Testing Out of Classes

Coming out of high school many college students have fresh material about chemistry, physics, and foreign languages on the brain. To speed up the progression through required coursework a student may want to test-out of basic subjects that they do well with. Testing centers on campus can allow a student to pay a minimal fee and sit for exams in almost all subjects. If a college student passes these tests, then they will receive the credit hours but not a grade for the course. In other words, it will not count towards your overall grade point average, but it will allow you to graduate sooner if enough credits are achieved.

Many college students wait too long to sit for these exams and forget the material they learned in high school. Before going and taking the test, purchase an overview of the topic to refresh your memory. An investment of $10 for a topical overview and a few hours review can earn several college credit hours and hasten graduation. Sometimes, the testing center will be able to provide these topical reviews for free and the $10 dollars can be saved.

An investment of a few hours can save countless hours listening to dull lectures and inconclusive experiments in labs. On average, this technique may only be used for 50-60 credit hours on most bachelor programs. Think about all the time, tuition, and downtime saved with using these techniques.

The downside is that skipping chemistry or physics will allow advancement into an advanced chemistry or physics that a student may not be ready for. The authors of this guide recommends testing out of courses that are more elective based to allow greater concentration on a student’s major. Music appreciation, Algebra I, and American history are courses that many freshman have a strong chance of testing out of due to exposure in high school.

The dean of the department determines the progression of classes. Lecture and labs are taken together to allow increased understanding of the material. Occasionally, a student makes a scheduling error and matches the wrong lecture with the right lab class. In many cases, the right lecture will be full and have to be taken the next semester, slowing the progression through coursework. Consequently, testing out of the lecture may permit the return to the normal progression of courses.