Validity of Awarding College Credit by Examination in Mathematics and English'

Abstract

The present study was concerned with the validity of the College-Level Examination Program General Examinations (CLEP) in Mathematics and English Composition. The two-fold purpose of the study was to provide an estimate of the number of credit hours likely to be earned if students took CLEP as well as to examine the interrelationships among the two previously mentioned subtests from CLEP, an end-of-year achievement test in Mathematics, and a prior measure in English Composition. First-year students at a senior college of the City University of New York were recruited for an experimental administration of the CLEP, the final examination from the first year mathematics course, and a college-developed English placement essay. Students with high scores on the American College Testing Program Examination (ACT) and high school averages were predominant in the sample selected for testing. From the data, inferences were made that (1) the CLEP Mathematics test could be used to grant credit in mathematics, but that the current cutting score should be examined in view of standards used in the course; (2) there was little relationship between CLEP English Composition scores and present college placement procedures for first-year English; and (3) the number of students who could earn college credit by examination was much higher than was the number presently taking CLEP at the college.