MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS GAIN ACCESS TO NEW LOCAL TESTING SITES AT IOWA LAKES TO EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE

Military service members have been granted greater access to examinations that can help them shorten the time it takes to earn a college degree.  What's even better is that the exams are available locally and are paid for by the military. 

The College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP®) is a credit-by-examination program, sponsored by the College Board, which gives individuals the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of knowledge in introductory college-level courses.  By earning successful scores on CLEP exams, students can bypass introductory courses and receive college credit for their knowledge.

Prior to January of this year, military service members could take these free exams only on military bases, which made access difficult for National Guard and Reserve members who often do not live near a base.  However, with the new program in place, military service members will be able to take CLEP exams, without paying the exam fee (normally $50), at any of the college campuses that provide CLEP testing for the military.

The Success Centers at Iowa Lakes Community College in Algona, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Spencer and Spirit Lake are official CLEP testing sites. Testing is available weekdays and candidates can make an appointment by calling the Success Centers at each location.

Iowa Lakes Community College grants up to 16 credits for successful scores on CLEP exams.  The listing of exams for which credit is granted and the required passing scores are listed on the Web site at: 
http://www.iowalakes.edu/student_services/success_center/CLEP/index.htm

While the examination is free, service members will still need to pay a nominal registration fee of $15 to the college. 
CLEP exams are administered on computer at over 1,300 college test centers.  More than 2,900 colleges and universities grant credit for passing scores on CLEP.

Students take CLEP for a variety of reasons.  Some use CLEP to shorten the time it takes to earn a degree, thereby saving money on tuition and fees.  Others take CLEP to move on to more advanced courses sooner, complete basic requirements in order to take more electives, get promoted, satisfy college requirements for commissioning programs, or open new career possibilities for themselves. More than 220,000 exams were administered last year, and increasingly people are taking advantage of CLEP to shorten their path to a college degree.

To find college testing centers that offer testing to the military, candidates can check the CLEP Web site (www.collegeboard.com/clep) and look for the U.S. flag icon next to the college's name.

CLEP testing is also available to civilians who are interested in taking CLEP exams but these candidates are responsible for paying the exam fee of $50.