Get CMC Credit for Knowledge & Experience with Challenge Exams

Challenge Exams are typically utilized for guaranteed transfer courses or for courses that have no national exam equivalency. Students may take a challenge exam in lieu of taking a course. A challenge exam is the equivalent of a comprehensive final examination for a course. If a student successfully completes a challenge exam with a grade of C- or better, credits for the course will be posted to the student’s CMC transcript with a notation indicating the credit was awarded by examination. Challenge exam grades of D or F will not be posted on the transcript. Students must be currently enrolled in other classes at Colorado Mountain College to qualify for a challenge exam. Students may only attempt a challenge exam once for each course.

All exams must be requested and completed in the semester prior to graduation.

The challenge exam process:

1. The student requests to take a challenge exam via the Request Form.
2. A unique registration and payment link is emailed to the student’s CMC email address.
3. The student registers and pays with their unique registration code. The non-refundable exam fee is half of the in-district tuition rate for a course.
4. Instructions are emailed to the student’s CMC email address for access to a Canvas course with the exam.
5. The student takes the exam through coordination with the assigned instructor. Some exams are proctored in person, depending on the academic subject and the exam arrangements.
6. The instructor grades the exam.
7. The exam grade is posted as the grade for the awarded credit on the student’s transcript by the Registrar’s Office.

We recommend that students discuss the pursuit of a challenge exam with their advisor before requesting an exam.

Available Challenge Exams