American Council on Education Recommends College Credit for Cambridge International Examinations

News provided by

Mar 07, 2022, 12:00 ET

NEW YORK, March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambridge International, part of the University of Cambridge, and the world's largest provider of K-12 education programs, announced today that the American Council on Education (ACE) Learning Evaluations Service has reviewed and recommended college credit for five Cambridge Advanced exams. The subjects that will receive college credit are Cambridge International AS Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Psychology, and Thinking Skills. The exams will now be listed in the ACE National Guide.

ACE, the major coordinating body for the nation's higher education institutions, seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research and program initiatives. The ACE National Guide is a catalog developed by ACE to assist colleges and universities in understanding how to award college course credit for a variety of educational experiences.

"We are excited to have the American Council on Education validate the rigor and quality of our exams," said Mark Cavone, Cambridge International Regional Director, North America. "With more and more districts turning to Cambridge International for a flexible academic program that challenges and engages all students across achievement levels, the recognition from ACE provides higher education institutions with an independent and trusted third-party review of our exams."

To be considered for college credit, Cambridge's exams underwent a review by subject matter experts from colleges and universities, as well as by a psychometrician. The review team analyzed exam materials, validated learning outcomes and competencies, and recommended post-secondary credit based on its findings. The psychometrician analyzed the steps Cambridge International takes to measure exam validity and scoring reliability, and the technical adequacy of Cambridge International's procedures for test development, exam proctoring, and score reporting.

During the review of the exams, ACE noted: "There is a thorough item development process. This includes an established program for item developers with clear instruction and training to avoid bias and promote fairness as part of the item development process. This purpose-driven process culminates in longitudinal research to evaluate examinee performance on related assessment instruments as well as on key indicators of college and career success. The process of collecting this type of information is often only an aspirational goal for many organizations, and research suggests that the AS Level exams may be more culturally fair than other, similar programs."

First introduced in the U.S. in 1995, the Cambridge International program has grown rapidly in popularity. It is now used by schools in 35 states and the District of Columbia. More Cambridge Advanced coursework and exams are now taken by students in the U.S. than in any other country. Over 950 colleges and universities in North America recognize and reward Cambridge coursework and exams for admissions, credit, and placement. All public colleges and universities in Wash., Fla., Miss., Va., S.C., Ind., and N.C. award credit for AS & A Level exams.

Cambridge International is the world's largest provider of international education programs, with more than 10,000 schools in more than 160 countries and is the only program of study with opportunities for credit by exam that is connected to a renowned higher education institution. Cambridge Advanced exams stress the importance of achieving mastery of content and skills, as well as the importance of writing in all disciplines. Embedded in all AS Level subject syllabuses is an emphasis on helping students to develop the skills they need to communicate effectively in both written and verbal forms. Students who participate in the Cambridge program demonstrate the higher order thinking skills needed for success in higher education - problem solving, critical thinking, independent research, collaboration and presenting reasoned arguments. Cambridge International offers 55 courses and exams at Advanced AS and A Level.

For more information, please visit https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/usa/

SOURCE Cambridge International