College Board Advanced Placement Tests
The College recognizes the College Board Advanced Placement Examination Program as a means of evaluating student eligibility for advanced placement. Matriculated students who have participated in the AP Program and who have been admitted to the College should have official AP grade reports forwarded directly to the College Admissions Office. These grade reports should come from the College Board, Advanced Placement Examinations, CN 6671, Princeton, NJ 08541-6671; telephone 609.771.7300. Upon receipt of students’ AP reports, the advising center will access the grade and evaluate for transfer credit. The minimum score to receive credit varies from 3 to 5. No credit is awarded on any AP exam score of less than 3.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Students may choose to earn credits by taking a nationally standardized exam known as CLEP (College Level Examination Program). The college awards credits for courses in the areas of Business, Composition and Literature, Foreign Languages, Social Sciences, Science and Mathematics. A complete list of CLEP exams accepted for credit by NCC is available on our website (https://www.nashuacc.edu/student-services/advising-center/ clep-policy), as well as in the Academic Advising Center. The cost of each exam is published on the College Board website www.collegeboard.com/clep. Passing scores
for CLEP are 50 and above unless specified otherwise. Successful completion of a CLEP exam is treated as a transfer credit. Matriculated students will need to request that a copy of their scores be sent to NCC for review. This request is made to the College Board and can be done during or after the exam.
Credit by Examination (CBE)
Credit by Examination (CBE) may be earned by matriculated students who, by study, training, or experience outside the College, have acquired skill or knowledge equivalent to that acquired by students enrolled in a course at the College. Such skill, knowledge, or experience shall be in the area of the course concerned and determined to be relevant by the Vice President of Academic Affairs or other authorized personnel.
Students may challenge a course by requesting and completing an examination or evaluation that covers the instructional material of the course. If successful, the appropriate credits earned are applied to the students’ programs but may not be transferable to another college. Since a traditional grade (A-F) is not entered, the Credit by Exam is not calculated into the student’s GPA. Students planning to transfer are encouraged to check with the perspective transfer college.
Students requesting a CBE shall pay a fee of $25 per credit. This fee is non-refundable. Credit will not be given for grades below C. If a student fails to pass the exam, no entry is made on the academic transcript but a record of the unsuccessful completion will be maintained in the student’s file. Students receiving a grade below C are ineligible for another CBE in that course. Students may not CBE a course in which they are enrolled, if they have earned a grade within the CCSNH, or if they have been administratively withdrawn, or if they dropped the course after the two-week drop/add period.
Please note that not all programs provide the CBE option. A CBE will cover the content of the course being challenged. Candidates wishing to review the material for which they shall be held responsible in a CBE may apply to the chairperson of the department concerned for a list of subject matter areas covered on the exam. Students must apply for and take the CBE by the end of the Add/Drop period.
Experiential Learning Portfolio
Credit for Prior Learning Assessment offers students the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge they have gained through life experiences and apply this knowledge toward credit in some degree and certificate programs. To prepare for this option, students will develop a portfolio to be assessed by appropriate college personnel.
A student must be matriculated at the College and accumulated at least 25% of the semester credits for their program to be eligible to apply for experiential learning assessment credit.
Not all programs provide this option; students should consult with their respective college advisor and/or program coordinator for more information and the Experiential Learning Portfolio process.
Students may be awarded a maximum of 24 credits for experiential learning. Students will be assessed a fee based on 50% of the current tuition rate on the total credits awarded (e.g. for 12 credits awarded: 0.50 x current tuition rate x 12 credits)
American Council on Education (ACE) Credit –
College credit may be granted to students with military training, experience, or coursework that is recognized by the American Council on Education (ACE) based on the program the student is entering.
Students with any questions about ACE should contact the advising center. Students seeking credit for their military experience will also need to submit a military transcript to the Advising Office for the review/evaluation process.
Industry Recognized Credentials
Industry Recognized Credentials is an umbrella term used to describe apprenticeships, badges, micro-credentials, certificates, certifications, degrees, diplomas and licenses. Examples include but not limited to CISCO, CompTia and Microsoft. Not all programs accept Industry Recognized Credentials for credit, students should consult with their respective college advisor and/or program coordinator.
Adapted from the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) definition of Credential (https://nebhe.org)