CLEP vs Dantes Question

[ahamlett]

***Actually, I just found a similar post! I apologize for posting this too soon.. I guess that CLEP just made me feel awfully discouraged***

I just took my first CLEP this morning - Principles of Microeconomics. Yikes, was it hard. I felt I had studied really well, but I ended up feeling like I had to guess on a lot of questions. I passed.. BARELY, but atleast I passed.

I have 3 Dantes tests now to take this week...
Fundamentals of Counseling
Human Resource Management
Management Information Systems

I was wondering how the CLEP and Dantes tests compare as far as difficulty. I read that the Dantes aren't timed, which sounds great. I wonder if the CLEP just seemed so much harder because I was stressed about time.. I nearly ran out.

Any insight would be helpful! I used the search feature, but didn't find a similar post, so I apologize if this is a redundant question!

Thanks in advance,
Andrea

[ShotoJuku]

[SIZE="4"][COLOR="Blue"]WELCOME TO THE IC-FORUMS!!!

I'm glad you found the other post, there are usually establsihed threads on just about any clep/dantes topic out there.

Congrats on your exam and remember - "A Pass is a Pass" so move on to the next one!![/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Blue]

congrats on passing your first clep!!! sorry i can't help you with your question as i'm going to be taking my first clep in a few days too...eek!

CONGRATS AGAIN!!! =]

[snazzlefrag]

***Actually, I just found a similar post! I apologize for posting this too soon.. I guess that CLEP just made me feel awfully discouraged***

I just took my first CLEP this morning - Principles of Microeconomics. Yikes, was it hard. I felt I had studied really well, but I ended up feeling like I had to guess on a lot of questions. I passed.. BARELY, but atleast I passed.

I have 3 Dantes tests now to take this week...
Fundamentals of Counseling
Human Resource Management
Management Information Systems

I was wondering how the CLEP and Dantes tests compare as far as difficulty. I read that the Dantes aren't timed, which sounds great. I wonder if the CLEP just seemed so much harder because I was stressed about time.. I nearly ran out.

Any insight would be helpful! I used the search feature, but didn't find a similar post, so I apologize if this is a redundant question!

Thanks in advance,
Andrea

Hi Andrea,

Welcome to the board!

You sure picked a doozie for your first exam. There are many much easier exams you could have chosen to get 'warmed up' to taking CLEPs. I definitely wouldn't advise anyone to take Microeconomics FIRST.
hilarious

It is no wonder that you are feeling a little anxious right now. However, you PASSED Microeconomics. That's a very HARD exam under any circumstances. To have attempted it as your very first exam, without the benefit of 'working up to it' with some easier exams, is a heck of an achievement. So, extra special congratulations to you.

You will find that the difficulty level varies with EACH exam. Some CLEPs are harder than some DANTES exams, and some DANTES exams are harder than some CLEP exams.

You will probably enjoy not having to worry about the time on your upcoming DANTES exams. However, the 2-4 week wait for your scores will drive you crazy. It's definitely a trade off!

You will find individual threads on this board, dedicated to each of the three DANTES exams you will be taking this week. But, if you can pass Microeconomics without any prior CLEP experience, I would bet that you will also be able to pass your next three exams. Study hard, give it your best effort, and you will likely do very well.

I wish you the best of luck.

Please let us know how you it goes,
Snazzlefrag

[adamdriggers]

The only thing I would add:

Yes, CLEPS are 90 minutes, DSSTs are untimed (though my proctor has a three-hour limit - and yes, I used all three hours for Statistics and Principles of Finance).

Another difference: CLEPs have five possible answers, DSSTs only have four.

Yes, they vary, but sometimes I have found DSST tests to be more difficult to discipher the correct answers - they are not as clear cut "right" as CLEP exams, meaning, for example, I remember a question I read - I knew the answer immediately before reading the answers. But when I read through the answers, none of them looked right. Upon further inspection, I observed that the correct one was said the opposite way. So really examine every answer to ensure your answer is the very best choice on a DSST. You can do it! I can't believe you passed Micro as your first CLEP. Wow.

[snazzlefrag]

...Sometimes I have found DSST tests to be more difficult to discipher the correct answers - they are not as clear cut "right" as CLEP exams...

That's right Leah!

Because of the 90-minute time limit, CLEPs tend not to ask questions that require too much time to answer. DANTES on the other hand, make the most of the lack of time limit by asking questions that require quite a bit of thought before answering.

The other thing that comes to mind is that DANTES exams also make much greater use of what is, to me, a VERY FRUSTRATING variation on the standard multiple choice question. They pose a question, give you four answer options, and then ask you choose which COMBINATION of answers are correct.

Example:

Which of the following numbers equal a total of 6:

I. 2 + 4
II. 3 + 3
III. 7 - 3
IV. 10 - 4

A) I and II
B) I, II, and III
C) I, III, and IV
D) I, II, and IV

It makes for some very tricky, and time consuming, questions. For this reason alone, I would say that DANTES exams are often slightly harder than CLEPs. However, the lack of a time limit means you have more time to think through the questions.

There have been several CLEP exams where I thought to myself, "this would be a lot easier if I had more time to think through my answers."

Similarly, there have been several DANTES (such as Statistics, Principles of Finance, all the histories, etc.) where I was thankful that I didn't have to complete them in 90 minutes.

There are definitely some pros and cons to each type of exam. As a result, I still have not been able to make up my mind whether I prefer CLEP or DANTES.

[Criticalthinker]

I've taken mostly CLEPS 9 and 2 DSST's. I took the DSST's as my last two tests. (Here's to Your Health, and Fundamentals of Counseling)

I found them very similar to the CLEPS in terms of read through, eliminate obviously wrong answers, analyze basically the two remaining choices...

The hardest thing for me was filling out all the dang bubbles in the info part at the beginning. That was somewhat stressful believe it or not, making sure I had the correct bubbles ligned up with the filled in spaces. It takes some time.

The test center I went to was great and had a set of step by step directions framed, that started with, "You're ready for this! Just breathe!".

Anyway, waiting for the results was harder, as I was used to the adrenaline pumping finish of a CLEP, but basically it took about 14 days to get my results, and taking the test felt about the same level of difficulty.

DSST exams do offer quite a bit of upper level credits.

I did not like the practice tests for them as well as I did Peterson's practice CLEP tests.

Just my two cents! p.s. I posted one of the threads you may have found regarding the difference!

http://www.instantcertonline.com/forums/...lep+dantes

[adamdriggers]

Hint: if your test center has a time limit (UT in Arlington has three hours) for your DSST test, fill out your personal info LAST. I ran out of time on Statistics and Principles of Finance, but then realized I could fill that junk out at the end if I ran out of time.....

.......waaaaaaaaaait. This is irrelevent since they went computerized Oct. 2. Well, I have one of the paper ones to take next week - Business Math, that no one seems to have taken and I have no idea what the heck to study. I found "The Little Black Book of Business Math" today at the library adn I will imbibe that this weekend. Here's hopin'.

[ahamlett]

Thanks for all of the great information and encouragement! It really did help me.

I finished taking all of my tests on Friday.. PHEWW! Feels good to be done! I actually found the Dantes ones to be easier than the Microeconomics CLEP, but.. then again, you did all say that Micro test was a real bugger anyway.

Now, just have to try to be patient and see how I did. I swear, this time thinking about it is just making me think I probably didn't pass, but who knows. Just have to try not to think about it!

I'll post my results just as soon as I get them!

How does your score correspond to your grade for that class at your school? For example.. I received a 53/80 for the Micro test. Does that mean I'm going to show a "D" on my transcript? If so, that really sucks, since I have a 4.0 right now with only 6 classes to go! Or does it just show 3 transfer credits for that class?

Thanks again!

[snazzlefrag]

How does your score correspond to your grade for that class at your school? For example.. I received a 53/80 for the Micro test. Does that mean I'm going to show a "D" on my transcript? If so, that really sucks, since I have a 4.0 right now with only 6 classes to go! Or does it just show 3 transfer credits for that class?

Thanks again!

Hi Andrea,

What grade you get for any given score, will depend on your own school. They are free to set their own minimum scores for each grade, to simply award pass/fail credit, or to not accept the exams at all.

Every exam has been evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE), and recommendations are made as to the awarding of college credit and minimum passing scores etc. Some schools adhere to the ACE recommendations, and others choose to set their own standards.

As a result, you will need to contact your school to find out what their policy is in regards to these exams.

Excelsior College publishes a list of THEIR cut-off scores for each exam, and other schools sometimes do the same.

As an aside, I doubt any school would award a grade "D" for any of the CLEP exams. It is more likely that they would award grades "A" through "C" if you score above 50, or an outright FAIL if you score below 50. Alternatively, they may simply award a "P" for any score above 50, and an "F" for any score below 50.

Your best bet is to go ahead and call your school to find out exactly what your score on each exam means.

Sorry I can't provide more specific help,
Snazzlefrag