Are you a “nontraditional” college student? Here’s a quick test, in case you’re not sure:

• Did you take on a full-time job or join the military right after graduating high school?
• Do you attend college (or plan to attend college ) on a part-time basis?
• Do you support yourself without financial help from your parents or guardians?
• Do you have children?
• Did you earn your GED instead of a standard high school diploma?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, the U.S. government considers you a nontraditional college student. There are millions of college students in this same category, and although their situations may be very different, they all have one important thing in common:

They are less likely to finish college.

That’s right. Research shows that nontraditional students are much more likely to drop out after their first year of college, and are much less likely to graduate—even if they keep trying for up to five years.

It’s not hard to imagine why earning a degree is harder when you have kids, a job, and financial responsibilities. Finding supportive, flexible education options are crucial for making it to the finish line: that's where credit by exam comes in. 

Credit by exam allows students to test out of college courses, earning the same credits as completing an entire semester-long course. By taking one proficiency test, students can accelerate their progress while still maintaining work/life balance. This system cuts down the time and financial investment associated with college prerequisite courses, which can offer a significant benefit for nontraditional students. 

Let’s look at some of the ways in which credit by exam programs are different from the traditional college structure.

Credit by exam programs cost less

It's not breaking news to say college is expensive. But there are significant differences in what you might pay, depending on the type of college degree program you choose and what kind of financial aid you qualify for. 

The average college course costs around $2,400 for 16 weeks of instruction. This does not include additional fees such as textbooks, commuting costs, or childcare expenses. 

By contrast, the registration fee for a credit by exam test (also known as a CLEP exam) is only $89. While some students may choose to take a test-prep course before the exam to help them pass with confidence, these courses are still more affordable than the traditional college format. 

That’s why thousands of students—including many military members—are using credit-by-exam programs to bypass some of the expensive courses that colleges require. Students in all different majors use CLEP to test out of their prerequisite courses to save money. 

Credit by exam programs are time saving

One of the biggest reasons why more students aren’t finishing college is the time commitment involved. If you had nothing else to do, you could easily dedicate your days to attending classes, but nontraditional students have to juggle work, parenting, paying bills: the list goes on.

For most adults, the traditional college model simply isn’t manageable. Too often classes have to be put aside for family responsibilities, financial issues, or other problems that are bound to crop up over a four-year time span.

Credit by exam programs make the time factor more manageable because they help you reduce the overall time span. Instead of working through a set number of classes per semester, credit by exam gives you the flexibility to test out of as many—or as few—subjects that work with your schedule.  

While you'll still have to learn the material and prepare for the exam, the credit by exam track is definitely a faster alternative for those who can’t maintain the college juggling act for years and years on end.

Credit by exam programs are less stressful 

Traditional college courses run on a semester-based timeline, but these classes come with additional time commitments. Research papers, team projects, quizzes, and more can add up to a burdensome workload that only add to stress. 

With credit by exam, students only have to focus on preparing for one exam. Even when enrolled in a test-prep course, all instruction is focused on passing the exam with no papers or projects necessary.  

Staying focused on one exam, rather than dividing time between projects, is a more manageable way to approach education for nontraditional students. 

Explore credit by exam with Achieve Test Prep 

Achieve Test Prep offers college prep services designed with students like you in mind. We can help you prepare for CLEP tests and skip entire college courses, saving you time, money, and stress. No matter what kind of nontraditional education path you're on, we can help you work toward your goals. The best way to explore this time-saving method is to connect with our Achieve Advisors who can customize a plan based on your needs.