Colleges Embracing the Growth in Alternative Education through Credit-by-Exam
Those who have been involved in the homeschooling movement over the years have seen a tremendous growth in available resources for alternative education. One such program is credit-by-examination. Credit-by-exam programs allow homeschooled students to earn college credit in undergraduate subjects while still in high school. There are several other big advantages: your homeschool student can prove to admissions officers at institutions of higher learning that they have mastered a variety of subject areas and are ready for college, your student saves time on the path to higher education and you save significant dollars in college tuition costs.
Here’s how it works:
The American Council on Education (ACE) is the coordinating body for all of the nation’s higher education institutions. The ACE College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and made college credit recommendations for students who demonstrate subject knowledge by passing college-level, computer-based exams. A student who passes an exam is awarded college credit. Rather than attending a required, introductory level course in college, and paying the college’s per-credit course fee, a high school student is able to incorporate specific coursework into their homeschool curriculum, then take and pass the exam for earned college credit prior to attending college. This earned credit can then be transferred to their college of choice.
More about Transfer Credits:
Thousands of American colleges and universities accept transfer credits to fulfill lower-level requirements. A report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling states that students who have transferred credit from other institutions account for about a third of all college enrollments. (The report is based on NACAC data, and was administered in partnership with a dissertation project at Michigan State University.) In addition, the Department of Education estimates that over 60% of all college students will transfer credit to another institution before receiving a baccalaureate degree.
Colleges now recognize the significant impact the growing number of transfer students are having on their institutions and are taking careful steps to address their institution’s transfer policies and procedures. Andrew Flagel, associate vice-president for enrollment development & dean of admission at George Mason University, states that colleges are “realizing that transfer students are a tremendous source of quality students and diverse students, and as a result many colleges are…beginning to adjust to more rational transfer policies.” Jon Boeckenstedt, associate vice president for enrollment policy and planning at DePaul University, has seen the growth of transfer students over the years and his university continues to work towards addressing their needs. “We consider it an offshoot of our mission. Transfer students bring a lot to the classroom, to the community. It’s a big part of who we are…We’ve invested a lot of time, effort, and research over the last five years to make sure DePaul is transfer-friendly and tech-friendly.”
Getting-started Checklist
- As your homeschooler begins the process of applying to a college or university, first find out if the institution has a credit-by-examination policy. Many institutions will grant credit but not all. Some limit the amount of credit students can earn through exams. And different institutions may award a different number of credits — or just a requirement exemption — for the same test.
- Because each institution uses its own set of criteria to determine if and how transfer credit may be applied toward a particular degree program, credit earned through an ACE-recommended exam is recommended.
- Choose a credit-by-examination program. There are many well-known credit-by-examination programs, including a new one called UExcel®, which is taking the testing model to the next level. The UExcel program was jointly created by two renowned educational entities — Pearson and Excelsior College. Pearson is a global leader in developing educational products for children, schools, universities, adults and corporations. Excelsior College is an accredited, nonprofit distance education institution with nearly 40 years of experience offering credit-by-exam and online education programs.
- Prepare for the exam. Several credit-by-examination programs offer support materials. UExcel offers study resources, including practice exams that mirror the actual exam content and computerized format, recommended textbooks, online tutorials, and free content guides.
- Register for a test, then take it at a designated test center. With some programs, the results of your test are not immediately available and are sent at a later date. UExcel reports your results right away. UExcel is the only program that provides both a letter grade and actual undergraduate credit on an official transcript (required by most colleges) from an accredited institution.
- Follow the application process for your institution of choice. As previously mentioned, every college has its own policy on accepting transfer credits. Should a difficulty arise, the UExcel program team has developed a communication kit that provides a step-by-step guide to contacting the appropriate college personnel, along with support materials that can be downloaded from the UExcel website at www.UExcelTest.com.
You’ve chosen homeschooling for a reason: You want what’s best for your child. As you evaluate the next steps in higher education planning, consider the colleges and universities that will reward your homeschooler for all of her or his hard work. The credit-by-examination option may be just what you need to accelerate your homeschooler’s post-secondary education and save money in the process.
