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Education Home > Timesaving Exams > Credit-by-Exam

Take Exams for College Credit

You can study and take exams—similar toend-of-course evaluations—for college credits before you even enroll in adegree program. This is a great way to begin working toward your educationalgoals while you are in the service. Read more to learn how you can save timeand money through the DANTES Credit-by-Exam program.

Sidebar: Ifyou are taking courses solely to satisfy certain degree requirements, youshould check with the school you plan to attend to ensure that the credits willbe accepted and will be credited toward the correct classes. If you don’t knowwhich school you’ll be attending, then pay close attention to candidateschools’ Credit-by-Exam policies as you make your decision.

DANTESoffers a program called Credit-by-Exam that is widely accepted by accreditedcolleges and universities. They offer more than 150 subject-area tests that youcan take to earn more than one third of the credits you need for your desireddegree. Because most branches keep track of your training and experiencecredits through a transcription system (SMART, CCAF, AARTS, CGI), your examresults will be automatically forwarded to the service and kept on record untilyou desire to send them to a school.

Sounds Likea Lot of Work. Why Should I Consider Credit-by-Exams?

  • It’s less of a time commitment than a typical college course. In a course that requires you to attend classes, you’d spend three to six hours per week for over three month going to classes, studying, and completing assignments. But when you choose Credit-by-Exams, you may spend only a few weeks or a month preparing to take an exam. This, of course, depends on how much you already know about the subject and if you work well independently.
  • You will save money. Credit-by-Exams are free to servicemembers through DANTES. When you think about the fact that the average college course costs $100 per credit (typical 3-credit course=$300), you can save thousands of dollars!
  • You can skip the dull intro classes. When you enroll in your degree program, you’ll be able to bypass some of the freshman courses that you’re not really interested in and get right into the more interesting, advanced classes.
  • You’ll meet like-minded individuals in study groups. Many servicemembers in the same unit choose to study together for upcoming exams. This is a great way to meet people and make learning more interactive.
  • You can use your favorite method to learn and set your own timeline. Chose from textbooks, study guides, videos, and other methods to learn the material for your upcoming exams. Plus, you can determine when you’re ready to take the test, so it’s more flexible than a traditional class. BUT you should note that if you do not pass the exam, you must wait 180 days to retake the same test title. So make sure you are ready!
  • You can take tests before you enroll in a college or university. This offers you a lot of flexibility. You don’t have to make any major decisions about your future when you begin to work on your Credit-by-Exams.

Exam Types
Thereare three types of exams provided by DANTES: CLEP, DSST, and ECE. Find outwhich is best for you.
CLEP (College Level ExaminationProgram)
Ifyou prefer paper-based tests, this program offers 14 exams in both generalsubject areas and in specific subject areas. When you take a CLEP exam at aDANTES Test Center, you’ll receive results 4-6 weeks later. Visit www.collegeboard.com/clep to viewdescriptions of exams and a list of test centers near you.

Youcan also contact your Education Officer or the Base Education Center for moreinformation and assistance.

CLEP Computer-Based Testing(eCBT)
All35 examination titles—general and subject specific—that are offered throughCLEP are available in a computer-based method. These tests are administered atboth on-campus and on-base testing centers. See a description of each test aswell as the location of a test center near you at www.collegeboard.com/clep.

When you take your test at an On-Campus Test Center:

  • A $15-25 registration fee must be paid to the college to schedule time for testing. You are responsible for this payment.
  • Eligible military and civilian examinees are not responsible for the $50 test fee—DANTES pays this on your behalf. Be sure to present your military ID or federal/ state-issued ID card at the test center on the day of the exam.

Whenyou take your test at an On-Base Test Center:

  • The $15-25 registration fee is waived.
  • The $50 test fee is waived. DANTES pays for the administration and testing fees at all on-base centers.

Contactyour Education Officer or Base Education Center for more information andassistance with CLEP testing.

DANTESSubject Standardized Tests (DSST)
DSSTsare an extensive set of exams that are made to be comparable to end-of-courseexams in an undergraduate course. The ACE recommends that each exam is worththree college credits. Examples of available courses include Business Law,Technical Writing, and Principles in Statistics.

Excelsior College Exams (ECE)
Thesein-depth exams are designed not only to test your knowledge of facts but alsoto measure your ability to apply complex concepts. The tests can be entirelymultiple-choice, essay or a mix of the two. Most of the tests are constructedto cover the typical work of an undergraduate course. Because of the advancednature of these tests, ACE recommends anywhere from three to eight semesterhour credits depending on the difficulty and the depth of the test. ECEs coveran array of subjects like Abnormal Psychology, Fundamentals of Nursing, andLabor Relations.

Contact your EducationOfficer or the Base Education Center for more information and assistance withDSST or ECE testing.