DANTES | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

Credit by Examination and Advanced Placement Credit

Advanced Placement Credit: A qualified person who has taken school level work in high school may get academic credit. Examinations used to determine advanced placement are the Advanced Placement Test of the College Entrance Examination Board and The Achievement Tests in English Composition and Intermediate Mathematics (Level 1). A last determination of credit is made after results have been assessed by the college.

Credit by Examination: College credits are generally earned through participation in scheduled classes. Then again, a few courses permit credit by examination. A student at presently enrolled, who presents satisfactory proof that he or she is qualified in a specific subject may get credits for a course by an examination (“challenge examination”) approved by the proper instructional department or through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Satisfactory proof may be and not restricted to, work experience, non-credit courses, course work taken at non-authorized establishments, or military courses. Such exams include:

College Board Advanced Placement (AP)
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
International Baccalaureate Program (IB)
College Board Achievement Test (ACH)
Scholastic Aptitude Subject Test II (SAS)
Defense Language Institute (DLI)
American College Testing Proficiency Examination Program (PEP)
(DANTES)
GRU Departmental Examinations (DEPT)

A student may take challenge examinations before enlisting, yet will usually get credits for courses tested just after successfully finishing six semester hours. Courses in which a learner is or has been enlisted may not be tested and courses which require demonstration and provision of skills (useful, lab sciences and courses requiring field work or execution, for instance) may be tested just with the authorization of the director of the office offering the course. There is usually a $5 per credit hour charge for departmental “challenge” exams.

Enrolling in a DANTES Catalog Program

DANTES is an off-duty support system for the voluntary educational applications. DANTES primary roles include providing the army employees all the necessary tools to help them achieve their personal education goals. The DANTES Independent Study Catalog courses are offered by domestically approved colleges and universities (with a DANTES Memorandum of Understanding). The DANTES External Degree Catalog lists, certificates and degree programs are available from domestically approved colleges and universities (with a DANTES Memorandum of Understanding).

To join any of the programs found in the DANTES credit by examination online catalogs, you need to get in touch with the university and follow the procedure. Remember, before searching for a course or degree program, that there is the possibility of receiving credit through the Military Evaluations Program http://militaryguides.acenet.edu, and through the DANTES Credit by Examination program. Also, many of the service members Opportunity Colleges at http://www.soc.aascu.org colleges offer contracts-for-degree in which, particular use of non-traditional credit is usually optimized for military learners. Be aware before applying to any college of all the specifications that you need to meet, course cost, term lengths, delivery modes, student-to-instructor contacts and testing guidelines. Check for the college’s drop/add date for each course, guidelines for giving “W, F, and I” grades and all return guidelines and schedules. Consider all of these before you join.

In general, although subject to particular service guidelines, specified boundaries, yearly caps and accessibility to financing, learners will be provided either up-front or reimbursable educational costs assistance which may cover 100% of their educational costs and charges. Contact your Service education counselors for current educational costs assistance guidelines and specifications, as these frequently change. And the liability to know and understand the policy falls on you. You should bear in mind that you may be required to make another payment to the university book store for books and materials, this is not standard, but some educational institutions make a requirement of it. Although educational institutions agree to notify DANTES before changing educational costs and generally attempt to avoid changing charges during a school year, prices can change before they are enrolled into the online Catalogs. Make sure to always consult the school to determine the correct price before applying.

CLEP Exams and Veterans

Whether you are still in uniform or have already left the service, you may be looking for a way to generate higher education credit that will have little impact on your hectic schedule. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to learn about a topic on your own time without having to be present at classes and generate higher education credit by simply passing an exam at the end? Thanks to CLEP exams, that possibility has been a reality for many years and you too can take advantage of it. The College-Level Examination Program has been popular with service members and veterans since it was first presented, for valid reason. CLEP exams are just what the name implies: an opportunity to generate credit by exam. You choose a topic to study, set a date to take the evaluation and if you pass, you will earn higher education credit. Thirty-three CLEP exams are currently available in subjects which range from computer and computer programs to English Literature, with the value of an individual exam which range from three to 12 credits. Examining happens year-round.

Here are some more reasons to take CLEP exams:

It’s affordable. In fact, CLEP examinations are 100% free for active-duty members who take a test through DANTES, the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support. (However, this will apply only to your first attempt at a particular CLEP exam; if you fail a test, you must wait six months before you can take it again and then you would have to pay the standard test fee of $80.)
You can study at your own time and speed until you feel ready to take the evaluation.
CLEP exams fit well with varying plans and short-notice deployments, since you don’t have to be present at a regular class over a period of several weeks, saving you lots of your time.
Active-duty CLEP evaluation takers may be able to obtain 100 % free study materials. Check with your installation education center; DANTES offers 100% free, reproducible duplicates of individual exam guides.

Taking The DANTES – Credit by Examination

DANTES, CLEP and Excelsior examinations are Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) Financed for active duty, Nationwide Guard members and Reserves which means they are generally free. The DANTES credit by examination is a nationally-recognized credit-by-examination program that most universities agree to for credit towards a degree plan. One tremendous benefit is to soldiers who may be separated from army bases such as recruiters who can still take these examinations for free at private analyze facilities. Any army college student with an accepted degree plan should be able to use these examinations towards their degree. There are 38 DANTES credit by examinations and these can be taken at a base education center or at an approved off base computer examining center.

There are steps to taking and passing a DANTES credit by examination:

Step 1. Find and Schedule – Once a testing center is located, they must be approached to confirm testing procedures and scheduling for army learners. DANTES credit by examinations are developed to analyze proficiency in various college-level course materials. The evaluation is similar to the final evaluation given in lower degree college programs.

Step 2. Get a Fact Sheet – There a few strategies to successfully passing a DANTES that utilize the actual test development to ensure a passing grade. The examinations are developed based on and summary from subject experts and the questions are examined for stability based on a subject’s knowledge of that particular topic. Basically each fact sheet has a content summary that describes the content and the exact percentages of that content on the evaluation.

Step 3. Get Books – The next phase in using the fact sheet is to test the area known as sources for study material, because this is where the guides used to design the test question originate from. Generally, an evaluation details several books for an evaluation however there is usually a seminal written text. The best way to purchase lessons is to search Amazon.com for the book. In most cases, the most recent version need not be bought, as the explanations and concepts in the guide do not change that considerably over time.

Taking Dantes Credit by Examinations

Dante’s Credit by Examinations, CLEP and Excelsior examinations Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) Financed for active duty, National Guard members, and Reserves which means they are basically 100% free. The DANTES credit by examination is a nationally-recognized credit-by-examination program that most universities agree to for credit towards a degree plan. One tremendous benefit is to soldiers who may be separated from military bases such as recruiters who can still take these examinations for 100 % free at private testing facilities. Any military college student with an accepted degree plan should be able to use these examinations towards their degree plan provide the subject suits into their accepted degree plan. There are 38 Dantes credit by examinations and these can be taken at a base education center or at an approved off base computer testing center.

Step 1. Find and Schedule – Once a testing center is located, they must be contacted to confirm examining procedures and scheduling for military learners. Dante’s examinations are developed to analyze proficiency in various college-degree course materials.

Step 2. Obtain Fact Sheet – There a few strategies to pass a Dante’s that utilize the actual test construction to ensure a passing grade. The examinations are developed based on a summary from subject experts and the questions are examined for reliability centered on a subject’s understanding of that particular topic.

Step 3. Get Book(s) – The next phase in using the simple fact sheet is to analyze the section known as Sources for study Material, because this is where the guides used to design the test questions originate from.

Step 4. Make Flashcards – Purchase a set of flashcards. Using the evaluation Fact Sheet, each term listed on the simple fact sheet summary should be put on a flashcard. Using the evaluation Principles of Counseling as an example, this would lead to a minimum of 34 flashcards.

Step 5. Use Your Resources – Some examinations are normally easier than others because learners have current understanding of the test topic information. A good example would be the Army MOS 31B or military police.

Tuition Assistance and DANTES Credit By Examination

Members of the National Guard are qualified to get Higher education tuition assistance (TA) for educational purposes, such as up to 100 percent coverage for college programs taken during off-duty time. The National Guard provides guardsmen several programs to support their education and learning goals such as up to 100% TA for college programs taken during off-duty time. According to location, members may get state funded rewards for education and learning based on individual state guidelines and eligibility (i.e. TA, waivers, exceptions, education loan repayment, DANTES Credit By Examination). The following is a brief summary of National Guard tuition advantages for each service.

State College tuition assistance – While some states don’t provide TA transaction, many have additional tuition rewards with varied quantities of funds available. To find out what advantages are offered in your state, visit the Air National Guard ANG Benefits web site.
Go Army Ed (Activated Guard and Reserve) – If triggered, you will be qualified to get Military Higher education tuition assistance for Active Duty and Activated Reserve/Guard. The program provides 100% tuition and fees up to $250 per Term Credit Time and $166 for each Quarter Credit Time, with an annual cap of $4,500.
Air National Guard (ANG) – The ANG provides to its members access to all DANTES credit-by-examination programs, Community College of the Air Forces Associate Degree programs, FTA for online applications and state education and learning advantages.
State college tuition assistance – The same as the ARNG, not all states provide transaction of TA for ANG, although many provide extra rewards in varying quantities.
Air Force College tuition assistance (Activated Guard and Reserve) – If triggered, you will become qualified for Air Force TA for Active Duty and Activated Reserve/Guard. The same hats apply as described above under Go Army Ed TA.

DANTES Exams and Civilians

A way of prior learning evaluation, DANTES offer learners an affordable, time preserving way to use their information obtained outside of the class room (perhaps from studying, on-the-job training, or separate study) to achieve their academic objectives. If you are like me, you look for methods to reduce costs while attending higher education. Although most of us know to shop for used books and test out of programs with CLEP examinations, those of us with no army qualifications may have little, if any, information of DANTES exam or otherwise known as DSST examinations. Until lately, DANTES exam (now known as DSST exam) was only for army employees. Fortunate for us citizens, now we get to take advantage of these examinations too! Why is this a good thing? More options, of course!

Here’s a list of DANTES Exam subjects:

Fundamentals of College Algebra
Principles of Statistics
Art of the Western World
Western Europe Since 1945
Introduction to the Modern Middle East
Human/Cultural Geography
Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union
A History of the Vietnam War
The Civil War and Reconstruction
Foundations of Education
Lifespan Developmental Psychology
General Anthropology
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Introduction to Law Enforcement
Criminal Justice
Fundamentals of Counseling
Principles of Finance
Principles of Financial Accounting
Human Resource Management
Organizational Behavior
Principles of Supervision
Business Law II
Introduction to Computing
Introduction to Business
Money and Banking
Personal Finance
Management Information Systems
Business Mathematics
Astronomy
Here’s to Your Health
Environment and Humanity: The Race to Save the Planet
Principles of Physical Science I
Physical Geology
Technical Writing
Ethics in America
Introduction to World Religions
Principles of Public Speaking

Military Benefits and Dantes Credit by Examination

While going to college is now standard, in the past, you were blessed to be able to go to a university. Today, however, most kids are expected to at least study at a college or university. Even grownups are feeling the pressure to acquire higher education and return to college. Unfortunately, traditional college is not an option for everyone, especially for the military servicemen. Great college tuition, work plans, and family lifestyle often make it hard to start or continue college. Fortunately, there are alternatives! Dantes Credit by examination is one alternative that many teenagers and grownups are starting to take seriously.

Credit by examination means that you can get credit for some of the things you already know. Adult scholars, especially, have obtained knowledge outside of the academic setting from the office and life experience. For example, if you show that you already understand college arithmetic, you can test out of that class and claim three credits. This method of earning college credit has been around for the last three decades and is becoming more extensive. Although credit by examination assessments like College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) were initially designed toward army employees, both are now open to civilians.

Nearly 3,000 schools accept credits earned from the assessments, but not all schools do. To be prepared, check your college’s policy to make sure credits will transfer. College credit exams are widely approved by institutions. By passing these exams, you may earn one-third or more of the attributes required for a degree. These exams are available in more than 150 subjects and are similar to end-of-course assessments offered by colleges. The American Council on Education (ACE) suggests college credit for the following credit-by-examination programs. In most cases your examination results are sent to the appropriate army academic records system (i.e., SMART, CCAF, AARTS, Coast Guard Institute). This will make simpler the transcript request procedure when you start the college registration process.

Students in the Military and Credit by Exam

The recent Federal Fund Sequester has resulted in price range deductions across many government-run programs. And for a while, it was threatening college tuition assistance for active military members and veterans. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Early in April, both the Army and Marine Corps revoked their Tuition Assistance (TA) programs, preventing active-duty military employees from submitting new requests for assistance. The Air Force then followed suit, suspending their own assistance. The Navy considered the revocation, but has not as of yet acted.

2. Only two weeks later, Congress elected to require military branches to provide college tuition assistance to all active-duty employees, thus preserving the system for those serving in the U.S. Air Force, Army and Marine Corps. The restoration of Tuition Assistance for active-duty members is a sign of the military’s commitment to education and improving minds among their ranks.

3. While both houses of Congress decided to reinstate Tuition Assistance across the board, no funds have been set aside to back up the move, so the three military branches that initially revoked assistance will have to figure out ways to implement sequestration price range deductions without touching Tuition Assistance.

The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), an organization dedicated to supporting military and veteran education, never stopped funding DSST examinations as an alternative to generate college credit. Their program remained a choice for soldiers looking for education cost assistance and quickly receive a degree.

Students in the military, as well as their partners, have the choice to generate credits up to 38 subjects through the DSST credit by exam program. And because this college credit opportunity is conveniently located at more than 500 military installations across the nation, thousands of military employees have already experienced the power of DSST tests. Over 1,900 higher-education institutions grant higher education credit to those who take and pass their credit by exam programs, helping to drive those who fight for our nation toward their degree, learning and career goals.

Taking Advantage of Dantes Exam

Does it seem like you have a lot of classes remaining to take? One way to reduce your load to your degree is to take a CLEP or a DANTES exam. You test for a class and get credit for that class. For example, if you need a social science elective or a history class, by taking the CLEP Social Science/History examination, you will get optional credit for HIST and SOCI, as long as you successfully pass the exam. Some people are confused at having to take 2 history classes, so they take a CLEP examination and test out of one of the history needed classes.

CLEP examinations are taken on the computer. The test time is 90 minutes. The cost is $65 for the test and there is an administration fee of $25. You may schedule a CLEP test two days before your preferred test time period. All you need to do is to call into the workplace and set the time and date. CLEP examinations are given Thursday thru Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. These time frames leave an estimated 2 hours to get you finalized in and authorized on the computer and then you have the 90 minutes for the exam. When the exam is finished, you will get a duplicate of your score; so you know if you have passed before you leave.

DANTES is a little different. A Dantes exam must be requested at least 2 weeks before your preferred test time period. The administration fee is due at the time you pay for your exam. That fee is $25. When your exam is already available, they will contact you to let you know it is ready and schedule enough the time and date you wish to take the examination. Dantes is an untimed exam, but most learners complete it within 90 moments. The day of your Dantes exam, you will pay $70.00 to Dantes by means of cashier’s check, credit card or money order. Dantes does not agree to private examinations. Again, you get credit for the class you successfully pass in the examination. It could take up to four weeks to get the results, so plan accordingly.