Earn college credit by taking tests

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  • Education and Training Center
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Shorten your path to a college degree. Earn college credit for what you already know by taking College Level Examination Program tests or Dantes Subject Standardized Tests. 

Meeting the demands of today's fast-paced world has created the need for changes in education and assessment. Today, there are many alternatives to the traditional classroom. People learn in a variety of ways whether it's through on-the-job training, independent self-study, correspondence courses, or through life experiences. CLEP and DSST exams provide the opportunity for people to earn college credit for what they have learned outside the traditional classroom, enabling them to use this knowledge to accomplish their educational and professional goals. 

CLEP and DSST save time and actually reward you for what you already learned through independent study, advanced high school courses, noncredit adult courses or professional development. They certainly save money when compared to the rising cost of tuition, they make college more interesting by being able to move right into advanced courses, and they satisfy a proficiency requirement for your degree. They can even help you to the finish line if you are a dual-degree candidate or are just a few credits shy of graduating. Malmstrom has approximately 70 different exams from all major educational topics, to include Social Science, Humanities, Natural Science, Mathematics, Management, English Composition, Public Speaking and Technical (meaning they apply to specific programs). 

Think how much more quickly you can earn your CCAF degree or even higher level degrees without having to sit in a classroom or in front of your computer. However, these exams require preparation, and test results generally take four to six weeks (six to eight weeks for Principles of Public Speaking). Failure of an exam requires a six-month waiting period to re-test that same exam. Furthermore, some people simply perform better in a traditional classroom. Our counselors can assist you in determining the best fit for you and your needs and goals. 

Study guides and practice exams are available at www.collegeboard.com and www.petersons.com/airforce for CLEP and www.getcollegecredit.com for DSST. There is no longer an activation code for the petersons Web site. These practice exams have questions designed to simulate actual test questions, with material that reflects realistic content and difficulty. There are multiple full-length practice exams for each subject, tips and hints to boost performance on test day, and timed exams to help you develop a sense of pacing. 

The Petersons Web site can prepare you for college entrance exams with SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP, SAT Subject tests and GED practice tests, and the site also has a Military Test Prep Center to prepare you to score well so you can advance your military career. Some of these tools include ASVAB Diagnostic, practice tests and online book; AFOQT practice tests; Military Flight Aptitude Test online book; and Officer Candidate Test online book. Resource material is also available at the Education and Training Center, the Base Library, and on the AF Portal under the AF Virtual Education Center. 

CLEP and DSST exams are free of charge to military members and are given Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. and Wednesdays at 8 a.m. at the Base Education and Training Center, Blg 1240. Call 731-3531 three duty days in advance to schedule.