DSST | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

Exploring Credit By Exam

Enrolling in college is now a standard. In the past, you were blessed to be present in a university. Today, however, most kids are required to at least study at community college. Even adults are feeling the stress to get a college degree. Unfortunately, conventional college is not an option for everyone. High college tuition, work plans, and family lifestyle often make it hard to begin or continue college. Fortunately, there are alternatives! Credit by exam is one alternative that many teenagers and adults are starting to take seriously. Credit by exam means that you can get credit for some of the things you already know. Adult scholars, especially, have obtained knowledge outside of the educational setting from the office and life experience. For example, if you demonstrate that you already understand college mathematics, you can test out of that class and get three credits.

This method of making college credit has been around for the last three decades and is becoming more extensive. Although credit by exam assessments like College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests were initially designed toward army employees, both are now open to citizens. Nearly 3,000 schools take credit gained from the assessments, but not all schools do. To be prepared, check your college’s policy to make sure credit will be accepted.

Not putting things off is perhaps the biggest benefit of credit by exam. Instead of going through a term on US History, you can avoid taking the class completely by taking the CLEP test on US History. With enough time you preserve, you can spend it attending the innovative programs that you are really after. If you make use of the examinations, you can save months, if not years of educational costs and time. While all of your colleagues are still in college spending cash for an expensive conventional knowledge, you will have a degree and be out in the labor force generating revenue.

Difference Between AP and CLEP

Cost, accessibility, progression. All are great reasons to consider making higher education credit in your high school years. Advanced Placement and the CLEP are both subject-specific credit-by-exam programs provided by The College Board. DSST is provided by Parametric, another separate test-provider. College Board’s AP program was created in the 1950′s to provide a way for high-achieving kids to get a jump start on college work. In recent years, it has transformed into a huge program that gets to more than a thousand students each year. AP gets more advertising and is more well-known than CLEP because it is provided and promoted through public educational institutions. AP is recommended to high-achieving students as a way for them to show their educational ability and helps high schools increase their reputation. Examination content for both AP and CLEP is designed by a board of college teachers, many who sit on both test development committees.

CLEP and DSST examinations are considered as a method to show expertise of content often trained in starting college-level programs. Since they are not associated with a high school course or program, these examinations are not promoted or well-known in those groups. As separate students, grownups and home schooled students are taking these examinations at an ever improving rate. As they keep growing in reputation, the test suppliers have observed and are actively reaching out to the home school market.

There are as many resemblances as there are variations between the examinations, but the most noticeable distinction is their availability: AP is provided in May, CLEP and DSST are provided year-round. While some institutions will specifically take AP examinations, it has become typical for institutions to reward credit for CLEP and DSST as well. Planning for AP, CLEP and DSST allows learners to develop the study abilities and critical thinking that prepares them for the conversion to college. They provide learners the assurance that they can efficiently manage college-level work, and provide them a jump-start towards achievement.

Combining Homeschool and Credit By Exam

Through a process of trial, error and sharing, many homeschooling families have the approach to combining secondary school education and planning for university-level examinations down to a science. There are two basic approaches to earning higher education credit while simultaneously completing secondary school.

1. If a college student has acquired knowledge that aligns to a credit by exam check, they would get a research guide and take a practice exam to see if they know enough to complete the check. If they feel confident, they would take the credit by exam check and if they complete it, they have gained higher education credits according to the DSST, CLEP, or AP programs. The parent will also award the college student high school credit on the home school transcript.

2. When a homeschooler is ready for high school work, sometimes as early as junior high school age, the parent and kid will choose his or her course of study. To gain higher education and secondary university credit simultaneously, they will match-up what they want to study with a credit by exam check. The home school student might decide to research US History 1 for 9th grade and after learning the information from a textbook and spending a few weeks reviewing CLEP planning materials, he or she will take the CLEP evaluation. If the kid passes the test, they will have gained both secondary school and higher education credit from studying the same material. If the kid does not pass the test, he or she will have still gained secondary school credit from doing the work. The kid can then earn even more higher education credits by following the US History 1 CLEP with the Civil War and Reconstruction DSST evaluation, as the examinations have overlapping information.

The most apparent benefit to making college credits in secondary school is to speed up the degree process. This can be a considerable benefit from a tuition viewpoint, as well as placing you on a fast-track to profession income.

Tips for Dantes Exam Preparations

Organizations that create and offer research books for people trying to get ready to take a test may offer exercise test questions as a part of their content to help their clients practice the information they have discovered. It cannot be highlighted enough how very essential it is to use Dantes Exam test questions while planning to complete the examination. Yes, you should be acquainted with the content, but it is also very useful to practice taking the exam with real sample questions.

If you research more sensibly, you may be able to spend less time in your Dantes Exam preparation. If you do not spend your time and energy sensibly, it may harm you. The best way to study wisely is to get ready by being trained by test taking professionals who are aware of the methods. Set objectives and endeavor to split up your time and energy to the places you need to study and practice. This could help you pass. Save the most difficult problems for last. This will allow you to, as fast as possible, finish the most convenient ones first. However, keep in mind that you will need to pace yourself in order not to run out of energy and time before you get to the last part.

Before you take the Dantes Exam, you should have discovered the primary information. Some research books will help you understand the primary knowledge and some believe you know the details but just need help planning. If however, you need more help in knowing the platform details, you will want something more detailed. In the second case, it may sound right to use a few different research books which provide different requirements. One, as a test prep evaluation and one to educate the primary details. Ask yourself how well you view the details before you prepare. If you view the primary content and you understand proper check taking skills, you should be able to not spend by using research information targeted on passing the examination.

Guides for CLEP Exams

In the more advanced world, Education and learning is a primary need for all human beings. Most people cannot continue their study due to some reason. Military personnel whose time is mostly spent in missions are not able to continue their education such as 4 year college degree. CLEP and DSST are examinations that give them opportunity to get college credit for learning obtained outside the conventional educational setting. This is a very useful system.

There are many companies that run programs for planning of CLEP and DSST examinations. The College-Level Evaluation Program (CLEP) is the most commonly approved credit-by-examination system, was developed by the College Board. It is available at more than 2,900 schools. There is need to complete any of the 34 CLEP examinations and after passing it, you can accomplish your college and profession objectives. The course is designed in as short as 4 days, so you are able to take CLEP test on the 5th day and earn credit from the course. It is helpful to get college credit for what you already know, for a little sum of cash.

There are many companies that offer a very beneficial on the internet CLEP study guides that gives you the material to prepare for the CLEP exams. The content of these guides is so simple that learners can easily prepare for the examinations. The College Board also post study information containing sample assessments for all examinations. There are unique tips for exam takes to make the exam easier. In the CLEP review, you do not have to pay for every detail. There are services that offer many study guides. Some of them are easily available to prepare you for your topic and others have a set price range.

Saving Money through the Dantes Exam

Distance learning works under the supposition that you do not have to sit in a classroom in order to learn. You can study anywhere, at any time and then test your knowledge using consistent assessments. If you score well enough, you “pass” and generate credit. Some learners may want to finish their whole degree through distance learning. However, you do not have to take an all-or-nothing strategy. Many institutions allow you to test out of at least some programs and have credit used.

CLEP examinations are the most popular way to test out of entry-level higher education courses. For a 90 minute test that costs just $77, you can earn between 3 and 12 credit hours! Nearly 3000 approved institutions nation-wide award credit score for at least some CLEP examinations. CLEP examinations cover 33 topics including biology, Spanish, calculus and American literary works. Excluding language and structure CLEP examinations, the examinations are made up of multiple choice questions.

There is also the Dantes Exam or Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSST). These assessments were initially designed for the army, but citizens can now take them. Like CLEPs, Dantes exams cost a portion of earning credit typically. Dantes exams are $80* for a 3 credit-hour examination and many of the test are even granted upper-level credit! Nearly 2000 institutions across the country accept some Dantes exams for credit. Dantes exams cover 38 topics such as “Human Resource management,” “Principle of Statistics,” and “The Rise and Fall of Soviet Russia.” These examinations are more challenging than CLEPs, but are in multiple choice forms. Though Dantes need studious planning, you can research at your own speed with the components you choose.

Dantes Exam

Earning a degree while finishing army service can be extremely challenging. Military responsibilities can make it increasingly difficult to study regularly and experts can also struggle to finish their undergrad degrees while attempting to handle work, family and educational responsibilities simultaneously. Fortunately, there is a widely used option that allows learners to finish their degree in a timelier manner. DANTES exams grant credit-by-examination, allowing learners to earn transferable credit by passing an examination in topics that they’ve already perfected, rather than having to join long, time intensive and repetitive courses. DANTES exams (now known as DSST exams), and the colleges that support them, can save army personnel a lot of money.

The DANTES evaluation was the unique name of a type of credit-by-examination that permitted learners to generate credit for subjects they could confirm they already completed via qualified testing. DANTES examinations are now known as DSST examinations and are just like AP examinations taken in secondary school. Moving a DSST / DANTE evaluation allows the student to generate higher education credit without having to take an excellent course in the same subject. Earning attributes via DANTES or DSST examining can cut out the time required to complete a degree, enabling learners to graduate a term or in some cases even years earlier than expected, saving lots of money in educational costs.

There are also two other, quite identical types of credit-by-examination frequently used by Active Duty army members and experts called CLEP and ECE.

DANTES Credit By Exam

The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support or DANTES has credit by exam tests known as DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST). They were initially produced to ensure that the U.S. Military’s enlisted soldiers, mariners, airmen and Marine Corps could earn college credit while serving on active duty in locations with no traditional schools. Prior to the internet, service people needed to depend on limited on-base educational possibilities. Frequent alterations in duty stations managed to be tricky to establish residency. The DSSTs assisted to fix this issue by enabling military students to accelerate their degree programs by generating college credit by showing their understanding via testing.

After DANTES sub-contracted the DSST program to Prometric, the DSST grew to become open to non-military personnel. These exams are pretty similar to the College Level Examination Program or CLEP and they’re recognized by many schools for credit provided the minimum cutoff score is accomplished. Like the CLEP program, the majority of the exams cover courses normally trained in the newcomer and sophomore level. This allows students to try out of huge sections of their first couple of years of college.

Students desiring to make use of the DSST program should consult the Prometric web site to find the position of the nearest testing site. The price for every DSST is $80.00. However, many schools and native testing sites frequently charge a nearby fee of $15 to $25. Each examination provides the examinee the chance to earn three credit hours at traditional schools and colleges provided the examinee has accomplished an appropriate score. Each test includes a score, established with a formal validating procedure that fits to some passing grade. One part of the DSST that’s not the same as the CLEP examination is the fact that DSST scores happen to be scaled. Scores over the passing score are qualified for letter grades of B along with A when the college or university takes part for that manner. One prominent distance education college, Excelsior College, does participate and enables students to build up a GPA through testing.

Ways to Save Time and Tuition Fees

You will find several kinds of Credit by Exam options. Listed here are five of the very popular:

College Level Examination Program (CLEP). CLEP is easily the most popular option and it has exams in liberal arts, languages, business, science and math. The completed exams are transferable to just about all colleges for either 3 or 6 units. The CLEP website offers practice tests, study guides and locations of test centers. Costs for CLEP and all sorts of other Credit by Exam choices are usually under $100/test.
DSST Exams. DSST Exams formerly were known as DANTES Exams and were just for military personnel. Today, DSST Exams in liberal arts, business, education and criminal justice can be found to the student, traditional or adult student. Test prep and test locations are online.
Excelsior College Exams or UExcel Exams have numerous tests in areas not included in CLEP or DSST, including Nursing and upper division (junior and senior year) business exams.
Thomas Edison College Examination Program (TECEP) is another method to earn credit for formerly learned understanding. You will find Upper Division exams in Network Technology and business, in addition to exams in PR (public relations), Nutrition and Technical Writing.
Challenge exams originate from the local college or university. If you’re already enrolled in a college and wish to “test out”, your college may offer this other option. Often, a student will go ahead and take the challenge exam, get a listing of study materials and go ahead and take the final exam. The minimum score for that challenge exam is generally 75% or 80% to become counted as credit.