during the summer), you benefit in several major ways:

• You are more likely to graduate in four years, or less. Currently, many students take over four years to graduate. The average is 4.3 years. That three-tenths of a year translates into about half a semester, roughly six to nine units. There are a wide variety of reasons: Some have to work and cut back on the number of classes they take a semester. Some find that work conflicts with a required class. Some change majors. Some find that they can't get into a class they need because of limitations of class size. Plus a whole list of personal reasons.

• Whatever the reason, taking one or more courses by examination can provide greater scheduling flexibility. You structure the study sessions to suit your schedule. The exams are good for three to six units. In most cases you would only need to take two or three CLEP or similar tests to make up the units required.

• But what about saving a full semester -- even a full year. The use of credit by examination as part of a total college strategy is such a foreign idea that most students don't even consider it. But let's look at one example of linking some inter-related courses, taking four exams, and receiving a full semester's credit.

  I call this example the American Studies Strategy. There are CLEP exams in American History I (three units), American History II (three units), American Literature (six units), and American Government (three units). In a typical university there would be no correlation between these subjects because American History is taught in the History Department, American Literatuire in the English Department and American Government in the Political Science Department. But they obviously cover the same peiord of time (from Colonial times to today), were influenced by the same events, and share many of the same cast of characters.

  Doesn't it make sense to study history, read the literature, and explore political development of a particular period in time as a totality? Aren't you likely to have even a better grasp of the subject matter than taking courses from three different departments in different semesters?

  You can start your independent studies as a junior in high school, start building up steam during the summer before you even attend your first college class and take the exams in the summer between your freshman and sophomore year.

  The cost of four exams is roughly $240 in fees. Compare that to the cost of a full semester's tuition.

  Here's another combination you can think about: psychology, sociology, anthropology, criminal justice, gerontology. Five exams, 15 units, with subjects that reinforce each other.

  We'll be adding more suggestions, and a more detailed approach, as we build the Free University Project

  .

  We also wnt to respond to your questions. Please e-mail, fax or mail your questions and we will post our response in a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page at this site.

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  prior update: June 1, 1998
  currrent update: October 16, 2006