Excelsior College® is committed to helping you learn and succeed. Its Independent Study Program — Excelsior College Examinations(ECE) and UExcel examinations — is the perfect option for  adults and students seeking a way to earn college credits faster on their own time while saving money.

ECEs are Excelsior College’s exclusive series of examinations developed by some of the nation’s most distinguished faculty, which you can use to earn upper and lower level college credit. UExcel exams cover subjects at the lower college level and have been developed through an alliance with Pearson VUE, the global leader in computer-based testing for information technology and academic, government and professional testing programs around the world. The American Council on Education College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and recommended college credit for ECEs and UExcel.

You do not need to be enrolled at Excelsior College to take advantage of this affordable and convenient independent study program. Anyone needing or wanting to earn college credit can benefit greatly from this program.

Click HERE to learn more about Excelsior College

The Excelsior College Independent Study
Program offers:

  • Immediate Scoring
  • Letter grades
  • Offical College transcript from Excelsior College, a regionally accredited institution

Competitive Exam Offering Profile

  UEXCEL ECE DSST CLEP
INTENDED STUDENT AUDIENCES International,
high school, home-school, college, adult learners, and military		 Adult learners, EC students and prospects, military, international, other college students Military, college students, adult learners HS students, military, adult learners, international, college students
EXAMS All lower level Upper and lower level Upper and lower level All lower level
TEST FORMAT CBT CBT CBT and limited paper/pencil CBT and limited paper/pencil
EXAM FEE $85 3 credits – 6 credits $95-$375 3 credits – 8 credits Free for military (DANTES funded) until 9/30/2011 $80 (+ site fee which may vary, typically $15) Free for military (DANTES funded) $77 (+ site fee which may vary, typically $15-$20) Free for military (DANTES funded)
LEARNING RESOURCES Content guides are free for and available for each exam Practice exams are $18 for 1 or 2 hour/$30 for MY Access! online learning tool for 90 days Content guides are free and available for each exam Practice exams are $25 for two pairs of two forms and $75 for two 100- item tests $5 for one day or 2 attempts Exam guides are $10 for each subject; Complete CLEP study guide is $24.95 for all exams
RETEST POLICY 60 days after first attempt, 120 days after second/and or subsequent attempt.  Military must wait 180 days (until 9/30/2011) 60 days after first attempt, 120 days after second/and or subsequent attempt Military must wait 180 days(until 9/30/3011) 6 months 6 months
TEST LOCATIONS Nearly 4000 Pearson testing centers around the globe- many are located at colleges and university campuses Nearly 4000 Pearson testing centers around the globe 1900 College and University campuses 1700 College and University campuses
EXAM LENGTH 2 hours 2-3 hours Up to 2  hours 90 minutes
SCORES Immediate results Immediate results Immediate if CBT/4 weeks if paper/pencil Immediate
TRANSCRIPTS Free if no academic history with EC/$12 for students with EC record.  Exams are transcripted as letter grades A-F(noD) on official EC college transcripts.  College credit is awarded from EC. $12 - Exams are transcripted as letter grades A- F on official EC college transcripts.  College credit is awarded from EC. Free Score Report  if test taker indicates score recipients at the time of exam OR $30 if requested after exam is taken. Free Score Report  if test taker indicates score recipients at the time of exam OR $30 if requested after exam is taken.
COLLEGES ACCEPTING EXAMS AS CREDIT Approx 200 Approx . 1,600 Nearly 2,000 2,900