College isn't cheap. An exemption exam usually costs a fraction of a three-credit course. While UMD charges a modest administrative fee per exam (typically $50–$100), compare that to the cost of in-state tuition plus fees for a 3-credit class (often $1,200+). Passing three or four exams can effectively save you an entire semester’s tuition.
UMD offers these exams across dozens of subjects, including Mathematics (Calculus, Linear Algebra), Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), Languages (Spanish, French, Chinese), Economics, Government, and History. Students pursue exemption exams for three main reasons, each representing a different kind of return on investment. umd exemption exams
But what exactly are they, and why should an incoming or current Terp consider them? An exemption exam is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of sitting through a 15-week semester of MATH140 (Calculus I) or PSYC100 (Introduction to Psychology), you can take a single, rigorous exam to prove you have already mastered the material. If you pass, you receive academic credit for the course as if you had taken it—without the grade affecting your GPA (it typically shows as a "P" for Pass or "EXM" on your transcript). College isn't cheap
Don't just take the class. Prove you've already mastered it. Passing three or four exams can effectively save
Talk to your academic advisor. Register for one exam in your strongest subject. If you pass, you’ve just bought yourself a week of freedom, a few hundred dollars in savings, and a head start on the degree you came here to earn.
