Credit By Exam
You can earn credit for prior learning experience by taking an LC State course challenge exam or portfolio assessment. You can also submit national exam scores from CLEP or DSST exams for college credit.
No more than 25% of a degree or certificate may consist of prior learning experience credits. Test scores may not be used to replace or duplicate grades/credits earned through a completed, equivalent course.
Challenge Exams
Challenge Exams are designed by LC State faculty with expertise in the subject area to assess your prior knowledge of the learning outcomes of a particular course. If you believe you have mastered the course learning outcomes through experience, independent study, or other means, you may petition to challenge a course for credit.
- Students must NOT be enrolled in a course they intend to challenge. Students must currently be enrolled in the semester in which they complete the Challenge Exam.
- Only LC State approved courses may be challenged; some courses are not available for credit by Challenge Exam.
- Students may not challenge a course during the final semester in which they anticipate being awarded a degree/certificate.
- Students may not challenge a course previously audited, previously failed, or for which they have received credit via another means of prior learning assessment.
- Students may only challenge any given course one time.
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Contact Dovie Willey, the Adult Learning Coordinator, with questions or to begin the challenge process.
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Review the “Am I Ready” document for your exam and confirm your readiness for this exam with your signature on the Course Challenge Form.
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Meet with the Division Chair and instructor of the exam for approval signature on the Course Challenge Form.
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Pay your $70 Challenge Exam Fee online with credit or debit card or to the campus cashier in the Administration Building with cash or check.
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Schedule your proctored exam with the Testing Center, by phone at 208.792.2100, by visiting in person Library Room 161, or by filling out the Appointment Request – At LC State Campus Testing Center.
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For distance students, please contact the Testing Center.
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Take the exam – Bring valid, physical photo ID and receipt for payment to your appointment.
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Exam Assessment: The exam will be sent to the instructor for grading. After the exam has been assessed, the Adult Learning Programs office will notify you of the exam results.
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If you pass the exam, the credits will be posted to your transcript.
Portfolio Assessment
A course Portfolio is a formal means of requesting assessment of your prior work/life experience from which you have developed sufficient college-level learning to earn credit for a specific class.
- Students will only be allowed to submit a Portfolio for assessment when another form of prior learning assessment (Challenge Exam, AP/CLEP or similar) is not available.
- Students must be enrolled at LC State in the semester in which they submit a Portfolio.
- Students must not be enrolled in the course for which they intend to submit a Portfolio for assessment.
- Students may not submit a Portfolio for a course they have previously audited, previously failed, or for which they have received credit via another means of prior learning assessment.
- Students may only submit a Portfolio for assessment for a specific course one time. Portfolios will not be returned and will be kept on file in accordance with Records Retention policies.
- Credit awarded through Portfolio assessment is limited to 25% of the total credits required for a degree.
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Contact Dovie Willey, Adult Learning Coordinator, at djwilley@lcsc.edu with questions or to begin the Portfolio process.
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The Adult Learning Coordinator or your Advisor will help you determine which courses are appropriate for portfolio assessment and share the specific details required for your portfolio creation and submission. Use the generic template or one of the pre-made guides to begin preparing portfolio(s).
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When you are ready to submit – fill out your Course Portfolio Form and pay your $75 Portfolio Assessment Fee online with credit or debit or at the cashier’s office (ADM building) with cash or check.
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Contact the Adult Learning Coordinator for specific submission instructions.
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Portfolio Assessment Results: The Portfolio will be sent to the instructor for assessment. After the Portfolio has been assessed, the Adult Learning Coordinator will notify you of the assessment results. If you pass the assessment, the credits will be posted to your transcript.
CLEP
- Register for your CLEP Exam - Fee is $93 per exam (subject to change by CLEP) when registering on the CLEP website. **Effective July 1, 2024, the CLEP® exam fee will be $95.
- Additionally, a $25 proctoring fee must to paid to LC State. This fee is paid online with credit or debit card or in person with the cashier in the Administration Building.
- The LC State Testing Center is a DANTES Fully Funded site: Eligible active duty military and eligible spouses will have their fees waived (first attempts only). For more information, ask the Testing Center staff when making your appointment.
- Make an appointment for your exam with the Testing Center. Fill out the Appointment Request – At LC State Campus Testing Center online form or call 208.792.2100
- The day of your CLEP test appointment you must bring the following:
- Government issued picture id
- Printed test ticket from CLEP
- Receipt for $25 proctoring fee paid to LC State - only if paid in person to the campus cashier
- If paid online, the receipt will be emailed to the Testing Center
Yes! You can take a CLEP exam at LC State and have the score sent to other schools. When registering for your exam with CLEP you will choose the school to receive your score.
DSST
- Visit the DSST website to review the available exams and to get information about each exam
- Check with your school prior to making an appointment to ensure the DSST exam you want to take will be accepted for credit at your school.
- Check the DSST "Find A Test Center" page to find the school code for the location you want your results sent to. This is a four digit code found before the site name when you search for a location.
Ex. When you search for Lewiston, Lewis- Clark State College comes up in the results and our site code is 7631
- Contact the LC State Testing Center at 208.792.2100 or fill out the Appointment Request – At LC State Campus Testing Center to make an appointment for your DSST exam.
Test Fees:
The DSST exam has a fee of $85 (subject to change by DSST) and is paid on the computer at the time of testing with a credit or debit card.
- The LC State Testing Center is a DANTES Fully Funded site: Eligible active duty military and eligible spouses will have their fees waived (first attempts only). For more information, ask the Testing Center staff when making your appointment
The LC State Testing Center charges a proctoring fee of $25 for each DSST exam taken. This fee is paid online with credit or debit card or at the cashier window in the Administration Building on the LC State Campus prior to your testing appointment
Bring the following to your appointment:
If you have taken a DSST exam in the past, make sure you know your user name and password for your account. This information is specific to your DSST testing account.
- A current, valid physical government issued picture id
- Credit or debit card to pay the $85 DSST fee on the computer (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express)
- Receipt for the $25 payment made to the LC State - if paid to the campus cashier
- If paid online, the receipt has been emailed to the Testing Center
- School code for the school where you want your results sent
- Bring your Social Security card, or know your Social Security number for test registration
Yes! When you are at the Testing Center to test you will choose a location for your scores to be sent. You must know the four-digit school code when you come to test.
Check the DSST "Find A Test Center" page to find the school code for the location you want your results sent to. This is a four digit code found before the site name when you search for a location.
- Ex. When you search for Lewiston, Lewis-Clark State College comes up in the results and our site code is 7631
LC State charges a non-refundable service fee for credit/debit card transactions.