Hearing Protection and Hearing Tests

I’m teaching electronics in the Audio department at the Art Institute of California, and one of my colleagues has suggested some steps our students can take to protect their hearing. He offers extra credit to students who get their hearing tested or purchase hearing protection, and I thought that was such a good idea that I offer the same extra credit to my students, as well as suggesting this to the community at large:

Hearing Protection
Inexpensive protection: ER20s (about $10-15 from Amazon). These earplugs are specially designed to reduce sound approximately 20 dB at all frequencies. The goal is to reduce pressure but preserve sound quality.

Expensive protection: Custom-molded in-ear plugs e.g ER15s from http://www.calhearing.com (about $140).

Hearing Tests
The hearing center at any Costco provides hearing tests free to any member with only a 15 or so minute wait.
None-Costco members can often find free hearing tests around the Bay Area conduct by organizations such as H.E.A.R.