MSEJ MAY 2014 | Page 10

The cost of higher education can be an immense burden on students, especially veterans and military spouses who tend to be non-traditional students with many responsibilities. In the 2013-2014 school year, tuition increased 2.9%. According to the College Board, “the average cost of tuition and fees was $30,094 at private colleges, $8,893 for state residents at public colleges, and $22,203 for out-of-state residents attending public universities.” Aside from tuition, textbooks also contribute to out-of-pocket costs.

Fortunately, resources exist that can alleviate the price tag attached to a degree. One such resource is College Level Exam Placement (CLEP). At Liberty University, for example, each college credit is approximately $300 resulting in a hefty price of $1,000 for just one 3 credit course. What

if you could save that money but still attain those college

credits? With CLEP, you can! CLEP is accepted at

over 2900 institutions and allows

you to test out of a course for a

nominal exam fee. The 90 minute

exam only costs $80 and saves

you an entire semester worth

of work, along with hundreds

of dollars.