CLEP—Helping Your Students Succeed and Your Institution Thrive

1. CLEP—Helping Your StudentsSucceed and Your Institution Thrive Deborah Anderson M.Ed. Higher Education Consultant

2. Top Ten List What is CLEP Does it apply to my students What is the process at my institution CLEP and military Identify road blocks & solutions How do I identify a CLEP student What are my responsibilities regarding CLEP What are student responsibilities regarding CLEP What resources are available Become an advocate

3. Understanding CLEP Facts & Benefits

4. Core Purposes CLEP allows students to demonstratethat they have acquired mastery of college-level course content. CLEP allows students to translatethat knowledge into college credit that is commonly recognized by passing any of the program’s exams. CLEP allows diverse groups, including traditional and non-traditional learners, adult students, and military service members to save time and money as they pursue a college degree.

5. CLEP Offers Colleges…

6. What age group do you think has the largest percentage of CPL students? • Under 18 • 18-22 • 23-29 • 30-35 • 36 & older

7. Age Group BreakdownExams Administered to National Candidates, 2009-10 There are no age requirements for CLEP

8. How Does CLEP Apply to Students? Save time for students Save money for students Allow students to enroll in higher level courses sooner Earlier graduation

9. What is Happening Now?

10. Evaluate Current Methodology What is done now? If you don’t know—why don’t you know? Who knows the processes? Who is responsible for updates? Where is information stored & posted? If there is no formalized process, ask why.

11. Who Needs to Know Your CLEP Policy?

12. Military Credit • How does your institution grant credit for military training/service? • Cross walk with 2-year/4-year • How do we promote? • Who needs to be involved? • VA representatives • Transcript evaluators • Advisors

13. Colorado Community College System All 13 colleges follow same rules Legislation passed in 1990s stating a “Student Bill of Rights” Faculty convene to discuss scores and acceptance of exams CCCS CLEP Handbook maintained and updated annually: http://www.cccs.edu/Docs/EdServices/Credit-for-Prior-Learning-Handbook.pdf

14. Possible Road Blocks

15. Consider these questions: • How are students notified of their opportunity for CLEP? • What is on your website?   • Are your policies current?   • Do you know who is responsible for CLEP policy?

16. Student Road Blocks Lack of communication Poor website design Lack of training for advisors/staff Lack of knowledge support from faculty No “champion”

17. Comments I hear from advisors Negates transferability It’s too complicated. I don’t understand the process. Who should I advise to take CLEP? No one really cares.

18. Faculty can be a Road Block Help educate on test development De-mystify Encourage them to become part of the process

19. Faculty Role in CLEP More than 600 college and university faculty members are involved in developing and setting the standards for CLEP exams. Faculty responsibilities include: • Serving on test development committees • Responding to curriculum surveys to determine exam content • Serving on standard-setting panels • Serving on ACE review panels • Determining departmental credit-granting policies

20. Solutions with Faculty • Educate • CLEP Policies • CLEP Procedures • Engage • Share success stories • Attend faculty meetings • Encourage • Get them to volunteer • Share the data

21. Who are CPL Students?

22. Identify CPL Students • First year students looking to accelerate their education paths • Students with high SAT or ACT scores • Homeschooled students • Students who are fluent in Spanish, French, or German • Juniors or seniors who have not met lower-division requirements

23. CPL Students Continued • Adults returning to college • Military service members • Veterans • Students at risk for stopping out or struggling with finances • International students needing to translate their overseas credit • Students with expired courses • Students with high placement scores

24. Responsibilities

25. Focus on All Students Recent focus has been students placing into developmental courses Why do we ignore students who are college level and higher? Important to serve all students What is our role in guiding students?

26. A New Set of Lenses Advising job is information Advising job is to provide options/choices Advising job is student success Advising job is to advocate for student

27. Educate Departments on CLEP • Intake process • Initial student contact • Front Desk Staff • Advisors • Testing Administrators • Student Orientation/Preview • Deans

28. Sample Websites http://www.uwgb.edu/oira/cfpl/clep/ http://frontrange.edu/testing

29. Identify Decision Makers Critical to know who are the decision makers Critical to get faculty input Critical to evaluate plan on regular basis

30. Time for a Decision Student may want to discuss with VA advisor Student may need to talk to Testing Center Student may need to talk with Admissions & Records Student may need to talk with Department/Program chair

31. Responsibility Check List Advisor • Be well versed in policy • Identify CLEP student • Educate CLEP student • Be an advocate • Stay current Student • What exam(s) may I take • How do I get credit • What will transfer • Know deadlines • Follow through

32. Identify Leaders for Implementation

33. Key Leaders • Testing Directors • Dean of Student Services • Dean of Instruction • Director of Advising • State committees • Faculty • Advisors • Legislators

34. Implement Change Identify change Create a plan Identify appropriate committee members Student input Faculty Research

35. Key Questions for Change • Process • What departments are impacted? • What makes sense for students? • Payment • Marketing • Free materials • Opportunities to tell students • Evaluate • Feedback surveys • Data Reports

36. Promote/Create/Implement • State wide systems • 2-year • 4-year • Guarantee transfer within a state • Identify key players • Faculty • Deans • System presidents

37. How to Recruit Committee • Directors • Important to have key leaders • Testing • Instruction • Support Staff • Invaluable resource • Great ideas • Students • Know their needs

38. Resources for Change • No need to reinvent the wheel • Data critical to your cause • National organizations • College Board • ACT • NCTA • Webmaster

39. Need More Information? CLEP website for professionals: professionals.collegeboard.com/clep CLEP website for students: www.collegeboard.com/clep CLEP email address: CLEP@collegeboard.org

40. Summary Educate your teams Evaluate current methodology Create a plan for implementation of CLEP policies Eliminate road blocks for students Identify key leaders Identify recommendations for change Identify resources Take ACTION!

41. Are you for student success?

42. Discussion/Questions/WrapUp

43. Thank you! Deborah Anderson M.Ed. Higher Education Consultant Deb.anderson1952@gmail.com