FAQs

DSSTPrep Subscriptions

Yes! You can study on any of your devices, anywhere you carry them and can connect to wifi.

However, you cannot have your subscription open on more than one device at a time. The algorithm that records your correct answers and fills in your progress bar cannot work correctly if more than one device is open. In fact, if you try to open your account and it doesn’t open, the first thing to check is whether you have left your subscription open on another device.

You can study all of the subjects that DSSTPrep offers. Many students study for more than one DSST exam at a time. Your subscription pays for all of them.

DSSTPrep’s materials are complete and will prepare you for your DSST examination.

DSSTPrep subscriptions are meant to be used by one subscriber at a time. Each subscriber must have a separate subscription. If more than one student uses a subscription, the progress results will not be accurate for each person, as the algorithm that measures correctly answered questions cannot distinguish between multiple students.

Study Materials

Indeed, DSST exams are multiple choice. Our flashcard system requires you to really learn the answers. If you have learned an answer to a question so you can type it in, then you will be able to choose it from a multiple choice list.

You don’t need to know the answers to the flashcard questions when you start using DSSTPrep…because our system will teach you the answers! After you type an answer to a question, the correct answer will appear, along with an explanation and sometimes a video. Read the answer and any explanation. You will encounter every question in your subject many times. With repeated study sessions, you will learn the correct answers. Your progress bar will fill in as you answer the questions correctly multiple times.

DSSTPrep’s flashcards are not actual DSST questions. Our flashcard questions will teach you the facts and concepts of the subject you are studying.

DSST examinations are selected from a ‘library’ of questions for each subject. DSSTPrep’s flashcard questions are our ‘library’ to teach you the facts and concepts of the subject you are studying. You will master many more questions in your subject in DSSTPrep than what you will face on your examination.

Because repetition is the path to learning! You will answer every question in your study subject multiple times in order to fill in your progress bar. It is this repetition that burns the answers into your memory.

Your progress bar will reach 100% after you answer the questions correctly multiple times. Mastery learning technique is based on the understanding that the brain has to be exposed to information many times before the memory holds on to what has been learned.

The answer to this is entirely up to you. You may choose to go over one section of material over and over until you have filled the progress bar up to 100% for just that section and then move onto the next section. However, this can be a bit boring, so we recommend that you get to feeling comfortable with one section, answering the questions through several times and then study the next section. If you open several sessions at a time, the DSSTPrep program will mix and scramble the order of the questions.
 
DSSTPrep’s sessions of study are broken into manageable numbers of questions. If a section of material is large, we will have it presented in a couple of sessions, i.e., parts 1 & 2. This is done to keep you from becoming too fatigued when you sit down to study one section.
 
When you complete a section of questions, use the ‘repeat missed questions’ button and go back and answer those questions again. You are more likely to remember the answers the next time you study if you review those questions right away.
Good question. No. Watching just the videos will not prepare you to pass your DSST. The videos are made to give information that expands on the questions they pertain to. The videos give you context which will help the overall foundation of knowledge you have on your subject, making your recall of answers easier.
 
Some people use the videos as a quick way to review just before taking their exams.

Try some of these tried and true practical study techniques:

Read questions out loud as you study, and read the answer out loud too. This engages a second of your five senses: hearing. Your mind will register your material both through seeing and hearing.

If you find that you have trouble remembering specific pieces of material, jot down them down, just as you would if you were taking notes in a class. You will know what your ‘tricky to remember’ facts are after you have studied your subject for awhile and can make notes to help yourself.

Study where you can concentrate. A quiet place with minimal distractions is ideal. If you study in a busy place try wearing earphones to minimize noise.

If playing music helps you concentrate, then play music!

Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes. Take a short walk and stretch a bit to get your circulation moving and to release muscles that are tensed from sitting.

About DSST Exams

The first thing to learn is whether your college accepts DSST exams. You can find out a couple of ways.

Check the Admissions Dept. on your school’s website. If they accept DSST credits, read which exams they accept. It is a good idea to email or call the Admission Dept. as well because policies can change and the website might not yet show those changes. There should be a search bar on the school website and often you can simply type in “DSST” to see if the school accepts DSST exams.

Check with your Academic Advisor.

Check the DSST website: https://www.getcollegecredit.com/. They have a search function where you type in your school name and it will show what exams your school accepts. Again, check with your school to be sure the published information is current.

Once you know your school’s DSST policies, you can choose which exams to take.

You don’t need to know the answers to the flashcard questions when you start using DSSTPrep…because our system will teach you the answers! After you type an answer to a question, the correct answer will appear, along with an explanation and sometimes a video. Read the answer and any explanation. You will encounter every question in your subject many times. With repeated study sessions, you will learn the correct answers. Your progress bar will fill in as you answer the questions correctly multiple times.

This is a great question to ask your academic advisor. They can review your transcript and tell you where you can use a DSST exam to fulfill a requirement. If a couple of different exams fulfill the requirement, they can tell you which ones.

Your academic advisor will also tell you if there is a time frame for applying DSST credits. Some schools have rules for when they will do so.

The DSST website has a search function on their website that you can use to find the testing center nearest you.

You can schedule your exam on their website or with your testing center. The fee is $85.00 which is paid in advance. There will also be a fee paid to the testing center, usually about $20.00.

Be sure to arrive early to the testing center! The exam is reserved for a specific window of time. If you are late, you may not be able to take your exam. When you arrive you will need time to check in and take care of some paperwork before you start the exam. You will be telling the testing center where you want your credit to be reported.

Exam results are available to the test taker immediately after Internet-based exams are taken. Test takers may login to the testing platform at any time to review and reprint their score report. For students who take paper-based exams, scores will be mailed.

Yes, you can certainly take a DSST exam. You will need to order a Transcript / Score Report. The instructions are on the DSST website.

If your college will accept those credits, then no, you don’t need to take a DSST for those subjects.

However, if you did not earn the required score on an AP exam, i.e., you earned a ‘3’ but your college requires a ‘4’, you may be able to use a DSST exam for that credit. Check with your school to find out if they accept DSSTs for that subject. Review your subject with DSSTPrep materials and you should be well prepared to pass.

Good question! Many high school students take DSST exams to earn credits before graduating. Since DSST exams cover college level material, teachers, parents and their high school students should decide when the student is ready to ‘step up’ to DSST exams. A good strategy is to take a DSST exam in a subject that they’ve already taken in high school. Additional preparation with college level content (DSSTPrep!) can prepare you before testing.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is another type of PLA (prior learning assessment) similar to DSST.

If you are interested in taking a CLEP exam go to www.speedyprep.com for CLEP test prep.

The military will pay your testing fees the first time you take a particular DSST exam. If you do not pass, you will have to pay in order to retest.

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