Getting Scores with Electronic Score Reporting

Electronic score reporting (ESR) is a free service for colleges and universities. With ESR, you'll receive students' official CLEP scores through an automated data feed. Score data is delivered in a nondelimited flat file so information can be uploaded to your institutions database. 

 For institutions to receive official test scores, a CLEP code is required. A CLEP code allows students that register for CLEP exams to designate your institution to receive their scores.

My institution currently administers CLEP exams

If your institution already administers CLEP exams, your CLEP test center code is the same code used for receiving paper scores. To start the process of receiving official CLEP score reports electronically, complete the CLEP Contact Us for Professionals form, selecting the “Receiving CLEP Sores Electronically” option in the Select a Topic section. 

Becoming a CLEP designated institution or score recipients

Colleges, universities, and other credit-granting institutions that wish to receive CLEP scores and transcripts from test-takers* should formally establish themselves as CLEP Designated Institutions or Score Recipients. To start the process, follow the steps in Becoming a CLEP Designated Institution or Score Recipient.

Below are some frequently asked questions about CLEP electronic score reports.

FAQ

Where does the encrypted data come from, and how does an institution receive it?

The data is sent from an anonymous server at ETS to an email address provided by the college or university. The email contains a URL that accesses the encrypted file. The data is available for 330 days.

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After the data is decrypted, what computer processing is necessary?

Because the decrypted data is a nondelimited flat file some formatting will be required. Files are sent this way because most colleges and universities upload the files into an application they’ve purchased (Banner, Data-Tel, etc.) or created themselves.

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Does your data require a specific version of PGP?

There is no requirement for using a specific version of PGP; however, there are many free versions of encryption software available. Any version of software that can create a compatible key can be used.  We do require the type of key to be RSA.

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What's the file extension?

The files that are sent to schools are non-delimited flat files with a 3-digit sequence number as the file extension. (.001-.365) The school is then required to decrypt the file changing the extension to .pgp.  This will be recognized by the software. You select “Decrypt” or “Decrypt and Verify”, enter your password and the file will decrypt. The three-digit file extension will reset to .001 every January 1.

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Does each file contain multiple students' scores, or just one student’s scores per file?

Each file may contain multiple students' scores. The files are produced daily, on business days, and contain all transcript records since the last file was created.

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How often are files sent? The ESR informational document notes, "Cycles are assigned sequentially and are increased by increments of one each time a file is sent to an institution." Does this mean every file sent to the college will have a unique name?

Yes. You could receive a file Monday–Friday if there's activity for your code. Each file will have a unique name from the last three number extensions. The file name will appear like this: ets-scorelink.ets.org/edsasftp/CLEP/CLEP6003.001. Your DI code will replace "6003" and the next file will end with 002, the one after that with 003, etc. The three-digit file extension will reset to .001 every January 1.

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