02-07-2012, 10:07 PM
The 400 is simply a scaled score. It is created by representing the passing score approved by ACE for the exam. I would say it like the ACT or SAT. Those scores have nothing to do with the total number of questions either, they are scaled up or down to match their scale of scoring. The scores are scaled so that 400 is always passing. The system is awkward but that seems to be the way all of these tests are. Some of the CLEP tests have 100 questions but their score is still 50/80 to pass. While they don't release their passing percentages since they are scored differently, the same thing applies where the score is scaled to match a standard passing score. For the DSST tests with 400 as the passing score I'd just ignore that and focus on the percent to pass since that will match the score in the end. This is one of the easy tests so I'd say study up and give it a shot.
My completed "non-traditional" credits include 27 credits from CLEP, 30 credits from DSST, 6 credits from ALEKS, 19 credits from FEMA courses including PDS, 3 credits from NFA courses, 10 credits from ACE Workplace Training, 3 credits from a TESC TECEP exam, and 3 credits from a TESC PLA course.