DSST process

[defscarlett]

Do any of you know how to get the free DSST exams? I went to a new testing center today because I found out their testing center had a cheaper proctor fee. I had to walk them through how to register me for a military funded CLEP because they had no idea how to do it. The topic of DSST came up and they said that they thought that you had to pay up front and the military reimbursed later. I plan on taking a DSST there next week, does any one know how to walk them through the registration process?

[Demo18cc]

Are you close to any military bases? What I do on Bragg is go to Campbell Uni and schedule an exam. They are responsible for handling exams on post. The ed center where you are at should know more.

[defscarlett]

Closest base is 1 1/2 away. Being that I'm Guard, I don't have the luxury of having everything available to me I've thought about making the drive down there to test for DSST because the local testing center here that doesn't have ridiculous hours has a proctor fee of $50 which is a little excessive, especially when their CLEP proctor fee is only $20. I just don't want to be exhausted from the drive down there and go and try and take a test and then have to drive back home, that and counting gas money it's just as expensive to pay the $50 fee lol.

[gram87]

If you know the closest base you can call the Ed Center and ask to speak to the Clep/Dsst proctor and they can probably tell you how to go about it offbase. If you weren't so far from it I'd say just go there and take it.

[Prloko]

Locate an Institution | DSST | Get College Credit

Use this link to find a test center in your area. There are check blocks that allow you to locate a test center and/or locate a DANTES funded test center, which means all fees should be covered. On the DANTES.dod.mil site, it states that any test center fees are the responsibility of the test taker whether or not they are eligible for funding. Military base test centers, which are now contractor run, charge the proctor fee to the base.

[BGSU_Alum_86]

As a military candidate, you are always welcome to "set up" your military registration (create username, password and fill out registration page) ahead of time. If you go to http://ibt.prometric.com/dsst, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "first time registration". At the next page you will have the option to select that you are registering as a "DSST" candidate, "DSST Military" candidate or any candidate who wants to take the "DSST Practice Exams" (this last one requires a completely different username and password from taking the actual exams). After you click on the "I agree" of the Prometric testing rules page, you will be directed to your "registration page". This is where you will create your username, password, and complete at least all of the required information (note the > symbol). There may be an additional page asking for details of your military status/service. Once this is saved, you are all set up to log in at any test center to take a DSST exam as a DANTES-funded candidate. The system knows to not ask for any test fees. You use the same username and password for every test you take as a military candidate (unless you do not pass as then you will need to set up a "civilian" username and password account to pay for those future attempts).

If you are taking a CLEP exam as a DANTES-funded candidate, you maynot have to pay any proctor/admin fees if you are testing at a CLEP national test center who is part of a pilot program with CLEP to waive these fees (they will be reimbursed by CLEP instead). They should register you as a military candidate when setting up your computer-based exam -- again, no test fee ($80)!

Bottom line, you should never be charged the $80 test fee for either program unless you are making a second (or more) attempt on a previously taken exam. Most DSST test centers will charge a proctor/admin fee, but some will waive this fee (like our test center) if you are active-duty military. I have to believe that most CLEP test centers agreed to join the pilot program to waive their proctor/admin fee for ALL military (active, reserve, guard, DANTES-funded spouses, etc.), but certainly you can ask.

[asetek]

It depends on your base. I'm not sure how it would work for guard, but at my last base the testing center was at a college not on base. They had no facility on base approved for testing. We had to pay the $20 (or $25 can't remember) fee up front and take our test results to the education office on base. They would initiate a reimbursement process to put the fee back in your paycheck. It costs a testing center money to have a butt in a seat, military or not.

I would talk to your education guy, he/she will know for sure. I'm sure lots of guardsman take CLEP/DANTES tests.