CLEP FAQs

There are several resources to prepare for a CLEP exam. Please visit CLEP's Test Practice web page for links about purchasing study guides and question format for a CLEP test so you can become familiar with the platform.

Exams are designed to completed in 90 minutes. Before the exam, there are approximately five minutes of tutorial/instructions for you to click through (not counted in your testing time) during which your test registration is confirmed online, and you learn other details about answering questions and score reports. Essay exams may take longer than 90 minutes.

Because of room availability limitations, the SUNY Plattsburgh test center allows one exam per test date. We only have the room reserved for the time it takes for one exam. Rare exceptions may occur in the case of a visiting group, and only during the winter or summer break (when classes are not in session).

You will receive your printed candidate score report upon completion of the exam. If you have taken an exam with an essay, you will receive one combined score after the essay has been scored by CLEP, usually two to three weeks after your test date. CLEP exams are scored on a 20-80 point scale. For most tests, the credit granting score recommendation by the American Council on Education is 50, but there are exceptions for some tests at some colleges. Check with your own institution for what they will accept. SUNY Plattsburgh students may use the follow general credit guide to SUNY Plattsburgh provided on the College Board website.

Contact our SUNY Plattsburgh test administration staff, (518)564-2080, to discuss and make arrangements for any accommodations. Zoom text is available. We can usually accommodate 1.5X, quiet room, and seat location. We only have the room reserved for three hours, all inclusive, ~once/month, so we are unable to provide 2x, separate location, or exam read aloud.

You must check with the institution to which you are applying CLEP credit to be sure. Most colleges accept College Composition, which includes an online essay. Only occasionally does an institution require College Composition Modular — in which case there is a separate optional essay. Depending on what your institution requires, that essay may be provided to us by your institution (and scored by your institution) OR they may request that you take the essay provided by CLEP and scored by CLEP. Requests for the CLEP-issued essay must be made to us at least two weeks before your test; include a separate money order for $10 additional to SUNY Plattsburgh or choose the $75 option (reservation fee + essay if you pay online) that we use to buy the essay portion from CLEP.

Your institution should receive the report of your scores within four to six weeks after you complete your exam. If a score report is not received in this time frame, please contact CLEP Customer Service (1-800-257-9558).