How hard is Principles of Statistics DSST?

[Jitzman94]

I've always been super average at math.  in high school I took algebra I&II, Geometry, Trigonometry I was a C+ to B- student, and this was 6+ years ago (I graduated in 2012).

For those who have passed Principles of Stat DSST, how hard do you think it is? consider my average math performance

also, what is your background and how did you prepare?


I have roughly 80 college credits so far, I passed the College Mathematics CLEP with a 56 a little over a year ago. that is my most recent exposure to math and I barely squeaked by with the 56

[dfrecore]

I think, based on taking the Stats course through Study.com, that it will be difficult for you. It has almost nothing to do with anything you've already learned. It will all be new material, and not easy even if you were a good math student.

I would say that you could take it for free on Khan Academy, at least to the point where you knew enough material to pass the course (meaning you don't have to go through 100% of it). There are also some YouTube videos you can watch.

[cookderosa]

I've always been super average at math.  in high school I took algebra I&II, Geometry, Trigonometry I was a C+ to B- student, and this was 6+ years ago (I graduated in 2012).

For those who have passed Principles of Stat DSST, how hard do you think it is? consider my average math performance

also, what is your background and how did you prepare?


I have roughly 80 college credits so far, I passed the College Mathematics CLEP with a 56 a little over a year ago. that is my most recent exposure to math and I barely squeaked by with the 56

I took that DSST. To give you my background, I did NOT take algebra, geometry and trig in high school (literally- never taken algebra) and I did the exam about 20 years after high school.

I needed stats as a prereq for grad school, and would have taken it as a class (I actually registered but had a tragedy and had to drop before it started) so long story short, by the time I was through the worst of it, I was nearly out of time for stats. I thought I could use ALEKS, so I did the Beg. Algebra class first and then started the Stats class. I couldn't get through it- it was terrible and torture, but I didn't quit, I thought if I could get some other help that I would make it. So, I watched the learner.org video series called Against All Odds (free streaming) which was REALLY REALLY REALLY helpful. It gave me a better context for what I was learning. So, then for the mathy part, I went to Khan Academy and started at the first video for stats/prob. I watched every video and worked every problem. I was working kinda fast, but made sure I understood before moving forward. Anyway, I was *almost* done with Khan, I think probably all but the last few lessons, and I randomly decided to attempt the DSST. If I failed, which I expected to do, I would finish Khan then go back and finish my ALEKS class. But, I didn't fail! I got a 441 (400 passing).

So, I don't know how to tell you to study since my approach was a little crazy, but if you want to get a leg up on this, check out the videos at learner.org and see what you think. Those made me really sure I could do it. (and there wasn't that much math actually - a lot of reading and interpreting data.)

EDIT to add: I found an old thread about me studying (10 years ago) and there were things I forgot to tell you. https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...statistics

[GonnaGraduate]

I've always been super average at math.  in high school I took algebra I&II, Geometry, Trigonometry I was a C+ to  B- student, and this was 6+ years ago (I graduated in 2012).

For those who have passed Principles of Stat DSST, how hard do you think it is? consider my average math performance

also, what is your background and how did you prepare?


I have roughly 80 college credits so far, I passed the College Mathematics CLEP with a 56 a little over a year ago. that is my most recent exposure to math and I barely squeaked by with the 56

I took that DSST.  To give you my background, I did NOT take algebra, geometry and trig in high school (literally- never taken algebra) and I did the exam about 20 years after high school.  

I needed stats as a prereq for grad school, and would have taken it as a class (I actually registered but had a tragedy and had to drop before it started) so long story short, by the time I was through the worst of it, I was nearly out of time for stats.  I thought I could use ALEKS, so I did the Beg. Algebra class first and then started the Stats class.  I couldn't get through it- it was terrible and torture,  but I didn't quit, I thought if I could get some other help that I would make it.  So, I watched the learner.org video series called Against All Odds (free streaming) which was REALLY REALLY REALLY helpful.  It gave me a better context for what I was learning.  So, then for the mathy part, I went to Khan Academy and started at the first video for stats/prob.  I watched every video and worked every problem.  I was working kinda fast, but made sure I understood before moving forward. Anyway, I was *almost* done with Khan, I think probably all but the last few lessons, and I randomly decided to attempt the DSST.  If I failed, which I expected to do, I would finish Khan then go back and finish my ALEKS class.  But, I didn't fail!  I got a 441 (400 passing).  

So, I don't know how to tell you to study since my approach was a little crazy, but if you want to get a leg up on this, check out the videos at learner.org and see what you think.  Those made me really sure I could do it. (and there wasn't that much math actually - a lot of reading and interpreting data.)

EDIT to add:  I found an old thread about me studying (10 years ago) and there were things I forgot to tell you.  https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...statistics

Can I ask how long you studied with Khan for? This is my problem too. Out of HS for 20 years and while I did take algebra and geometry I don't remember being any good at it.

[bjcheung77]

For Statistics, you want to use ALEKS. It's only $20/month and it's a good tool to practice with. I would spend some time with the FREE CLEPS first to learn the info in CLEP/Modernstates and Khan Academy, then if you can't pass the CLEP, try ALEKS for a month.

[dfrecore]

For Statistics,  you want to use ALEKS.  It's only $20/month and it's a good tool to practice with. I would spend some time with the FREE CLEPS first to learn the info in CLEP/Modernstates and Khan Academy, then if you can't pass the CLEP, try ALEKS for a month.

I thought ALEKS for Stats was awful.  And, to back me up on this, I have a little story.

My BFF's daughter was a college freshman, as a Marine Biology major, coming in with a 4.5 GPA.  She took Stats in the fall, and got an A in the course.  She did so well that the professor offered her a job as a TA - she also got offered 3 jobs from 2 other teachers after that term, including from her Scuba professor (TA) and her Chemistry professor (TA or Tutor, which she took since it paid the best).  So this girl is no slouch when it comes to schoolwork.

Anyway, she was there when I was talking to my BFF about school one night, and said that she would take the ALEKS knowledge exam "for fun."  She was home for Xmas vacation and wanted to keep her skills up I guess.  Anyway, she took it, took 3 HOURS to take it, and got a 30%.  She said "I have no idea what this course is about, but it's nothing like the stats class I just took at school, and that was the hardest class I've ever taken."  She literally had no idea what was going on, and had never seen some of the types of problems the course had.

So, just to say that if you try ALEKS (it's only $20 so worth a shot), and you aren't successful with it, it's probably not you, and you should try something else instead.

I took it through Study.com and did well enough to pass (I think I got a B but I really can't remember).  I've also heard good things about Khan and Against All Odds, and the DSST exam.  People here have also used Sophia, SL, and Saylor.  So there are lots of options if you don't pass the DSST.

[armstrongsubero]

@dfrecore maybe her school offered a substandard math class? Was it Stats for Bio Majors? lol

The Aleks stats seemed pretty standard to me. If you plan to go into ML or AI there are actually some pretty useful concepts there.

There is a free book called "Think Stats: Probability and Statistics" using Python to teach stats, after taking the Aleks class and going through that book, you'll be prepared to dive into ML and AI.

Have a look:
https://greenteapress.com/thinkstats/


I'm reviewing stats right now to prepare for the World Quant Financial Engineering masters exam I plan on enrolling in September. I think aleks would be good prep fro that entrance exam, which is known to be on the harder end.

[dfrecore]

@dfrecore maybe her school offered a substandard math class? Was it Stats for Bio Majors? lol

The Aleks stats seemed pretty standard to me. If you plan to go into ML or AI there are actually some pretty useful concepts there.

There is a free book called "Think Stats: Probability and Statistics" using Python to teach stats, after taking the Aleks class and going through that book, you'll be prepared to dive into ML and AI.

Have a look:
https://greenteapress.com/thinkstats/


I'm reviewing stats right now to prepare for the World Quant Financial Engineering masters exam I plan on  enrolling in September. I think aleks would be good prep fro that entrance exam, which is known to be on the harder end.

She switched majors to Marine Chemistry, and didn't have to take a different math course, so I'm guessing it was regular stats.

All I'm saying is that ALEKS isn't a great course for everyone, so give it a shot, and if it doesn't work for you, try something else.

[Summer18]

I think, based on taking the Stats course through Study.com, that it will be difficult for you.  It has almost nothing to do with anything you've already learned.  It will all be new material, and not easy even if you were a good math student.

I would say that you could take it for free on Khan Academy, at least to the point where you knew enough material to pass the course (meaning you don't have to go through 100% of it).  There are also some YouTube videos you can watch.

are you saying that the DSST stats course will be difficult, has nothing to do with previously learned stuff, and is all new material? or are you saying that study.com's course is all those things?

[LevelUP]

I think, based on taking the Stats course through Study.com, that it will be difficult for you.  It has almost nothing to do with anything you've already learned.  It will all be new material, and not easy even if you were a good math student.

I would say that you could take it for free on Khan Academy, at least to the point where you knew enough material to pass the course (meaning you don't have to go through 100% of it).  There are also some YouTube videos you can watch.

are you saying that the DSST stats course will be difficult, has nothing to do with previously learned stuff, and is all new material? or are you saying that study.com's course is all those things?

Forget DSST.  Take Sophia Stats.  I took it and you can get through it quickly.