Exams

[miah]

OK, instead of hijacking the other thread, I'll start a new one. --- 

How are the DSST exams completed? Do those have to be taken at a testing site? or are they proctored at home? Can you use reference materials or is it all off your memory? Just wondering as I know some people have noted that some of the tests are less stringent than others and the whole testing out thing is new to me and I'm just trying to learn what I can and share it with others who have teens and might want to look into using this alternate route starting in HS or instead of the more traditional route. 


PS- Are there tests students can take for credit and use resources (ie- open book- as I thought I read something that implied that was possible sometimes?)

TIA!

[Ideas]

DSST (and CLEP) are at a testing site and don't allow reference materials.

I think they allow scratch paper for DSST. They do for CLEP.

Lots of other exams are proctored at home.

Straighterline are (often) open book.

[dfrecore]

These are college level courses, but won't count for high school credit. They're also not easy (most of them anyway), so it's not like a HS student who is struggling is going to be able to run down to the testing center, take a quick test, and just coast through. Some of the tests are HARD.

[miah]

These are college level courses, but won't count for high school credit.  They're also not easy (most of them anyway), so it's not like a HS student who is struggling is going to be able to run down to the testing center, take a quick test, and just coast through.  Some of the tests are HARD.

Ya, I know that. But I also know that many students get labeled as Special Ed and end up languishing in classroom and then drop out. But it doesn't need to be that way! 

Also, many HS students are struggling because they have not been given the proper academic supports, as well as have gaps in their earlier instruction. Once remediated and accommodated it can change their trajectory! 

But I was asking which courses allowed support for HS learners that might be able to be successful earning credit through less traditional educational avenues, as well as those that might have eeked through traditional HS programs. 

I know from experience because I know a foster kid thats blown all prior minimal expectations out of the water- graduating as a Junior with 33 college credits to boot too!

---

DSST (and CLEP) are at a testing site and don't allow reference materials.

I think they allow scratch paper for DSST. They do for CLEP.

Lots of other exams are proctored at home.

Straighterline are (often) open book.

Thank you! That is what I was hoping to learn!

[Johmford]

They are easy in that they build on each other.

So people like us on this board study for them for 20-30 hours and pass, then study for the next one and there may be overlapping information making them “easier”.

If you were to walk in today as a high schooler and take one it is unlikely you would find it easy because they test for your expertise in the subject that you already have but it just isn’t on paper, yet.

If you have someone who is homeschooled and they want to complete these tests as a way to get more college credit you will likely see cost savings, but not necessarily as easier route as you cannot make a good impression with the teacher and pass, or ride the grading curve, just a cold hard unforgiving test. I have failed several CLEP exams myself.

[miah]

These are college level courses, but won't count for high school credit.  They're also not easy (most of them anyway), so it's not like a HS student who is struggling is going to be able to run down to the testing center, take a quick test, and just coast through.  Some of the tests are HARD.

Also, did you forget about homeschooled and dual enrolled HS aged students! They are using college classes more frequently than ever now too! It's not unheard of for HS students to use such options! Students that struggle in traditional classes can still learn how to become test takers! Otherwise there would not be any teaching to the test or crash course practice programs for College Prep testing or this forums product!

[dfrecore]

These are college level courses, but won't count for high school credit.  They're also not easy (most of them anyway), so it's not like a HS student who is struggling is going to be able to run down to the testing center, take a quick test, and just coast through.  Some of the tests are HARD.

Also, did you forget about homeschooled and dual enrolled HS aged students! They are using college classes more frequently than ever now too! It's not unheard of for HS students to use such options! Students that struggle in traditional classes can still learn how to become test takers! Otherwise there would not be any teaching to the test or crash course practice programs for College Prep testing or this forums product!

I was saying that for the purposes you are looking at, this won't be the way to do it.  The high school probably won't accept a DSST (or even a CLEP) like they would a college course.  Our school certainly won't.  They won't accept the AP EXAM either - you have to take the course to get HS credit, the exam is worth college credit.  You actually have to take a college course at the CC (and get it approved in advance, from both the HS and College) for it to count as HS credit.  Just because a college will accept an exam doesn't mean the HS will.

I'm not saying that they're impossible to pass, or that the students you're talking about couldn't succeed at college this way.  I'm just saying that FOR THE PURPOSES YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT, these most likely won't work.

[miah]

They are easy in that they build on each other.

So people like us on this board study for them for 20-30 hours and pass, then study for the next one and there may be overlapping information making them “easier”.

If you were to walk in today as a high schooler and take one it is unlikely you would find it easy because they test for your expertise in the subject that you already have but it just isn’t on paper, yet.

If you have someone who is homeschooled and they want to complete these tests as a way to get more college credit you will likely see cost savings, but not necessarily as easier route as you cannot make a good impression with the teacher and pass, or ride the grading curve, just a cold hard unforgiving test. I have failed several CLEP exams myself.

Also good info to know! Is there a list or post that you can refer me to as to the order of the courses most people use?

[MNomadic]

This helps show which courses have overlapping material to help you plan ahead

http://www.free-clep-prep.com/CLEP-and-D...-List.html

This shows what the easier classes are that you could start with
http://www.free-clep-prep.com/clep-difficulty-list.html

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Just realized there was a dsst difficulty list too!

http://www.free-clep-prep.com/dsst-difficulty-list.html

These are obviously just general guidelines, btw.

[cookderosa]

Miah,

When I first found this forum, I had a lot of the same questions you do. Ultimately, I found many ways to integrate college credit into a high school program- I even wrote a book about it. I'm not promoting my book (it's for homeschooling) but my encouragement to you is that you study for and pass a CLEP or DDST - whichever has a testing center close to you. Currently you can get a fee waiver for CLEP if that makes a difference, but DSSTs are on sale for $70, so still not expensive. Once you do one, your level of understanding of how to use these with your students will magnify ten-fold. For anyone entering advising, my sincere advice is to walk the path so you can not only understand the advantages but the disadvantages too.