assessment and certification

What is the DSST?

Taking the Defense Activity Test and Examination Services Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) can shorten the time it takes to earn your degree, can allow you to skip general introductory courses, and can even satisfy a proficiency requirement by demonstrating that you've already mastered the content. DSST exams can reduce the number of courses you need to graduate, saving hundreds of dollars in tuition. The DSST is the second most widely accepted credit-by-examination program. DSST offers a way to receive credit for "what you know."

What DSST exams are available?

There are over 25 DSST exams available to you. Look at our list of DSST exams and see if you can get on the fast track to a degree!

How do I sign up for the DSST?

To register for a DSST exam visit the campus assessment and certification center nearest you. Center staff will direct you to the campus business office where you will pay an administration fee to Florida Community College of $20 per test (cash, check or credit card). You will then bring the receipt back to your campus assessment and certification center and make an appointment to take the DSST exam of your choice. On the day of the assessment you will need to pay a testing fee of $70. For computerized testing, a major credit card must be used for the $70 fee. For paper-pencil testing, a money order must be used for the $70 fee.

Where is the DSST administered?

The DSST exam is administered by appointment at the campus assessment and certification center on any of the four main campuses. It is administered to military personnel at the Urban Resource Center in downtown Jacksonville. Each center has time available during the day and evening to accommodate any schedule. Each DSST assessment generally takes about 90 minutes although a few are longer.

May I retake a DSST exam?

You may retake any of the DSST exams as often as you like as long as you wait 6 months between assessments. The fee for retaking an exam is the same as it is for the first assessment.

How do I prepare for the DSST exams?

You may obtain a study materials for many DSST exams by visiting the DSST Web site. Practice tests are available there as well. Some study materials arealso available in the campus assessment and certification centers.

When will I get my assessment results?

Your score results are mailed to you by DSST about 4-6 weeks after you take the assessment. When you take the DSST, you will be given the option of having your scores mailed to Florida Community College for evaluation as well as to your home. If you have taken the DSST and need your scores mailed to Florida Community College, call 609.771.7865. Ask them to mail them to the campus assessment and certification center you will be attending.

How are DSST exams scored?

For every DSST exam, the number of right answers is counted and a fraction of the number of wrong answers is subtracted from that total. If your exam had questions with five answers, one-forth of the number of wrong answers is subtracted. If your exam questions offered four choices, one-third of your wrong answers is subtracted. The resulting figure, a formula score, is converted to a DSST scaled score.