Dantes information bulletin (04) apr 2018

DIB

APR

DANTES INFORMATION BULLETIN

2018

CLEP/DSST Test Questions? We have Answers!

In this issue: Credit by Exams FAQs

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Counselor’s Corner

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Hot News Education Spotlight Troops to Teachers Contact Information

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DANTES Information Bulletin

Answers to Credit by Exam Questions

Kirstin Savage, Communications Division, DANTES

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ost frequent questions: How do I know if my school accepts alternative credit for college? How do I CLEP a DANTES? Where can I test?

How do I find my transcripts? Who pays for testing?

Military members who are taking advantage of their time in the Service to pursue a degree in post-secondary education already face a wide range of challenges – like balancing the rigorous demands of a military career, and at the same time, carving time out of a busy day to study, and also search for benefits and resources that will save money during their educational journey. Navigating these

challenges are why education counselors and academic advisors play a key role in the voluntary education support community. By helping military students overcome barriers with counseling support and identifying cost-saving tools, you are guiding them toward academic success.

This month’s issue will focus on providing answers to frequently asked questions regarding credit by exams. The next few pages highlight questions and solutions to the top questions DANTES receives from service members about CLEP and DSST exams.

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Credit by Exams FAQs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Credit by Exams Program Q: How do I CLEP a DANTES? A: Regrettably, you can’t - CLEP is not an action and DANTES is not a test. Understanding the difference between the CLEP and DSST programs is very important. Although they may be similar, they are not the same. By mistaking one for the other, the military member might miss an opportunity to study and earn credit for an exam in a required subject area. Doing some homework first on available testing opportunites is helpful.

CLEP The College Board’s lower-level credit CLEP exams measure achievement in five subject areas which are considered to be a “general” or “liberal” education requirement that is comparable to instruction a student might receive during their first two years of college attendance.

DSST Prometric’s upper and lower-level credit DSST exams are a series of more than 30 examinations in college subject areas that are comparable to the final or end-of-course examinations in undergraduate college courses.

Q: How do I know if my school will give me credit for my exam?

A: Individual colleges and universities determine their own credit awarding policies for the CLEP and

DANTES Information Bulletin

DSSTs – simply taking an exam does not guarantee that credit will be awarded. If members are enrolled and have a degree plan, have them contact a school advisor to ask if their school accepts credit for these non-traditional exams, in lieu of their course requirements. The member’s advisor should provide a list of exams that they can take. The member should be encouraged to check before taking the exam.

Q: How do I know if I am eligible for funding?

A: DANTES funds the first administration of each CLEP and DSST title for military members who hold a valid Uniformed Services Common Access Card (CAC) ID at the time of testing.

When searching for a CLEP or DSST Test Center, the member must keep in mind that DANTES funds both the test fee and administration fee at locations that are listed as “Fully-Funded.” However, when a test center is not identified as “Fully-Funded”, DANTES will only fund the test fee.

Q: How does the Credit by Exam program benefit military members?

A: The military member can save time by passing a CLEP or DSST exam versus using the time it takes to complete a course in the same subject area. Because the test fees are funded by DANTES, there’s also no cost to them or requirement to use their GI Bill benefits.

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Credit by Exams FAQs

Q: Where do I test?

A: Both the College Board and Prometric partner with colleges and universities who deliver the CLEP and DSST exams world-wide. Prometric offers an additional option for military members who are located overseas. Their 10 most popular DSST exams can be taken on a “Fully-Funded” basis at a professional Prometric Test Center when a DSST Test Center is not available in certain geographic areas.

CLEP The College Board offers online registration that allows the member to identify their DANTES-funded eligibility, select a Test Center to schedule an Administration, choose an institution where they would like to send their score, and prior to testing, receive free test prep materials at https://clep. collegeboard.org/test-preparation.

DSST After locating a DSST Test Center at https://getcollegecredit.com/intitution/search, the member can call the test center directly to schedule an administration. Registration may only be completed at the test center on the day of testing. Overseas examinees who choose the option of testing at a professional Prometric Test Center will complete registration and scheduling online through Prometric. Test prep materials for these exams are available on Prometric’s DSST website at: http:// getcollegecredit.com/testprep.

Q: How is credit transferred to my current/future school?

A: Before testing, the military member must always verify that their school agrees to accept credits for CLEP and/or DSST exams. Both the College Board DANTES Information Bulletin

and Prometric allow examinees to identify a single academic institution to receive a one-time free score report at the time of registration and/or testing. The Joint Services Transcript (JST) program and Community College Air Force automatically receive scores for DANTES-funded CLEP and DSST administrations. Military members are responsible for costs associated with additional transcripts if more than one score is needed at the time of testing or if scores are being transferred to a new school at a later date. Counselors should remind military members that it is essential to note the 4-digit institution codes that are assigned to schools who administer the CLEP and DSST exams. Remind the military member that the score report and transcripts are not inter-changeable.

CLEP The College Board issues CLEP-specific institution codes to their test centers and the academic institutions who receive CLEP scores. Have the member visit the College Board’s website to get more information at: https://clep.collegeboard.org/ earn-college-credit/military-benefits DSST Prometric also issues DSST-specific institution codes to their test centers and the academic institutions who receive DSST scores. Have the member visit Prometric’s website to find out more information at: www.getcollegecredit.com/faq Note: Prometric is the official record holder for scores of DANTES-funded CLEP and DSST exams taken by military members. For score reporting and transcript information, the member must visit: www.getcollegecredit.com/scores_transcripts http://www.dantes.doded.mil

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COUNSELOR CORNER

Credit by Exams Student Benefits:

• Reduces course completion time; the average exam only takes a few hours vs.

8 - 15 weeks for course attendance • Decreases degree completion time; courses need to be taken to complete a degree • Test prep and study materials are provided at installation libraries, education centers, online, and via mobile apps

DANTES Information Bulletin

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Program Updates

Hot News FREE CLEP Materials

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ducation Centers can now order free CLEP materials, including brochures, posters, and more, through the College Board Store or downloaded from the website at: https://clep. collegeboard.org/develop-your-clep-program/ inform-students/order-free-clep-materials.

Print and share these handouts with your students during academic advising sessions or display them at your education service centers. If you need more than 200 copies of an item, please email your request to clep@collegeboard.org with ‘CLEP Free Materials’ in the subject line. In addition to print materials, explore the CLEP Resources for Educators page for additional promotional materials.

DoD MWR Libraries has Changed

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BSCO Learning Express is the new DoD MWR Libraries program available to active duty military, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve component members, family members, retirees, and Service civilians/contractors.

Learning Express provides eLearning tutorials, practice tests, e-books, flashcards and articles that help users build their skills in a wide array of core subjects for success in the classroom, on the job, and DANTES Information Bulletin

during transition, including preparation for CLEP, DSST, ACT, GRE and much more.

Registration for Learning Express depends on the user’s Service status/affiliation and there are several ways to access the libraries.

1. EBSCO Learning Express website: https://www.learningexpresshub.com/productengine/LELIndex.html#/learningexpr esslibrary/libraryhome?AuthToken=1672CD1C-0A7F-4FEA-9FD0-210189F5B42D Everyone must register. First, select Sign In / Register in the top right, then Select Register.

2. Military One Source: https://www.militaryonesourceconnect.org/ achievesolutions/en/militaryonesource/Home. do Under Quick Links, select MWR Digital Library and login to Military One Source.

3. Go through your affiliated Service branch library: • • • •

Navy (Marines and eligible CG): NavyMWRDigitalLibrary.org Army: Register at an Army MWR base library Marines: Register at a Marine base library Air Force: http://www.myairforcelife.com

NOTE: The Air Force is the only service retaining the old program, Peterson’s DoD MWR Library. http://www.dantes.doded.mil

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Education Spotlight

Education is key to success...

CLEP’s Impact on Service Members’ Education

Each year, nearly 50,000 service members from the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard as well as eligible spouses and civil service employees, take CLEP exams to advance their education and careers. Below are a few stories from some of those who have benefited from CLEP. Rebecca Johnson Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL Currently Attending: Columbia Southern University (Orange Beach, AL)

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ebecca joined the Air Force in 2014 because she always had a deep respect for the military and saw the potential to advance in her education and career. Although Rebecca already had an associate’s degree from Palm Beach State College, she earned another associate’s degree in bioenvironmental engineering technology through the Community College of the Air Force and is currently working towards her bachelor’s in occupational health and safety from Columbia Southern University. Rebecca learned about CLEP from her supervisor in the Air Force and took advantage of taking free CLEP exams since they are funded by the military. She said “the time you save (with CLEP) is invaluable.” After taking three CLEP exams and earning 12 credits, Rebecca is now only one to two semesters away from graduating.

DANTES Information Bulletin

Julian Wagle-Leal Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA Currently Attending: Community College of the Air Force (Montgomery, AL)

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efore Julian graduated from high school in June 2016, he thought he'd be attending community college like some of his friends who graduated before him. "A lot of my friends who went to community college were super excited and ambitious at first but then lost their motivation after a year and decided to leave. When I saw that, I changed my mind. I didn't want to become complacent." Julian ended up traveling for six months after graduating and then joined the Air Force in December 2016. With CLEP exams, he was able to recently complete the 75 credits he needed to earn his associate's degree in information technology from the Community College of the Air Force. He says "CLEP is a great opportunity, especially if you're in the military because it's free."

He took College Mathematics, Analyzing and Interpreting Literature, and College Composition Modular and passed them all. After his year of service in the Air Force in May, he will be awarded his associate’s degree and hopes to move on to a bachelor's degree program in computer science at an online or local college. http://www.dantes.doded.mil

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Troops to Teachers

Rick Stevens, TTT participant, travels quarterly to Sheppard AFB to brief military members on the TTT program.

THE TTT PROGRAM IS BIG IN TEXAS

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he military employment initiative is not new for the state of Texas; since 1995, nearly 34,000 veterans have been counseled and assisted with transitioning to the classroom. Since last year, the Texas Troops to Teachers (TTT) Grant Office has picked up the initiative and is running full steam ahead at its’ state capitol location of Austin, TX. There are 3,800 veterans in classrooms across Texas; and according to Christene Nemetsky, Texas TTT Program Coordinator, the most important service her office provides to TTT participants and veterans is guidance and counseling, “… an essential part of our jobs is answering questions about how to get certified, how to get hired … and calming fears about the transition, but being honest about the work teachers do.”

campus and see if it’s the right fit for you.”

Nemetsky is both a teacher and a veteran offering her personal insight into both professions, saying the pace and mental capacity for learning can be different, “I remember having the ability to go to lunch in the military (if not deployed)… on a campus, you may get 20 minutes to wolf down your lunch. You take home work and worries and not much pay, but both jobs give you a fulfillment like no other career.”

1. VOLUNTEER. Investigate the preferred grade level and subject area to teach by going to campuses and volunteering.

According to Nemetsky, another similarity between serving in the military and the classroom is the camaraderie with your troops and your colleagues on a campus. The TTT program believes that military members are a perfect fit for the classroom and a sense of camaraderie certainly can help with the transition. According to Nemetsky, there are things that veterans can do to help themselves make the transition to the classroom easier, “Get on a campus as a substitute or mentor, volunteer in the library or cafeteria, and get a sense of what happens on a

BIGGEST CHALLENGE For the Texas TTT grant office, Nemetsky says that the biggest challenge when helping veterans is finding funding for the certification process. “The Post 911 GI Bill is a wonderful education opportunity, but it also is transferred to dependents, more often than not, leaving the veteran with having to pay out of pocket for the certification, which can run upwards of $5,000.”

There are other ways to complete certification though and the TTT counselors are there to help veterans find them. Nemetsky says the top three things a veteran can do to help be prepared for the transition journey ahead are:

2. SUBJECT MATTERS. Choose a subject area that you love teaching.

3. BE KNOWLEDGABLE. Take more classes in your subject area and continually learn.

SUCCESS STORIES Success stories are essential to the TTT program and no grant office is short of them. Testimonials speak volumes when it comes to putting more military members into the nation’s classrooms. The Texas TTT grant office is proud to highlight two of its members who teach at Health Careers High School (HCHS), a magnet school, located in San Antonio’s Northside Independent School District. The high school teaches students interested in pursuing a career in the health professions. HCHS attracts students from across Bexar County and some from Continued on page 8

DANTES Information Bulletin

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Troops to Teachers Highlight SUCCESS STORIES (continued) as far as Hondo, Texas, and educates about 900 students from the 9th through 12th grade. Betsy Vane and Dr. Christopher Perrin, both retired Army Colonels (2017), are teaching in their first year after leaving the military. Both are currently in alternative certification programs in the state of Texas.

Alternative certification programs (ACP’s) offer a non-traditional route to certification that allows them to teach while completing requirements. Both have successfully completed their Health Science Technology Certification exams and their Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities exams.

Their journey into teaching at HCHS puts all of their military skills and experience into play. Vane was in the Army Nurse Corps and is now leading the way for students to earn a sterile processing technician certificate before they graduate. Her students see firsthand what is required to ensure functional, sterile, surgical instruments are delivered in a timely manner for quality and safe patient care. She also enable additional students to experience a wide variety of clinical environments; some interacting with local hospitals including the Veteran’s Administration (VA) Audie Murphy Hospital in San Antonio.

HCHS graduates can earn up to $43,000 straight out of high school as a sterile processing technician.

Dr. Perrin is also making a mark at HCHS. He served

as a former Army dentist and is teaching Medical Terminology to six classes of freshmen students.

His class is the foundation for all future classes that students will take while attending HCHS. Perrin also will be involved with the dental program leading to a registered dental assistant certificate. An experienced registered dental assistant can expect a salary of $41,000.

MORE INFORMATION For more details about Texas TTT services, provided by the Texas TTT grant office: Website: http://www.texastroopstoteachers. org/index.html Events calendar: http://www.texastroopstoteachers.org/calendar.html Facebook: @TroopstoTeachersTexas Twitter: @ Texas_TTT Phone: (512) 919-5484 Toll Free: (800) 810-5484 Email your questions to: christene.nemetsky@esc13.txed.net ronald.holmes@esc13.txed.net enrique.guerrero@esc13.txed.net Find more program information on the Troops to Teachers official website: http://www.proudtoserveagain.com/

Dr Christopher Perrin and Betsy Vain, both retired Army Colonels

DANTES Information Bulletin

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DANTES Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support

DANTES OCONUS European Advisor (Contingency Operation Support)

6490 Saufley Field Road, Pensacola, FL 32509 (850) 452-1901

011-49-611-143-544-1230/1210

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DANTES_Outreach@navy.mil

www.DANTES.DoDed.mil DANTES4Military.Education

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DANTES Information Bulletin The DANTES Information Bulletin is published monthly to inform education personnel about DANTES programs and to help promote more efficient customer service to service members.

Email all inquiries to DANTES_Outreach@navy.mil.

Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted for any purpose of the United States Government, except that copyrighted materials cannot be reproduced without written permission from the copyright owner. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by DANTES of the linked websites, or the information, products, or services contained therein.

Jeff Allen, Director Michelle Alexander, Editor DANTES Information Bulletin

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