PLA CLEP Examinations

WHAT IS "CLEP"?

CLEP® examinations are standardized tests created by CollegeBoard™ which  cover material taught in courses that most students take as basic foundations for their college degrees. USM faculty have reviewed these exams to ensure they cover subject matter adequate for these courses, and have recommended credit and passing scores for these exams. Follow this link to read exam descriptions.

CLEP® exams given at USM, their equivalent credits, and the minimum test scores to achieve these credits:

• USM students matriculating Fall 2011 and thereafter
• USM students matriculating prior to Fall 2011   
• USM students at Lewiston-Auburn College   

College Composition Modular

If you seek to take an equivalency for ENG 100 at USM, PLA offers only the College Composition Modular, which is a 90-minute multiple choice exam. USM does not offer the essay format of this exam and the previous CLEP® English Composition has been discontinued.

Register for a CLEP®

USM is an open testing site, which means registration is not restricted to only USM students. In order to take the CLEP® test at USM, students or the general public must register for any one of the thirty-three CLEP® exams directly with the USM/PLA test center  at 240 Luther Bonney Hall on the Portland Campus.

Registration Procedures for the CLEP® Exams at USM

1. View a current schedule of exams.

2. View the exam schedule for Fall 2012.

3. Register by downloading the two forms here. 

4. Submit printed copies of these two forms, along with a check for $125 at the time of registration to:

Kristen Beahm, Test Coordinator, Prior Learning Assessment, 240 Luther Bonney Hall, USM, Portland, Maine 04014-9300.

  4.  NOTE: PLA does not accept either faxed or e-mailed forms.

  5.  NOTE ALSO: All changes made on either CLEP® registration form must be made in your own writing on a newly submitted form.

  6.  Contact the PLA Test Coordinator, Kristen Beahm, at: kbeahm@usm.maine.edu or (207) 228-8086 with your questions and concerns.

  7.  View the CLEP® exam policies at USM.

  8.  Reschedule your CLEP® exam, by completing the rescheduling form and submitting it with a fee of $35 to the PLA Testing Center. Please reschedule prior to a week before the actual scheduled exam date (see policies).

Active Duty Military

Active duty military are only charged the service fee of $48, if you present your active duty military card for verification at the time of registration.

Request an Official Score Transcript

For test scores to be posted on your USM transcript, USM requires an official score transcript sent directly from the parent testing company (ETS) to USM. If you have taken the CLEP® at another insitutution, either call 800-257-9558, fax (609) 771-7088, or visit the CLEP website at: http://www.collegeboard.org/clep to request an official CLEP® score transcript.

Be sure to request that your score transcript be sent to school code #3691 (USM), in care of:

Joyce Lapping, Director, Office for Prior Learning Assessment, University of Southern Maine, 249 Luther Bonney Hall, 85 Bedford Street, Portland, Maine  04104-9300.

Post Your CLEP® scores on your USM transcript

You will need to complete the PLA/CLEP® Posting Fee form and submit it with your payment ($15 per exam score transcript).

NOTE: PLA does not accept either faxed or e-mailed forms.

Study for the CLEP®

The CLEP Official website offers study materials beyond the college texts that you might use for exam preparation. If you are taking just one CLEP exam, it may be more advantageous to purchase one of the Individual Subject Guides ($10) in downloadable electronic format instead of the Comprehensive CLEP Official Study Guide ($24.95) both of which are available. In these guides CLEP® offers you an outline of the test, sample questions and answers, and general tips for preparing for the CLEP exams.

PLA also keeps copies of the current CLEP® Official Study Guide for your use on the premises in 240 Luther Bonney Hall, Portland Campus.