DSST exams

Overview

What are DSST exams?

DSST began in 1974 as a testing program for service members through DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support). Prometric acquired the exams in 2004 and now owns and administers them, and the program opened to civilian test takers in 2006.

There are more than 30 exam titles in social sciences, math, applied technology, business, physical sciences and humanities, including subjects rarely covered by AP or CLEP, such as criminal justice, fundamentals of cybersecurity, human resource management and a history of the Vietnam War.

How are DSST exams built and scored?

Most exams have 100 multiple-choice questions and a two-hour limit. The American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated every DSST exam and recommends both a passing score and a number of credits. For Introduction to Psychology, for example, the ACE-recommended passing score is 400 and the credit recommendation is 3 semester hours.

Eligibility considerations

Who can take DSST exams?

Anyone seeking credit outside a traditional classroom, including high school students, college students, adult learners and military personnel. You need current, valid photo identification such as a driver's license, passport or student ID.

For eligible service members, DANTES pays for the first attempt at any DSST title; a retest after a failing score is at the service member's own expense.

The process

How do you register for a DSST exam?

Find an authorized test center, most of them on college campuses, or use online proctoring. At a test center you register and pay inside the testing platform on exam day.

• Exam fee: $100 per exam, not including any administration fee the site charges. Arizona State University's testing office, for example, adds a $35 registration fee.
• Enter your college's four-digit DSST code when you register so it receives your score report, which should arrive within 90 days.
• Scores for internet-based exams appear on screen as soon as you finish.

How do you order a DSST transcript?

Transcripts are ordered through Parchment and can be requested 3–5 business days after your test date. Colleges such as ASU accept only an official transcript sent directly from DSST Prometric.

Can you retake a DSST exam?

Yes. Every test taker can retest after a 30-day waiting period.

Potential benefits

Why might a student choose DSST?

• Subject coverage: DSST offers titles such as Business Ethics and Society, Introduction to Law Enforcement and Environmental Science that can fill electives or match a planned major.
• Speed: internet-based exams show your score immediately, and a failed exam can be retaken after 30 days.
• State rules in some places: Florida's public colleges and universities must award the minimum credit set by the state's Articulation Coordinating Committee for listed DSST exams, within a 45-credit limit on credit by exam.
• At ASU, a DSST score at or above ACE's recommended score earns credit when the subject fits a program of study, or elective credit when it does not.

Important limitations

What are the drawbacks?

• An ACE recommendation does not guarantee acceptance. Each college chooses which DSST titles it recognizes and what they replace.
• Some colleges treat DSST as a military program. ASU's catalog describes DSST as taken by military or approved government personnel, even though Prometric opens the exams to everyone, so ask how the college handles civilian or high school test takers.
• Credit often lands as electives. ASU's catalog and Florida's statewide list name specific DSST equivalencies, and an exam missing from a college's list may earn nothing.
• Caps apply. ASU counts DSST toward its 60-hour limit on proficiency and credit-by-exam credit, and ASU will not award DSST credit that duplicates or is more elementary than credit you already have.
• Policies can be out of date. Look for the college's current catalog and confirm how it wants to receive transcripts.