Do you want to complete your college degree, but would rather have your homework help done for you, avoid attending classes and graduate sooner? If so, you should consider some alternative ways in which you can earn college credits and, ultimately, your college degree. Earning college credit in these ways can save you a lot of time and money if you plan everything carefully.
This is probably the fastest and most convenient option if you want to earn college credit quickly. The College Board offers CLEP tests that count for college credit at 2900 colleges and universities across the country. These exams are designed to cover a variety of college-level subjects, from mathematics to the sciences.
Most colleges will limit the number of credits that you can earn through CLEP exams. However, colleges from the Big Three, will allow you to take as many as you wish. As of 2014, each exam costs $80 minus the testing fee at each school. Tip: You can take CLEP exams even if you are not a student. You can submit your test results for college credit when completing your college applications.
Work experience is important when applying for jobs, especially in this economy. That is why college students make an effort to snag an internship during the summer months. Internships will allow you to gain valuable on-the-job experience. However, did you know that you can actually get college credit by completing one? Just make sure that you sign up for an internship that features a credit equivalency program so that you will have a seamless time transferring the college credit to your particular school. Tip: Although it is easy to score college credit from internships, be prepared to pay for the credits based on your school’s per-credit tuition fees.
Have you had years of work-related experience in a particular field? If so, you just may be able to get college credit for simply being an experienced professional. A growing number of colleges and universities offer portfolio assessments for these particular students.
These portfolios will require you to write a narrative of your industry experience and present evidence of your skills to be analyzed by the college dean. Just note that this may be the most expensive option when it comes to earning college credit the non-traditional way; most schools charge portfolio assessment fees that are more expensive than their classroom courses. Tip: Be sure to include copies of your industry certifications or licenses when preparing your portfolio. Doing so will make it easier to grant you credit easily. If you don’t like the idea of taking tons of courses to complete your degree, look into a few legitimate ways to earn college credits. You just may save yourself some time and money.