DSST vs. CLEP Exams
Entering college is a stressful moment for many high school students. They have to deal with lengthy applications, standardized testing, and stressed out parents. On top of that, there are two sets of standardized tests that allow students to display their knowledge in many different subjects. These are known as the CLEP, the College Level Examination Program, and the DSST, the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests. Both of these standardized test protocols allow a high school student to show that he or she is at a college level in a given subject. The question remains: which one should a student take?
The DSST is far and away the best choice for incoming freshmen. While the CLEP was created by the College Board, it is actually the worse of the two tests. It only gives credit for low level college courses, whereas the DSST allows the student to gain college credit for higher-level courses. This means that if a student has an authoritative knowledge of mathematics, they will be able to gain credit for more than just the introductory college courses. That can save them exorbitant amounts of time and money, two of the most precious resources for incoming freshmen.
Additionally, CLEP exams do not offer as many subjects as DSST exams. This means that if a student has a deep knowledge of a relatively obscure subject, it is very likely that the CLEP will not offer an exam that is tailored to that subject. The DSST allows students to gain college credit for a wider variety of courses, which is perfect for homeschooled students and students who have unique interests. It would be very frustrating to have college level knowledge of a particular subject matter and not be able to gain credit for it simply because there was no test to take.
While you can use both of these tests to gain credit, it is highly recommended to use the DSST versus CLEP in every instance possible. It will give you more flexibility and variety when gaining college credit.
The DSST is far and away the best choice for incoming freshmen. While the CLEP was created by the College Board, it is actually the worse of the two tests. It only gives credit for low level college courses, whereas the DSST allows the student to gain college credit for higher-level courses. This means that if a student has an authoritative knowledge of mathematics, they will be able to gain credit for more than just the introductory college courses. That can save them exorbitant amounts of time and money, two of the most precious resources for incoming freshmen.
Additionally, CLEP exams do not offer as many subjects as DSST exams. This means that if a student has a deep knowledge of a relatively obscure subject, it is very likely that the CLEP will not offer an exam that is tailored to that subject. The DSST allows students to gain college credit for a wider variety of courses, which is perfect for homeschooled students and students who have unique interests. It would be very frustrating to have college level knowledge of a particular subject matter and not be able to gain credit for it simply because there was no test to take.
While you can use both of these tests to gain credit, it is highly recommended to use the DSST versus CLEP in every instance possible. It will give you more flexibility and variety when gaining college credit.