Jan 17 • Weekly Topic
Modern States: A Free Way to Earn College Credit (Starting as Young as 13)
If you’re homeschooling a teen (or even a motivated middle schooler), Modern States is a program worth knowing about.
It’s a free nonprofit program that helps students earn real college credit by preparing them for CLEP exams — and it can be used strategically during high school, senior year, or even a gap year.
📘 What Is Modern States?
Modern States Education Alliance offers free, online, college-level courses designed to prepare students for CLEP (College Level Examination Program) exams.
These are:
- Taught by college professors
- Self-paced
- 100% free
- Aligned directly to CLEP exams accepted by many colleges
Once a student completes a course, Modern States provides a voucher that covers the CLEP exam fee.
👩🎓 Who Can Participate?
Students can start as early as age 13. There’s no upper age limit, and no requirement to already be enrolled in high school or college. This makes Modern States especially appealing for:
- Homeschoolers
- Early learners
- Dual-credit alternatives
- Gap-year students
🔄 How It Works (Simple Breakdown)
- Create a free Modern States account (age 13+)
- Enroll in one or more courses
- Complete the videos, readings, and practice quizzes
- Request a CLEP exam voucher
- Take the CLEP exam at an approved testing center
Modern States covers the CLEP exam fee. Some testing centers charge a small proctoring fee.
📚 What Subjects Are Offered?
There are 32 courses aligned to CLEP exams, including:
- U.S. History I & II
- American Government
- Western Civilization
- Psychology & Sociology
- College Algebra
- Biology
- Natural Sciences
- Chemistry
- College Composition
- American & British Literature
- Spanish, French, German
- Marketing
- Financial Accounting
- Principles of Management
Many of these align with general education requirements at colleges.
🎯 Do Colleges Accept CLEP?
- CLEP exams are accepted by 2,900+ U.S. colleges and universities
- Acceptance varies by school and by exam
- Some schools accept many CLEP credits, some accept only a few, and some accept none
👉 Always check the specific college’s CLEP policy.
🏡 Why This Is Powerful for Homeschoolers
Even beyond credit transfer, Modern States has real value:
💰 Cost Savings
Students can potentially earn 12–30+ college credits for free — often equivalent to a freshman year.
📆 Flexible & Independent
Perfect for homeschool schedules and self-directed learners.
📈 Academic Rigor
Completing college-level coursework and passing standardized exams demonstrates strong academic rigor.
Even if a college does not accept CLEP credits, participation still shows:
- College-level work
- Independent learning
- Academic seriousness
This can strengthen:
- Transcripts
- Portfolios
- College applications
🎓 Senior Year or Gap Year Strategy
Modern States can be used as:
- A senior-year academic plan
- A low-cost alternative to dual enrollment
- A productive gap year instead of paying for freshman tuition
🔍 The Big Picture
Modern States isn’t just about “free college.”
It’s about:
- Reducing financial risk
- Giving students an early start
- Demonstrating rigor in nontraditional education paths
- Creating flexibility in post-high-school planning
For homeschoolers especially, it can be a strategic bridge between high school and college.
💬 Question for our SKOOL community:
Would you use a program like this during high school, senior year, or as a gap year option? What would make it a good (or not-so-good) fit for your student?
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Modern States: A Free Way to Earn College Credit (Starting as Young as 13)
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