Standardized Examination Credits

Students may be awarded credit through achieving the college’s minimum scoring requirements on the following standardized examinations: Advanced Placement Examination Program (AP); College-Level Examination Program (CLEP); Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES); and higher-level International Baccalaureate courses (IB). Minimum score requirements and their ESCC equivalent are below.

The awarding of credit through standardized examinations shall be given, to the extent possible, to courses listed in the current ESCC Catalog. In certain instances, credit may be awarded for courses listed in the Virginia Community College System Master Course File (MCF).

Official test scores must be directed from the testing agency to ESCC’s Registrar at Registrar@es.vccs.edu.

1. Advanced Placement Examination Program (AP)

The College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) administers advanced placement examinations that enable high school students to complete college-level courses while still in high school, to demonstrate college-level achievements through examinations, and to receive college course credit when they matriculate at an institution of higher learning. AP credit is only awarded to students who are enrolled in classes at ESCC and are curriculum-placed, and who earn a score of 3 or higher. For evaluation, students must have official AP score reports from ETS forwarded to the Admissions and Records Office at ESCC. AP courses and their ESCC equivalent are as follows:

2. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP is a national program of credit-by-examination that offers students the opportunity to document their existing knowledge for 100 and 200 level collegiate courses.  Eastern Shore Community College accepts most of the CLEP exams, and uses the American Council on Education recommended minimum score of 50 for most tests when awarding CLEP credit.  For higher level courses, the minimum score may be higher and as noted.

CLEP examinations are administered at Eastern Shore Community College by the Testing Center. CLEP examinations are not administered at Eastern Shore during the last two weeks of a semester or during the final examination period. CLEP courses and their ESCC equivalent are as follows:

3.  Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES)

ESCC awards specific course credit for acceptable scores, as recommended by the American Council on Educations, on DANTES college-level examinations. Several types of examinations are reported: end of course examinations for correspondence; extension courses from regionally accredited colleges and universities; College-Level Tests of General Educational Development given prior to 1960; and General Examination of the College-Level Examination Program. Also, college course credits may be granted for tests administered by the United States Armed Forces Institutes (USAFI) prior to June 1, 1974. Scores at the 40th percentile and above are accepted by ESCC. Scores at the 20th percentile and above are accepted for DANTES exams taken prior to September 1981. A complete listing of current and prior tests and recommended scores may be found in ACE’s 2004 Guide to Educational Credit by Examination.

4.   International Baccalaureate (IB)

Students completing the Higher Level exams for International Baccalaureate may be granted academic credit for these exams if a score of 5 or above is achieved.  IB courses and their ESCC equivalent are as follows: