All of the course material has been released at once so you can complete it anytime. There are no required prerequisites. We also plan to keep the course open at no cost to students.

The course was designed by a college professor at the request of Modern States Educational Alliance, a non-profit whose goal is to make college more affordable and accessible. IBL Open edX is our course designer and platform developer.

The course will prepare you to take one of The College Board’s introductory-level CLEP (College Level Examination Program) exams and get access to college credit for free. CLEPs credits are accepted by more than 2,900 colleges and universities, according to The College Board.

No.

You will need to demonstrate an understanding in Western Civilization I. The exam contains approximately 120 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. Six lectures, which have been transcribed for your convenience, provide the insight and knowledge needed to pass the exam. Please see our syllabus.

There is a Modern States app! Please go to the App Store or Android Google Play to download our app.

Certainly! Please check our platform at https://courses.modernstates.org to enroll on an existing course. We are adding new courses to our catalog regularly. Our goal is to provide courses in dozens of subject areas.

Yes. Our approach is to provide free, high-quality online education. However, remember that the College Board charges $80 per CLEP exam and testing centers typically charge from $10 to $30. Students participating in the Modern States pilot program will be reimbursed for testing center fees.

If you need tutoring, we do not have a free solution. Here is a list of companies that will charge you to provide access to online tutors for AP and CLEP level coursework: Tutor.com, Course Hero, Eduwizards, The Princeton Review, NoodlePros and Smarthinking.

Our introductory module will give you a glimpse. Beyond this, please enroll in our "Passing the CLEP and Learning with Modern States X" course. For more, visit modernstates.org.

High school students historically have taken Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exams, but these days a growing number of high school students are taking CLEP exams. The AP exams are given annually each May in high schools across the country, while CLEP exams are offered daily at test centers. Modern States offers nearly all of the major AP courses, which may include courses your high school does not offer. You can take Modern States AP courses online and then register to take the exams at the nearest high school where testing is offered.

Once you know where you plan to attend college, CLEP courses and tests can be the way to go, provided the college you’re attending recognizes CLEP for credit. You can take online courses from Modern States to prepare you for CLEPs and then register to take the exams at testing centers located on college campuses, high schools, military bases, and testing centers located across the USA.

For general information about CLEP courses and tests, visit the College Board site.

The CLEP exams are ideal for military personnel to earn college credit while serving. Since the courses are online, Modern States courses give you flexibility if you are reassigned to a different base. In addition, members of the military and their spouses receive federal funding that covers the $80 CLEP test fee. The CLEP exams can be taken on many military bases around the world.

College students can earn credits needed to graduate by taking CLEP courses from Modern States and then taking CLEP exams. The key is to be sure that your college or university accepts the specific CLEP exam(s) you want to take and that it fulfills whatever requirements you have remaining. For example, some schools don’t allow you to use CLEP courses to earn credits in your major.

Yes. Modern States courses and the CLEP exams provide a terrific road back for students who have not been able to meet the traditional path of the US college system. This is a great way for busy working adults to take courses for free online and begin to earn college credits by exam. This offers you the freedom and flexibility you need to learn the material, and take CLEP exams, on a schedule that works for you.

Thousands of colleges offer credit, but not all do. Every college sets its own scoring and credit standards with regard to granting college credit based on AP and CLEP exam results. Some colleges, for example, only allow students to opt out of introductory level courses based on successful test results. Check the websites of individual colleges to learn their policies concerning credit by exam.

AP tests are offered once a year in high schools to high school students, while CLEP exams are offered in testing centers virtually every day to learners of all ages. The CLEP exams, with one exception, are made up entirely of multiple choice questions, while AP tests contain a blend of multiple choice and short and long-form essay questions.

AP tests are better known and viewed as more rigorous than CLEPs. They are based on challenging course material specified by the College Board, while the CLEP measures knowledge acquired in any manner. For the most up-to-date, accurate information about what AP and CLEP scores you need to get college credit, check the websites of individual colleges, since standards vary widely.

For CLEP, call 1-800-257-9558 or email clep@info.collegeboard.org (please include your name, address and telephone number). For AP, call 1-888-225-5427 or email apstudents@info.collegeboard.org.