Getting Started with Modern States

Enroll in your first Modern States course and begin earning college credit for free — step by step

5 min read · Get enrolled and into your first course

Modern States offers free, self-paced college-level courses designed to help you prepare for CLEP exams and earn college credit — at no cost.

This guide walks you through exactly how to get started, from creating your account to opening your first course. Each step builds on the last, and you can complete them at your own pace.

In this guide

• Create a free Modern States account

• Log in to the Learning Management System sometimes referred to as an LMS

• Find and enroll in a course

• Open and return to your course

• Navigate your course homepage

• Get help whenever you need it

1. Create your free account

To begin, you’ll create a free Modern States account.

1. Open a web browser and go to modernstates.org

2. Click Sign Up in the top-right corner
   — or —

3. Go directly to register.modernstates.org

4. Complete the Account Registration

5. Check your email to set your password

Your information is used only to support your learning journey and is never shared externally.

Once your password is set, you’re ready to log in.

2. Log in to the Learning Management System (LMS)

After signing up, logging in takes you to the LMS, where all courses live.

1. Go to modernstates.org and click Log In

   — or —

2. Go directly to learn.modernstates.org

3. Enter your email and password

You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see:

• A blue navigation bar across the top

• The Modern States logo in the upper left

This is your course dashboard.

3. Find a course to enroll in

To browse available courses:

1. Click Enroll in the top navigation bar

2. Explore the course catalog

You can:

• Use the search bar if you know the course name

• Browse Featured Courses

• Click Browse All Courses to see all available options

Modern States currently offers 32 courses, each aligned to a CLEP exam.

4. Enroll in a course

When you find a course you want to take:

1. Click the course name

2. Review the course description and CLEP alignment

3. Click the Enroll in Course button

You’ll enroll immediately — no payment required.

Once enrolled, the button will change to Open Course, confirming that enrollment was successful.

5. Open and return to your course

To start or continue your course:

• Click Open Course from the course page

  — or —

• Use the waffle menu (nine-dot icon) at the top of the screen

Using the waffle menu

The waffle menu shows all courses you’re enrolled in.

1. Click the waffle icon

2. Scroll or search for your course

3. Click the course name to return to it

This is the fastest way to switch between courses.

Navigate your course homepage

Your course homepage includes:

• A table of contents with modules

• Topics such as videos, readings, and quizzes

• A caret (▸) next to each module to expand its contents

As you complete items, you’ll see checkmarks showing your progress.

Every course begins with a Pre-Course Survey, followed by learning modules and quizzes that help you prepare for the final exam.

Track progress and unlock your voucher

Your course progress determines when you can unlock:

• The Final Exam

• Your CLEP exam voucher

To earn a voucher, you must:

• Attempt all “Check for Understanding” quizzes

• Earn an average quiz score of 75% or higher

• Score 75% or higher on the Final Exam

Tip:

The Grades Progress page is the only place that shows your true average for voucher eligibility.

Use your voucher to register for your CLEP exam

After you unlock your voucher

Once you earn your voucher, you'll receive an email from Modern States with:

• Your unique voucher code
• Instructions for registering with College Board
• Your voucher expiration date

Register for your CLEP exam

To use your voucher:

1. Go to clep.collegeboard.org
2. Sign into your College Board account (or create one if you don't have one)
   • You may already have an account if you've taken SAT, AP, or PSAT exams
3. Click Register for an Exam
4. Select your exam and click Add to Cart
5. In your shopping cart, look for "Are you using a voucher?" and select Yes
6. Enter your Modern States voucher code
7. Select a test center or remote proctoring option
8. Complete your registration

Your subtotal should show $0.00 when your voucher is applied correctly.

Important:

• Your Modern States voucher covers the CLEP exam fee
• You'll still pay a test center fee (typically $20–30) at most locations
• Remote proctoring is covered by your voucher, but has strict technical requirements
• Save your test center receipt as you may be eligible for test center fee reimbursement

Schedule your exam

After registering, contact your chosen test center to schedule your exam date and time. Many test centers require you to call to finalize scheduling

Get help anytime

Support is available throughout the platform.

You can:

• Click Modern States Help in the top navigation

• Use the Help widget on any page

• Visit the Knowledge Base for step-by-step guides

If you ever feel unsure, you’re not stuck — help is built in.

Start small, then build momentum

You don’t need to do everything at once.

Start by:

1. Enrolling in one course

2. Completing the first module

3. Checking your Grades as you go

Each step builds confidence and brings you closer to earning college credit — for free.