One way to speed up the process of earning your online degree is by taking equivalency tests. These tests allow you to complete your online degree efficiently and affordably. They will require some studying, but many colleges will grant credit and/or advanced standing for successful completion of equivalency exams.

The three most common equivalency tests are the following tests:

1. The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) - This test provides students of any age with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses.

You can gain college credit for what you already know via independent study, noncredit adult courses, and/or professional development.

You can save considerable money as the CLEP costs just $60, much less than hundreds or thousands for an online course.

If you're just a few credits short of earning that degree, CLEPs could make all the difference in obtaining that degree.

CLEPs are available in 34 college-level introductory subjects.

Over 2,900 colleges grant undergraduate credit for CLEP, between 3-12 college credits for each CLEP exam taken.

Over 1,300 colleges administer the exam.

The test is administered on computer and is available all year-long. They are timed and 90 minutes long. With the exception of the English Composition with Essay section, all the rest of the exam is composed of multiple-choice questions, though the mathematics section can also have some fill-in-the-blank type questions.

All CLEP exams are scored on a scale of 20 to 80; you need to score 50+ (equivalent to a C grade) in order to earn the credit.

2. The DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) - These tests enable people to use their knowledge acquired outside the classroom to accomplish their educational and professional goals.

The current cost of these tests is $70 each and subject tests include such diverse subjects from business and math to health and social sciences to the humanities.

These tests are currently accepted or administered at over 1,900 colleges and universities nationwide and are approved by the American Council on Education (ACE.)

3. Excelsior College Examinations - These exams allow you to complete your degree efficiently and affordably, earn the credit you need for promotion or certification, and demonstrate what you know for college admission or placement. They are accepted by Excelsior College and other universities around the nation.

Subject Tests include subjects in the arts and sciences, business, education, and nursing. Overall, there are 40 different subject tests to choose from. Many of these tests offer upper-level credit to those who score well enough on them. To take these tests, you need to go to your nearby Pearson Professional Centers, which are open up to six days a week. The tests are multiple-choice.

Some universities will also have their own type of equivalent tests, specifically for those students who have been out of school for a while, to better determine what level a person is at in regards to placement in college courses.

Occasionally, some universities will require you to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) if you never have before. This test consists of a Reasoning Test that has three main components: a Critical Reading section, a Mathematics section, and a Writing section.

There are also SAT Subject Tests, which fall into five general subject categories: English, History & Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, and Foreign Languages. These are not always required by colleges, but can give them a better idea of how advanced you are in your education and where you should be placed in regards to your courses.

For those applying to graduate school, the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) are usually prerequisites as the university will use these in part to help determine your qualifications for graduate study.

There are two types of GRE: A general reasoning test and subject tests.

The GRE General Test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study. This test is being administered on computers in most areas of the world, whereas a few places still use a paper-based version of the test. It is administered year-round.

The GRE Subject Tests gauge undergraduate achievement in these eight disciplines:

Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Chemistry Computer Science Literature in English Mathematics Physics Psychology

These are intended for students who have majored in or have extensive background in that specific area. They are administered in November, December, and April at paper-based test centres worldwide.

Knowing what tests you either need to take or should take should help you enter the online degree program you want and even reduce the amount of time it takes for you to earn that degree.