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Academic Programs • Print this Brochure

Students may be eligible to receive advanced placement or college credit by taking examinations available nationally as well as on Grand Valley State University’s campus. Students take these tests to determine their level of competence in certain subject areas.

• Students may receive credit by examination if they have not previously registered for the course in question at Grand Valley or elsewhere.
• The credits will count toward graduation but will not be used in computing the grade point average.
• The maximum number of credits by examination that students may apply toward the baccalaureate is 32 hours, eight of which may be in the major area.
• Students who are native speakers of a language other than English will not be granted CLEP or AP exam credit for that language.

Advanced Placement Program (AP)
The Advanced Placement program (AP), a service of the College Board, allows students to earn college credits while they are still in high school.

Advanced placement examinations are offered throughout the world in May of each year. The current cost is $86. No examination is longer than three hours, and some are shorter. The examinations are offered at participating schools or at multi-school centers. All of the tests contain either an essay or a problem-solving section and another section consisting of multiple-choice questions.

Exams are graded nationally. Essay grades are combined with the grades on the multiple-choice questions and the scores are converted to the program’s five-point scale:

5 – Extremely well qualified
4 – Well qualified
3 – Qualified
2 – Possible qualified
1 – No recommendation

Grand Valley State University will grant credit for scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the AP tests. In order to receive credit, the student must request that the College Board send score reports to the university. When Grand Valley receives the AP scores (usually in early July), students who have earned the appropriate score will be awarded credit. Each student who earns credit will receive an evaluation indicating the credit awarded.

Effective May 2009, AP credit is awarded as follows for scores of 3, 4, or 5:

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
CLEP is a national program of credit by examination that offers students the opportunity to earn college credits for college-level achievement. Personal reading, on-the-job experience, adult school, or other life experience may prepare students to earn college credit by examination.

• CLEP tests are appropriate for returning adult students, graduating high school seniors, and for currently enrolled college students.
• Grand Valley grants credit for subject examinations offered by CLEP. No credit is given for general examinations.
• CLEP credit is applied as two-year college transfer credit.
• Students must earn the last 30 credits toward their degree at Grand Valley; therefore, a student nearing graduation must get a Residency Waiver approved before the exam is taken.
• The student must request that scores be sent to Grand Valley so that credit may be awarded.
• The cost per test is currently $85, including the administration fee. For further details, call Advising Resources and Special Programs at Grand Valley at (616) 331-3588.

Effective May 2009, CLEP credit is awarded for the following exams:
(Applies to computer-based tests)

* Portfolio must be submitted to the Writing Department for review after passing multiple-choice test. Students MUST pass both the multiple choice and portfolio requirement to receive credit for WRT 150. Portfolio requirements are available upon registration for the test and on the Testing Services Web site.

** Must have laboratory notebook reviewed and approved by the chair of the Chemistry Department before CHM 116 credit can be awarded.

++ The optional essay questions are supplied by the Grand Valley History Department and the answers are reviewed by history faculty. Credit for the 200-level courses will be awarded if a passing score is received on the essay portion. Students MUST pass both the multiple choice and essay portions to receive the 200-level credit.

For CLEP tests taken before May 2009, contact the Advising Resources and Special Programs Unit at (616) 331-3588 for
information on credit granting policies.

Note: Minimum scores and equivalencies are subject to change.

International Baccalaureate
Grand Valley recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and awards academic credit for scores of 4 or higher
on all of the Higher Level (HL) examinations. Details of the course equivalencies can be found on the Web at
www.gvsu.edu/images/intl_bac.pdf.

Refer to www.gvsu.edu/catalog for the most current catalog information.

For More Information
For more information about either the Advanced Placement or the College Level Examination Programs, contact:

Admissions Office
Grand Valley State University
1 Campus Drive
Allendale, MI 49401-9403
Telephone: (616) 331-2025 or (800) 748-0246
Email: admissions@gvsu.edu
Web: www.gvsu.edu/admissions