Homeschooling High School? What You Need To Know About The DSST Exam

Did you know? Your high school homeschooler can earn college credit by taking DSST exams. Learn how to save time and money on your child’s college education.

I’ve been homeschooling for over 10 years. You might think that after that long the learning, researching, and whole “getting a clue” part for mom would be finished.

Nope.

I’m homeschooling two high schoolers now. The role has indeed shifted.

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Homeschooling High School Is Different

As I step into that “supporting, guidance counselor, and overseer” role, I am discovering just how much more I have to learn.

Now I am learning how to support their future endeavors, whatever they may be.

Learning about high school credits and transcripts.

Learning about college and university admissions and how to make it more affordable for me and save time for them.

Saving time and money is important for me and where I’ve been focusing my attention lately.

Earlier I shared how Study.com has not only a K-12 online program but also an amazing CLEP Prep program.

Recently I learned they have launched an additional test prep resource for students looking for college credit through DSST exams.

Although this inside look at DSST and how it all works is sponsored by Study.com, Study.com is an online program we have used and enjoyed. 

I am excited to share their new resources for getting your kid (and mine!) into College faster for less money.

What is a DSST Exam?

DSST stands for The DANTES Subject Standardized Tests and is a nationally recognized program that offers students the opportunity to earn college credits through exams.

DSST exams are Prior-Learning Assessments (PLA’s) which means the test will gauge your child’s understanding and mastery of the subject.

Should they pass, they are awarded a real college credit just as though they had passed the corresponding course in college or university.

In turn, this saves you and your child time and money.

In the past, these exams were reserved for members of the U.S. Military and help them earn college credit outside of traditional college settings.

Now, everyone is welcome to take a DSST Exam.

Why Take A DSST Exam?

Simply put, if your child takes the DSST Exam and passes, it will save you both time and money.

Passing the exams saves you time because your child has earned those credits and is now able to take fewer college courses. Or they can make room to add upper-level courses to their schedule.

Passing those exams saves you money. The cost of a DSST Exam, according to Get College Credit is $85. 

If you add the cost of DSST preparation materials such as study help and prep tests your total is much less than the cost of college courses of the same subject.

Please note: Test centers may charge a nominal fee to administer the exam.

CLEP & DSST: What’s The Difference?

As I researched I thought that DSST sounded similar to CLEP.

They both allow students to gain college credit for their prior knowledge and both are approved by the American Council on Education (ACE) to provide credit through testing.

What’s the difference?

Content.

While looking through the list I noticed that while some test areas do overlap between CLEP and DSST, like college calculus, for example, there are certain courses that are only covered by one or the other.

CLEP covers more mainstream testing courses such as ‘Human Growth and Development’ and ‘American Literature.’

Whereas DSST offers exams such as ‘Technical Writing’, ‘Public Speaking’ and several specific history exams like ‘History of the Vietnam War.’

Because of these differences, it is best to explore both to get the most from alternative-credit testing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all schools accept these tests.

Make sure you and your child meet with a counselor before signing up. Ask which credits the school will accept and make sure you understand how to apply to the degree program.

For more information about CLEP read: Homeschool High School College Prep Tips: Save Time & Money (And Get Your Child Into Upper Level Courses Faster!) 

Ready To Take The DSST? What To Do Next

The goal to take the DSST is to pass. In order to do that successfully, you’ll want to do the following steps:

1. Contact your college:

Do this as soon as possible and find out the score required to grant a credit, the number of credit hours granted and the courses that can be bypassed. Each college has the right to set its own credit-granting policy.

This is the best way to decide on whether or not your child should take a DSST.

Research the schools they are interested in possibly attending. Depending on the school, DSST, CLEP, AP or dual credit can be preferred or accepted.

2. Choose an Exam.

There are over 30 DSST Exams. After contacting your college as mentioned above, choose which ones your child will take. Click here to see the list of DSST Courses on Study.com

3. Register to take the exam.

You can do this with the college board or contact a testing center. These are administered across the United States and Internationally.

Click here to find one list of institutions that accept and/or administer DSST exams.

4. Prepare for the Exam.

This is where having the right tools for the job can relieve so much stress.

5. Locate a test center near you and schedule your exam.

There are more than 1,200 test centers nationwide. DSST exams are $85; test centers may charge a nominal fee to administer the exam.

Prepare For The DSST Exam:

As I mentioned, I was pretty excited to learn that Study.com had launched an additional test prep resource for students.

Preparing for the DSST exam is vital to passing the exam especially if your child is not used to test taking.

I first heard about Study.com from moms using it and we’ve been using it for various subjects since.

As a working homeschool mom, I know online programs work best with my busy schedule and learning on the go.

However, you always want to check a program out for yourself.

Note: Study.com gives you the opportunity to try out a free trial, which l love. Just click on the yellow box on this page to get started.

Trial periods are my favorite way to see if something will or will not work for my family.

Study.com DSST Test Prep:

Study.com’s DSST Test Prep is designed to help your child to prepare and pass the DSST exam in a fun and interactive way.

Including:

• Short, engaging videos
• Supporting text transcripts for videos
• Quizzes
• Practice Tests
• Personalized Study plan
• Flashcards for every exam

Note: You can also download the apps on Google Play or the iTunes and use them on your tablet or phone. We used the desktop computer as it was easier than the tablet for my kiddos.

DSST Practice Tests:

Study.com offers free DSST practice tests.

Starting with a practice test is a great way to see where your child is at, what they already know, and where your child needs to focus on to improve.

A few things to note:

There is a timer on the side. This may bother some children. If so, you can click the “hide timer” button.

Also, there is a support tab on the side. This is an easy way to get help should you need it.

The questions are multiple-choice and you have the option to skip questions. You can come back to them later with the yellow “Go To First Skipped Question” button. (Shown in the photo below ⇓)

These practice tests will:

• Give your child confidence before taking the actual exam.
• Familiarize your child with the types of questions asked on the exam.
• Identify areas of strengths and weakness so you know what to focus on

Study.com offers over 30 practice tests to get your child ready for the exam.  On this page, click “See More” to view the entire list.

Is The DSST Right For My Child?

Let me start with you know your child best.

Before you plan anything make sure you’ve taken time to talk with your child and find out what they want to do after high school.

Of course, if your kids are like mine…you’ll get “I don’t know”, which is fine!

It just means you’ll want to be as prepared as possible for when they DO know.

Step one, talk to your kid!

If your child is college bound DSST should definitely be on your radar for two reasons: Time & Money. 🙂

If your child has been out of school for a while and decides to return to the classroom DSST is a great fit because chances are your child has acquired additional experiences and responsibilities during this time.

Think: life experience from having worked, taken individual courses, certifications, paying their taxes, etc.

If your child is already familiar with certain subjects the DSST is a great alternative to sitting through and paying for a class on the topic when they could pass the final exam and move on with their life.

DSST exams are great for anybody looking for college credit from high-school level to adult students.

The exams have been designed as prior-learning assessments, so they should be appropriate for any students who have taken the time to study these subjects or adults with specialized experience in these areas.

If you decide the DSST Exam is right for your child I recommend starting with the free trial period and get a feel for how it all works.

Take care,

Jen

PS. Don’t forget that the CLEP Exams cover different material than the DSST. Read: Homeschool High School College Prep Tips: Save Time & Money (And Get Your Child Into Upper Level Courses Faster!) To find out more about CLEP.

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