Education Center offers exams for college advancement

By Kristin WrightOctober 13, 2016

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(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BENNING, Ga., (Oct. 12, 2016) -- Both civilians and service members are encouraged to take advantage of resources available through the Fort Benning Education Center to help them advance in their college degrees.

An example of these resources are the College Level Examination Program and the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests college level examinations. CLEP and DSST exams are beneficial to active-duty service members and civilians because they allow a college student to finish their degree faster by receiving college credit for the exams he or she takes. They offer an opportunity for students to obtain college credit for prior knowledge of various subjects.

CLEP and DSST exams mostly provide general education and elective credit at the undergraduate level, but some exams can be applied directly to the classes a student must complete for their major of study. For most exams, students must meet the minimum passing score in order to receive college credit for the CLEP or DSST exam.

One of the most significant advantages of CLEP and DSST testing is that these exams are free for all active-duty service members the first time they are taken. For civilian students, the exams are priced at $80 per exam - a reasonable price compared to the average cost of a college class, which is around $750 depending on the college a student attends.

CLEP and DSST exams do not count toward Army tuition assistance funding. Since Army tuition assistance is available to active-duty Soldiers for 16 semester hours per fiscal year, CLEP and DSST testing is an alternative for Soldiers to earn college credit without using their tuition assistance hours. Other sources of funding such as the GI Bill and financial aid can also be saved when CLEP and DSST exams are used.

These exams are also beneficial to new Soldiers who are not yet eligible to use tuition assistance because they have not been out of Advanced Individual Training or Basic Officer Leadership Course for at least one year. While a Soldier is waiting to use tuition assistance, he or she can continue to build college credit by taking CLEP and DSST exams.

Additionally, these exams are a great opportunity to obtain promotion points for active-duty service members who are seeking advancement in their military careers.

CLEP and DSST exams are accepted at thousands of colleges and universities, and students are encouraged to check with their college to find out which CLEP and DSST exams will be accepted as credit for their degrees.

To obtain a list of CLEP and DSST exams, study resources to help prepare for a CLEP or DSST exam, or to set up an appointment to take an exam, please call the Fort Benning Education Center at 706-545-7397, or visit the center at Building 9230 on Marne Road.