Why I Became the CLEP Coach

I didn’t grow up dreaming about the Ivy League.
Heck, I didn’t even know what that meant until 11th grade.

My dreams were simpler—but no less meaningful.

I wanted to be a farmer and a teacher.
That was it. That was enough.

By the time I was twelve, I was already partway there—waking up early to work the land, learning the value of grit, discipline, and showing up even when nobody else wanted to. I learned how to sell a high-quality product with pride. Years later, I stepped into the classroom. Not through a traditional route, but through the side door—testing into teaching, carving out my own path, and doing what I loved.

The First Spark: A Student with a Study Guide

I didn’t discover CLEP at a conference.
It wasn’t handed to me by a guidance counselor.

I learned about CLEP from a student—one sharp, self-motivated kid who showed up to my class carrying a well-worn World History study guide. I asked him what it was for, and he said:

“I’m gonna cheat my way through college by taking CLEP tests.”

I laughed—but I listened.

He explained what CLEP was: a College Board credit-by-exam program that allows students to earn real college credit by proving what they already know. No semester-long classes. No busywork. No retaking high school-level material. Just one test—and credit earned.

He told me CLEP was like AP testing, but on his own schedule. Since our small rural school didn’t offer AP or dual enrollment, this was his best path to earning early credit.

That was a lightbulb moment—for him, for me, and for hundreds of students I would later coach.

Not Just Tests—A Strategy

I became obsessed with the possibilities:

• Could CLEP help students graduate faster?
  

• Could it reduce debt, stress, and burnout?
  

• Could it give working families a real shot at a degree—without breaking the bank?
  

The answer was yes. Every time.

But there was a catch: the system doesn’t make it easy.

Most families don’t know how to navigate college majors, degree requirements, or credit transfer policies. Most students don’t realize that their first year of college is often just a review of high school—with a price tag north of $20,000.

I’ve seen too many students take out loans for classes they didn’t need.
Too many parents overwhelmed by tuition.
Too many dreams delayed—not because of effort, but because no one showed them another way.

That’s why I became The CLEP Coach.

This Isn’t About a Shortcut—It’s About Ownership

Over the past 20 years, I’ve helped students take ownership of their education.

This isn’t about finding a loophole.
It’s about understanding the game—and playing it smarter.

CLEP, AP, and other College Board credit tools aren’t shortcuts. They’re strategies. They build momentum, confidence, and flexibility in a system that often rewards those who can afford to wait.

Colleges that accept CLEP love the initiative.
College advisors? Not always. They’re hired to fill seats, not reduce tuition bills.

That’s why students and families need strategy.
That’s why I help build one.

My Son’s Journey—And What It Taught Me

When my son Kendyll told me he wanted to graduate college early, we didn’t book a meeting with an advisor.

We built a CLEP plan:

• Matched each CLEP exam to his target school’s degree requirements
  

• Scheduled tests right after related high school courses
  

• Used ModernStates.org for free prep and test vouchers
  

• Practiced time-blocking and focused study routines
  

He failed his first CLEP test—by one point.
We celebrated anyway.

Why? Because we were in motion.
Because the fear was gone. Because the test was no longer a mystery.

He went on to earn 27 credits through CLEP, picked up 3 more via ACT, and added another 27 through dual enrollment.
He graduated from college two years after high school.

It’s About More Than One Family

Now, I coach students, parents, homeschool families, and adult learners returning to school.
And I tell each one of them:

You don’t need permission to take your education into your own hands.

You don’t have to go Ivy League.
You just need a plan that works for you.

That’s why I built CLEPCoach.com: to support families ready to work smarter—not harder.
That’s why I launched the College Survival Mastermind: to create a community where strategy meets support.

This is my calling. This is what I love.

If you’re a parent reading this—or a student wondering how to start—know this:

You’re not behind. You’re right on time.
The system might not hand you a map… but I will.

I call it the CLEP Strategy Plan—and it’s helped hundreds find their way forward.

Let’s do this, together.

— Louis Green, The CLEP Coach

Want to start your CLEP journey?
Explore a real-world strategy at CLEPCoach.com