CLEP gets a lot of attention here, but don’t overlook the DSST exam option. In this post I’ll talk a little about the exams and share a great link for free practice tests and an upcoming HS4CC workshop!
DSST/DANTES Exams
Good transferability
http://www.getcollegecredit.com
The DSST exam (formerly called DANTES, and still referred to as such by some colleges) used to be only available to our military; however, they are open to the public and your children.
A DSST exam is essentially like a CLEP exam. Your teen will take a homeschool course using the curriculum of your choosing, and then when ready, you can do test prep and register for the exam. The exam is taken on a computer (multiple choice) and your results are displayed instantly.
Depending on the exam, you’ll need to answer about 65-75% of the questions correctly to pass.
DSST exams are taken at a testing facility in your town. Since DSST is a lesser-known brand, it’s possible that a simple web search of your college’s website may not provide you with lists as you’ll find for CLEP or AP. If your college accepts CLEP and AP, they probably accept DSST/DANTES as well, but be prepared to ask the registrar if you can’t find it on their website.
Cost: $100 *unlike CLEP, you can not use a Modern States voucher to pay for DSST
Find your testing center – be sure to ask them if there is a separate proctoring fee, as this is often the case. https://www.getcollegecredit.com/search
Good Exams for High School Students
Art History (Fine Arts or Elective)
- Art of the Western World, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
Science (Physical Science / Natural Science)
- Astronomy, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
- Environmental Science, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
Social Science (History/Geography)
- A History of the Vietnam War, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
- History of the Soviet Union, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
- The Civil War and Reconstruction, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
- Human/Cultural Geography, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
Electives
- (Math) Principles of Statistics, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
- (Language Arts) Technical Writing, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
- Personal Finance, 3 college credits, 0.5 high school credit
- Full list of all available DSST exams
- Full list of DSST practice exams
REGISTER NOW Homeschooling for College Credit DSST Workshop June 21, 2021
CLEP Keeps Growing
Today, I want to share a section from my book Homeschooling for College Credit. I’m often asked if I think CLEP is starting to decline in popularity or acceptance. I don’t have to guess- we have data!
DSST Math for the Liberal Arts vs. CLEP College Mathematics
What is the difference between the DSST Math for the Liberal Arts and CLEP College Mathematics exam? ~a question asked by MANY homeschool moms Exam Information
Compare CLEP vs DSST
When I took my first CLEP exam, I felt pretty comfortable with the process and didn’t immediately see any reason to consider other brands like DSST. It wasn’t long before I realized the limits of brand loyalty and soon branched out to add several DSST exams to my scheduled.
