While traveling to promote DANTES programs such as the Credit-by-Examination (CBE) program this last year, I have had the pleasure of speaking with military education professionals and service members on how they use the program. We talked about how CBEs save Tuition Assistance (TA) dollars, shorten degree timelines, and discuss ways to promote exam relevance and preparation. There was a common theme found at every place I attended – many of the people I spoke to did not know how the program worked, who were eligible, and, more importantly, that DANTES funds these exams!
I believe it is essential for a program to get back to the basics. As education counselors/specialists it is easy for us to know all the ins and outs of voluntary education programs but sometimes forget there is a ton of information to remember. DANTES has a wealth of information on the website to keep current on the program. What about the service members? Do they know how all these programs work? DANTES’s website gives service members all the information they need. Let’s take a moment this month to review the basics of the CBE program.
Service members should consider using CBE to help meet their educational goals for many reasons. Whether they take one, two, or several exams to help them on their education journey, they will save precious time, which is scarce for a service member. Here are a few other reasons service members should take advantage of the CBE program:
• Accessible to service members
• Satisfy degree requirements
• Free study materials
• CLEP is accepted by over 2,900 colleges and universities
• DSST is accepted by over 1,900 colleges and universities
• Allows service members to plan their yearly TA usage by taking exams instead of courses, saving them class time
• Service members can take these exams even if your branch of service has TA or college restrictions for first enlistees/termers. Because they are DoD funded, service members can start taking exams immediately!
This is probably the most asked question from service members. They have all the information above and are ready to act on their educational goals but don’t know how to get started.
To begin, service members need to talk to someone who can help them make the right decisions using these exams. It can be an educational counselor or specialist at their command or on base, their mentor, someone they know who has used the program before, or someone who is also working on their educational goals or has a degree already. These professionals will help them choose the most relevant exam for them to take for their degree path. And remember, if they can’t find anyone to help, they can always contact DANTES for help.
Next, service members need to ensure the college or university they are attending or want to attend will accept the exam they will take for credit. Although thousands of schools will accept these as credit, some might not take the exam they want to take as credit, requiring them to take it in person.
Next service members need to figure out where they will take this exam. Do they want to be in-person at a National Test Center (NTC) with a live proctor, or do they want to take it at home remotely? NTCs have working hours and limits on how many people can test at any given time. Remote proctoring is more flexible with scheduling, but service members still must have a date and time that
works best for them and the virtual proctor.
The easiest way to register for a CLEP or DSST exam is to use the registration process on their websites. Service members can go here: https:// clep.collegeboard.org/register-for-an-exam/ military-how-to-register-under-dantes to start registering for CLEP and https://getcollegecredit. com/find-a-test-center/ for DSST. If the service member gets stuck and needs help navigating the websites, they can contact us here at DANTES, and we will help them figure it out.
Now, service members should be all set to take their exams. Remember to help them prepare and give themselves enough time to study for their test. Let them know registering for and taking an exam right away is never a good idea. Yes, these exams save them time in a classroom, but they must successfully pass, so they don’t need to take the 8 to 16-week class.
For more information check us out on our DANTES website and Social Media outlets, or contact me directly at: matthew.w.schwantz.civ@us.navy.mil
Exams are funded for:
• All actively-ser ving members in all military Services including the, National Guard,Reserve components and U.S. Coast Guard
• U.S. Coast Guard (active and Reserve) spouses
• U.S. Air Force civilian employees (excluding contract employees)
• Militar y Eligible Spouses using My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship
• Take tests at National Test Centers worldwide
• Take tests remotely through an exam proctor
• Exam scores are included on the Joint Services Transcript (JST) and Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript
• Test prep and study materials are provided at installation libraries, education centers, on-line, and via mobile apps
• Earn college credit* for prior knowledge
• Reduce course completion time; the average exam takes only a few hours versus 8 - 15 weeks in class
• Save $$$; DANTES funds one attempt per exam title
• Avoid tuition assistance costs for courses replaced by credit earned
The Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education (VolEd) Program, through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), offers the Credit-by-Exam program to help service members earn college credit* for knowledge gained through previous experience, independent study, and your military training.
DANTES funds credit-by-exam tests, including:
CLEP: The College Board’s College Level Examination Program
DSST: Prometric’s College Level Credit by Exam Program
Credit by Exam Program
*College credit recommendations for these exams are made through the American Council on Education (ACE) and are subject to the acceptance of individual academic institutions.
DANTES recommends contacting your Service education counselor to verify that your exam credits meet your program requirements
• https://clep.collegeboard.org/clep-test-center-search
• https://clep.collegeboard.org/register-for-an-exam/ military-how-to-register-under-dantes
• https://www.dodmwrlibraries.org/continuing-education
• https://www.youtube.com/@DANTESDoD
The redesigned and vastly improved www.getcollegecredit.com is live and welcomes visitors with featured content that supports meaningful learning outcomes for service members.
With more than 37 exam titles in college subject areas such as Social Sciences, Math, Applied Technology, Business, Physical Sciences, and Humanities, DSST exams shorten the pathway to graduation while reducing college costs. The new www.getcollegecredit.com site is the best place to start!
The new site was designed to be faster than ever, easier to navigate, more user-friendly, and comprehensive in the breadth of resources available for test-takers and academic institutions. It features easy navigation for test-takers, including streamlined pathways for military personnel aiming to further their educational goals while in the service – whether deployed or on base. Service members can search
for credit-awarding institutions, find their nearest test center, and register for an exam directly online. Moreover, test-takers wishing to prepare for test day can access various exam preparation resources specifically developed for military service members from Peterson’s, DSSTPrep, and EBSCO LearningExpress®. Most importantly, all this information (and more) is accessible through an intuitive and comprehensive FAQ section that answers all other questions – from ordering transcripts to test-day procedures and tips and strategies for acing an exam.
There is also a wealth of resources available to academic institutions, ranging from a step-by-step guide and application form for registering as a test center, to accessing a comprehensive portfolio of resources and marketing materials, to information about becoming fully funded. In short, whether service members are a test-taker considering shortening their college degree or an academic institution wishing to offer students all of the advantages of the DSST program, the new and refreshed www.getcollegecredit.com website is here ready to support!
