Friday, October 2, 2009
Members of the military have the opportunity to earn one-third or more of the credits required for a college degree through the "Credit-by-Exam" program offered through DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support.)
College credit examinations, widely accepted by colleges and universities, can save you time and money as you pursue your educational goals. Available in more than 150 subjects, they are comparable to tests given at the end of any college course.
Before taking any of these tests, it's wise to check with the college or university you plan to attend to make sure the credits will meet your degree requirements.
Here are six benefits of taking these exams:
1) Saves Money - While an average college course can cost over $100 per credit, Credit-by-Exam tests are free through DANTES.
2) Saves Time - The typical course involves between three and six hours per week over the course of three or more months. Depending on your depth of knowledge, preparation time for each test could be less than a month.
3) Enables You to Skip Ahead - Instead of spending time and money on tedious freshman-level classes, you can jump right ahead to more exciting advanced classes.
4) Study Groups - Seek out people in your unit with similar goals and study together on lunch breaks. (Commonly referred to as "Brown Bag Universities.")
5) Doesn't Require College Enrollment - It is not necessary to be enrolled in a college to take these tests.
6) Flexibility - You can choose your own study materials and set your own deadlines.
There are three types of exams:
1) CLEP (College Level Examination Program)- There are 14 CLEP exams, which are available as paper-based tests at participating DANTES Test Centers. Another option is taking CLEP Computer-Based exams (eCBT), which includes 35 titles. These are available as computer-based tests at On-Campus or On-Base testing centers. (Note that if you take an eCBT at an On-Campus site, you will be required to pay a registration fee ($15 to $25), not covered by DANTES, whereas if you take it at on On-Base center, you will not need to pay a fee.)
A word of advice: Be sure that you are ready to take the exam, as you must wait 180 days to retest on a CLEP exam with the same title.
2) DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) - These are an extensive series of exams in subjects that are comparable to finals in undergraduate courses. The ACE (American Council on Education) recommends three college credits for each exam.
3) ECE (Excelsior College Exams) - While most are objective multiple-choice questions, some ECE exams are totally essay. In addition to facts and terminology, these tests examine the application of essential concepts and skills. The ACE suggests between three and eight hours of credit, based on the knowledge being evaluated.
In most cases, your results are sent to the appropriate military educational transcript system (SMART, CCAF, AARTS, Coast Guard Institute). This will make it easier when you begin the college enrollment process.Labels: Accredited online university, CLEP, college degree, DANTES, DSST, ECE, Military
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