Why take Credit by Exam?

1. To accelerate to a higher level, particularly in math, where some students take CBE to skip 6th or 7th grade math.  By doing so, they can get on track to take Geometry in middle school.  Because the curriculum “spirals”, repeating topics year after year, students who catch on quickly can avoid repetition by skipping a year.  For instance, my son wants to try to test out of Pre-Calculus, as much of it is repetitive.
2. To get credit for prior knowledge.  For instance, native Spanish speakers can meet their foreign language requirement through CBE.
3. To make room for more electives.  BCIS, Teen Leadership, Health and History / Geography are 4 areas where students commonly study on their own or through the Texas Tech online courses, then test out of the class.
4. To graduate early.   Another way to earn credit is to take CISD’s summer courses.  Because these classes require attendance on a daily basis, they don’t require the same self-starting motivation as the online courses.

Neither the CISD summer courses nor the Texas Tech online curriculum include Advanced Placement courses, so if you’re planning to take the AP test in hopes of getting college credit, it’s best to take the class during the school year.