As a student, you have the basic responsibility for your own success: our responsibility is to assist you in reaching your educational goals.

Set goals and evaluate them

Ask: "Why am I here?  What do I want to do? Where do I see myself in four years?  What are my long-term goals?"

• Have a clear understanding of where you are
• Make a reasonable plan involving realistic goals
• Develop a realistic time frame for reaching your goals

Be consistent in your college activities:

• Attend class regularly
• Complete all assignments by the due date
• Participate fully in class
• Schedule regular study time outside of class
• Use college survival skills information
• Participate in college life outside of class
• Request help when needed

NWOSU has many services to help students be successful

• Your instructor
• Your advisor
• Academic Success Center
• Peer tutors
• Class study groups
• Counseling office
• Student Support Services (SSS) Program
• LASSO Program

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Northwestern offers CLEP tests in a number of subjects for students to acquire college credit. 

CLEP provides a reliable and effective means for gaining credit, exemption, and placement.  The CLEP exams represent courses typical of the first two years of college study.  The specific exams for which Northwestern gives credit are listed at the bottom of this webpage.

Eligibility for CLEP:

• CLEP tests must be taken before 70 credit hours are completed
• CLEP credit cannot be obtained in a course for which the student has been enrolled for college credit
• CLEP tests can only be taken once for credit at Northwestern

CLEP Credit at Northwestern:

• In the event of a passing grade on a CLEP exam, the neutral grade of "S" and regular credit in the course are recorded on the student's record.
• Credit from CLEP exams is to be validated by the completion of at least 12 hours credit at Northwestern.
• CLEP exams for Northwestern are subject to the policy of the Advanced Standing Examination Program as stated in the Undergraduate Catalogue, Section V Advanced Standing. The catalogue is available at Undergraduate Catalog.

Printable CLEP Guide​ 

Northwestern is an open test center:

CLEP scores can be sent to other institutuions at the time of testing, but examinees should be aware that acceptance of these scores is subject to the policies of that institution, and it is the examinee's responsibility to check the policies before testing.  

Location:

CLEP exams are given on the Alva campus in the Academic Success Center, located in the Industrial Education Building, Room 113.

The Exam Process:

CLEP exams are given on the computer.  Most are 90-minute exams; the College Composition exam is 120 minutes.  Allow about 30 minutes more for registration and an on-line tutorial.

Cost & Payment:

Each CLEP exam costs $110.00 total, with $20.00 paid to Northwestern Oklahoma State University prior to testing, and $90.00 paid to CLEP during registration.  NOTE: Fees are subject to change without notice.

Registration:

Students must register and pay for a CLEP exam through CLEP's My Account website.  During registration, students will do the following:

• Choose an exam
• Indicate where the scores will be sent
• Pay for the exam

Students must register before taking a CLEP exam.  This can be done ahead of time or immediately before taking the exam. Registration tickets are good for six months.  Registration does not include scheduling; students must still schedule a time to test through the Academic Success Center.

To register for the exam, go to CLEP's website and click Register for Exam.

Scheduling:

To schedule a time to test, call the Academic Success Center at (580) 327-8149 or email Danielle Budy at dfbudy@nwosu.edu.

Admission to the Exam:

On arrival at the Academic Success Center, students must present the following:

• Receipt for $20.00 fee to Northwestern
• Valid, government-issued ID with photo and signature
• Registration ticket from CLEP. 

Results of the Exam:

Unofficial score reports are available immediately after the exam is completed, except for the College Composition exam and the Spanish with Writing exam.  These scores are reported in 4 to 6 weeks.  Official scores for all exams will be sent to the student as well as the institution chosen during registration.

CLEP Exams

For more information on these exams, visit the CLEP website at http://clep.collegeboard.org/.

On-Campus ACT Test Information

The On-Campus ACT test is only for those who are enrolled, admitted, or applying to Northwestern Oklahoma State University. This test is equivalent in content and structure to the National ACT, but individual test questions are different.  Both tests consist of four parts: English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. The On-Campus ACT is not a replacement for the National ACT, nor is it a practice test for the National. 

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Policy 

Students are strongly encouraged to take the National ACT whenever possible. The On-Campus ACT is appropriate for students who cannot take the National ACT before the enrollment deadline. Northwestern can accept only one On-Campus ACT score from a student during the testing year (November 1 through October 31), but multiple National ACT scores can be submitted. This policy applies to concurrent enrollment as well as admission to Northwestern.

Test Scores

On-Campus ACT scores are reported only to Northwestern and cannot be transferred to another institution. Students can contact Registry to find out their scores. Privacy laws prevent the release of scores to anyone other than the person who took the exam.

Cost 

The cost of the On-Campus ACT at Northwestern is $75.00.  Payment should be made at the Business Office in Herod Hall.

Schedule an exam:

Contact Danielle Budy at 580-327-8149 or dfbudy@nwosu.edu to schedule an exam.  Testing begins promptly at the time scheduled.  Students should plan to arrive at the testing room at least 15 minutes before the test is scheduled to begin. LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ADMITTED once the door has been shut. The test session lasts about 3 ½ hours.

Admission to the Test

For admission to the test, students must present the following:

• Receipt for payment from the Business Office
• Official photo ID (e.g., driver's license)

Calculators

Calculators are permitted on the math test only. Students are responsible for knowing if their calculator is prohibited or not. Prohibited calculators include those with built-in computer algebra systems and calculators built into cell phones or handheld and laptop computers. Note:  Using the TI-89 is the most common reason students are dismissed from the ACT for prohibited calculator use. Complete information on calculators can be found on the ACT's website.

Other Information

ACT requires a 60-day waiting period between residual examinations, even if taken at different institutions.  See also the Oklahoma Regents Policy as summarized above.  The ACT cannot be taken more than 12 times; national and residual tests are both included in this limit.  For more information about the test, to schedule a National ACT, or to take a practice test, visit the official website at www.actstudent.org.

Language Testing International (LTI)

LTI provides testing in many of the world’s languages. LTI offers an oral proficiency test that can be used to satisfy the language proficiency requirement at Northwestern. It is conducted by phone.

For more information about the test or the languages that can be tested, see LTI’s website: www.languagetesting.com.

Description of Test

The Oral Proficiency Interview is a carefully structured, 20-30 minute telephone interview between a Certified Tester and a candidate. The interview is interactive and adaptive to the experiences and linguistic competence of the candidate, and it is digitally recorded. The recorded sample is then rated and an Official Certificate, stating the candidate's proficiency level, is issued to the candidate.

Cost

The cost is $139.00 for testing plus a $20.00 online proctor both fee payable to LTI upon registration.

Results & Credit

The candidate’s oral proficiency is rated on a scale ranging from Novice (Low, Mid, High) – Intermediate (Low, Mid, High) – Advanced (Low, Mid, High) – Superior. The candidate will receive a certificate of proficiency from LTI; Northwestern will also have access to this certification.

A proficiency level of “High Novice” or higher can be used to waive Northwestern’s foreign language requirement. However, proficiency on this test does not carry course credit; students will need to complete four hours of course work in other general education courses.

Application and Procedures for Testing

• Register for the test on LTI's website: https://tms.languagetesting.com/IndividualSite/
• When you register you will be required to pick three blocks of time for testing.
• LTI will choose an hour from the times you list & send a confirmation email.
• You will also pay for the test and online proctor when you register.
• You will be required to have uninterrupted access to both a landline phone and a computer.
• You are not required to test in any specific location, but the Academic Success Center will be made available upon request if the need arises.

For any questions please contact Danielle Budy.

Office: IE 113, Academic Success Center
Phone: (580)327-8149
Email: dfbudy@nwosu.edu