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Show Tests Can Open New Doors Experience Can Count With CLEP College credit for the school of hard-knocks, life's experiences, can be earned through the College-Level Examination Program, or CLEP test, administered thru the counseling department at Southern Utah State College. SUSC's director of counseling, Jim Piacitelli, notes that even though the majority of CLEP candidates are younger college students, many adults have found taking the tests advantageous. To Show Competency "CLEP tests are designed to show a student his or her college-level college-level competency no matter when where, or how the knowledge has been acquired," Piacitelli said. "Many adults are hesitant about taking the test, which was originally designed for the mature ma-ture adult, because they're afraid they've been away from school for too long," Piacitelli noted. Receives Credit Lowell Blanton, SUSC student, represents the adults who have successfully taken the CLEP test and received college credit for non-college experiences. Blanton took CLEP general subject tests covering English composition, humanities, natural science, social science and history when he applied at SUSC. Up To 46 Hours The battery of tests he took covers materials usually encountered encount-ered in the first two years of college col-lege and referred to as the general or liberal education requirement, offering up to 46 hours of college credit. Blanton's non-conventional schooling included 37 years with the Federal Aviation Administration, Administra-tion, the last eight years working in air traffic control oh the island . of Guam. He attends SUSC through a special FAA program. With CLEP credit and other credit earned through the military, mili-tary, Blanton will get his degree in communications, a four-year major, within two years. Practice Tests Help "Practice tests give you a good idea of what to look forward to on the CLEP tests; I had anticipated antici-pated the type of testing that would be included so things worked work-ed out nicely," Blanton said. "CLEP not only saves time and money on a college education, educa-tion, but you get credit for life's experiences," he said. Subject Areas Piacitelli pointed out that there are several subject examinations exam-inations measuring achievement in specific college courses for which the student can receive college credit. Companies can use CLEP to . help employees gain college credit for what they have learned on their own or on the job; to select candidates for training programs pro-grams or to establish or expand a tuition-refund program. The next CLEP testing date at SUSC will be October 12. Registration Regis-tration forms and information in Salt Lake City, will be available avail-able for counseling in all legal technicalities of VA benefits. Hacking, a native of Vernal and Vietnam veteran, noted that the services aren't for educational benefits only but for all veterans and whatever benefits they may be eligible to receive. "Many veterans aren't aware of all the VA benefits available to them because they haven't had services of a veterans' counselor in the area. Now that they have, we hope they will avail themselves of our services," Hacking said. Of interest to college students is the GI Bill which pays for 36 months of schooling if used within with-in a ten year period. Veterans wishing to attend SUSC fall quarter must apply immediately foradvance payment benefits in order to have their first check here before SUSC registration reg-istration September 25. Processing Process-ing applications through VA channels chan-nels takes about 40 days Hacking concerning the tests are available through the SUSC counseling department, de-partment, administration building room 135. |