Modern States Expands Free CLEP Pathway, Boosting College Credit Options for Military Learners

Online – The Modern States Education Alliance is offering free, self-paced online courses aligned to the College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP), enabling learners to earn vouchers for CLEP exam fees by scoring 75% or higher on a course final. The initiative, founded by CEO Steven Klinsky around 2014, is positioned as a no-cost, flexible pathway for service members, veterans, and military families to accelerate degree completion and reduce education costs.

What is Modern States?

Modern States provides open-access courses taught by college professors and designed to prepare learners for CLEP exams, a widely used route to earn college credit for prior knowledge. The platform’s mission is to expand access to affordable higher education by removing cost barriers to foundational coursework and exams. Learners who complete a course and meet the threshold score receive a voucher that covers the CLEP exam fee, making the testing process free to the learner.

The program operates alongside established pathways like the American Council on Education (ACE) credit recommendations, Advanced Placement (AP), and the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES). It is intended to complement college programs rather than replace them, giving students the option to earn credit and reduce time to degree.

How the Program Works

Participants create a free account at modernstates.org and enroll in any course from the catalog. Courses are delivered via the Brightspace learning management system and are self-paced with no time requirements, allowing learners to study one or multiple subjects concurrently.

• Voucher eligibility: Learners who score 75% or higher on a course final receive a CLEP exam voucher.
• CLEP scoring: CLEP results are reported on a different scale, typically with a recommended credit-granting score of 50 or higher.
• Credit application: CLEP credit does not produce a GPA; colleges typically evaluate it as meeting specific degree requirements.
• College policies: Students should confirm which CLEP exams their institution accepts and any credit caps that may apply.

Course Catalog: 32 Professor-Led Classes

Modern States offers 32 online courses aligned to CLEP exams across general education and introductory fields, including:

• American Government; American Literature; History of the United States I and II; Humanities; Social Sciences and History
• Biology; Chemistry; Natural Sciences
• College Algebra; Precalculus; Calculus
• College Composition; Information Systems
• Human Growth and Development; Introduction to Educational Psychology; Introductory Psychology; Introductory Sociology
• Financial Accounting; Introductory Business Law; Principles of Management; Principles of Marketing; Principles of Macroeconomics and Microeconomics
• Languages: Spanish, German, French
• Other courses aligned to CLEP subject areas

Benefits for Military-Affiliated Learners

Modern States’ structure is designed to meet the needs of learners with dynamic schedules and duty assignments. The self-paced courses and voucher-backed CLEP testing path can help military-affiliated students save time and preserve tuition benefits.

• Flexible access: No-cost, on-demand coursework with no time limits, delivered on Brightspace.
• Testing options: CLEP exams must be taken at approved centers, with options for on-base testing overseas or remote proctoring where available.
• Benefit alignment: Military educational benefits can be used alongside or separately from Modern States to accelerate progress or fill knowledge gaps.
• Career and personal development: Learners may use courses for upskilling or enrichment even when not seeking credit.

Planning Tools and Credit Policies

Acceptance policies for CLEP vary by institution and program. Learners can consult the Modern States CLEP Acceptance Tool and should coordinate with their chosen college or university to verify:

• Which CLEP exams are accepted
• How credits apply to degree requirements
• Any limits on total credits earned through examination

Background and Context

Modern States complements established credit-earning options familiar to military learners, including CLEP, DANTES-supported testing, ACE credit recommendations, and AP. The approach offers a scalable, public digital library of credit-aligned coursework to reduce education costs and time to degree completion.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Founded: Around 2014 by CEO Steven Klinsky
• Courses: 32 online, professor-led classes aligned to CLEP
• Voucher threshold: 75% or higher on the course final
• Platform: Brightspace (self-paced learning)
• Testing: Approved centers, on-base options, and remote proctoring

Conclusion

Modern States offers a no-cost, flexible path to earn college credit via CLEP, particularly suited to the needs of service members, veterans, and military families. Prospective learners should create a free account at modernstates.org, review the course catalog, and coordinate with their institution to confirm credit acceptance and next steps.