Neal-Curtis Duguay Contributing Writer

There have always been individuals bored with their classes. Whether it’s due to the class difficulty not matching the student’s intellect, the student needing to take the next level class but lacking the required perquisites, or merely needing an extra credit for their transcript, there have been students needing to skip classes.

Fortunately, Pierce College allows students to “challenge” their courses by taking an examination to receive credits. In order to earn this “credit by examination,” the student must apply, get their instructor’s approval, and pay a $30 per credit fee to take the exam. If passed, the student can take the exam and potentially gain a credit without taking the entire class. More information can be found at the testing center. Taking the exam requires photo identification.

The applications apply to many situations. Some students, particularly those who are close to graduation, might miss the opportunity to join a class if it isn’t available due to limited class sizes. Some students may not have time to take an extra class and can do the exam to save time and money. Others may be gifted, have already studied the subject, or have taken a similar but more advanced class and wish to skip a lower level class and simply get the credits.

The choice of taking this examination has some implications for student and teacher behavior. Skipping a class through this method could portray a student as advanced,but could reflect poorly on the teacher. A teacher may be offended if a student feels as if the class is no longer challenging them, or if they feel they are not learning in the classroom environment.

Alternatively, it could be seen as arrogant on the student’s part. However, there is a compromise between the two viewpoints. The instructor and student could cooperate and find that the student is more advanced than the rest of their class, and the instructor could provide the remaining materials for the student in order for them to pass the examination and class.

For more information, call the Fort Steilacoom Testing Center at 253-964-6521.