Alternate Ways to Receive Academic Credit

McPherson College currently accepts unlimited credit for Advanced Placement (AP) examinations with a score of 3 or higher, and International Baccalaureate (IB) for scores of 4 or higher. A student my receive up to 21 credit hours for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and Credit by Departmental Examination depending upon score/grade.

Credit for Advanced Placement Equivalents

Students who have taken College Board Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school and have passed one or more Advanced Placement examinations with a score of 3 or higher can receive credit for McPherson College’s equivalent course(s), as determined by the college registrar.

Credit for International Baccalaureate Equivalents

Students who have participated in the International Baccalaureate program in high school and who have passed one or more IB examinations with a score of 4 or higher can receive credit for McPherson College’s equivalents courses(s), as determined by the college registrar.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Tests

Students may elect to earn credits for McPherson College courses by passing registrar-approved College Board CLEP tests with a score that meets the credit-granting scores recommended by the American Council on Education. Before registering to take a CLEP exam to test out of a particular McPherson College course, students should be sure the registrar approves the exam as an equivalent to the course for which they desire credit. No more than six hours of CLEP credit will be accepted in the area of college composition. Current CLEP credits are accepted through midterm of the semester the official scores are received by McPherson College. If the current CLEP scores are received after midterm, they will be transcribed the following semester.

The student is required to pay the fee per exam. Additionally, there is a $100 fee to post the credit on the student’s transcript.

Credit by Departmental Examination

Students who would like to attempt to earn credit by exam should first see if there is a College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) test available. The college registrar will work with the department chair to determine if there is an acceptable CLEP test as a first option. If a CLEP test is not available, the student may seek permission from the instructor of the course and/or the department chair to receive credit by institutional exam for the desired course. Credit is granted to undergraduate students who earn a grade of C or higher on the exam.  The grade earned on the exam will be recorded on the student’s permanent transcript, along with the notice that the credit was awarded by examination.

Credit by departmental exam counts toward the achievement of a degree and is included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative grade-point average. However, it is not included in the calculation of the GPA for the semester in which the examination is taken.

There is a $100 fee to post the credit on the student’s transcript.