CLEP vs. DSST

[n_runner]

This is probably a stupid question...oh well.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of CLEP or DSST? Is one used/accepted at colleges more often than the other? (And they can be used in conjunction with each other, right?)

Thanks in advance...

[Chebasaz]

No such thing as stupid questions

CLEP is usually only accepted as lower level credit. There are quite a few DSST that are accepted as upper level by most colleges.

Whether they can be used in conjunction really depends on the college. Some CLEP's will satisfy certain requirements that there is no DSST equivalent for. Likewise there are some that satisfy the same requirement and only one is usually accepted.

Make sense?

Edit: Forgot to answer the second part of the question - Most colleges don't show a preference for CLEP or DSST. It just depends on the individual test that fulfills the requirement for your degree. Also most colleges have a hard cap on the number of credits they'll accept by testing. The notable exceptions are the Big "3" - Excelsior College, Charter Oaks, and Thomas Edison.

[jsh2]

I can't help you with your question; however I can let you know that there is no such thing as a stupid question!!! The problem with us growing up in a generation as ours, is that we think the only good questions are those with deep, lenghty answers. Nothing can be further from the truth. The only type of stupid question there is is one where you know the answer already and are asking just for the sake of asking. Any other question with the intention of gaining knowledge is valid, good, and nothing to be ashamed of! Good luck with your studies and thanks to everyone for keeping this forum 'alive and kicking'.
"Questions are from the wise, silence is from the foolish"

[P00057870]

Also....CLEP are pretty much pass/fail.

DSSTs that have grades like 50+ notations on the board and here are for grade and can help your GPA. The newer, or refreshed, DSSTs start with grades like 400+ and are now also pass/fail.

You would check with your college on what they equate to and how they handle things. My community college did not care either way, they were all pass/fail and limited you to 1/4th your total credits which was 15, but EC uses the DSSTs with the original grading system toward your GPA as stated above. So, check with your college for their rules and requirements.

Judy

By the way, some previous postings have stated that if you go on to apply to take a masters program that those colleges may want a transcript and consider the grades as part of their approval process.

[alissaroot]

This is probably a stupid question...oh well.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of CLEP or DSST?

All CLEPs are Pass/Fail, no letter grades. DSSTs under the old scoring system are awarded letter grades by some colleges, DSSTs under the new scoring system are all Pass/Fail

Several CLEPs are worth six credits, foreign language worth 12 credits for a high score, the others are three credits. All are lower level. All DSSTs are worth three credits, some upper level. Remember that schools reserve the right to determine how many and at what level they will award credit, so it varies.

CLEP exams have five answer choices, DSST exams have four answer choices for all questions. In my personal opinion, DSST exams are the easier of the two.

I'm not certain on this, but I think that if you take the paper version of DSST exams, they are not timed? I think CLEPs (all CLEPs are computer based) have a 90 minute time limit and computer based DSSTs have 120 minute time limit. Does anyone know this for sure? I can't remember...

Is one used/accepted at colleges more often than the other? (And they can be used in conjunction with each other, right?)

Thanks in advance...

According to the Prometric website, more than 1900 schools accept DSST, and according to the College Board website, more than 2900 schools accept CLEP exams, so it appears at first glance as though CLEP is somewhat more accepted?

Some CLEPs will duplicate some DSSTs. For example, the DSST Introduction to Computing may duplicate the CLEP Introduction to Computer Systems and Applications. Check with your school.

Hope that helps!

[94steve]

Guessing on a CLEP gives you 1 in 5 odds,

Guessing on a DSST puts you at 1 in 4, a 5 percent bump!

CLEPS are offered at more test centers. DSST's come in more wild and exotic flavors (substance abuse anybody???)

REA makes awesome study guides for CLEP but not for DSST.

Anyway, that's what I came up with on the fly. These tests are what they are.

[n_runner]

Thanks everyone...

Steve, we're all smart people here...who needs to guess in the first place? jk

[philandangela]

Just found out today that if I fail the Clep in a particular subject that Dantes covers I can retake exam through Dantes and receive credit if I pass. That's a bonus deal with my college. Instead of waiting 6 months to retake the clep I can push over to Dantes and try again the same day.