College-level placement examinations can allow you to skip some entry-level college courses if you demonstrate a thorough enough knowledge of the subjects. To prove that you know enough, you must take a standardized examination. The major types of placement examinations available to active-duty members are the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DSST (formerly DANTES Subject Standardized Tests).
These tests are free for active-duty members.
CLEP and DSST exams help you earn college credit for knowledge you've acquired through your military experience, independent study, prior course work, on-the-job training, professional development, cultural pursuits or internships. They save you time and money not spent taking a college class. Taking placement examinations allows you to stretch your tuition assistance (TA), GI Bill, Federal Student Aid, and/or scholarship dollars while you achieve your education goals.
Now what? Which exams should you take? Well, it depends. What degree program are you interested in, what credits do you need, and what is your school’s transfer policy concerning accepting alternative sources of credit? Since the answers to these questions vary widely, the first place to begin is your local education center, where a counselor can help you find the answers that are just right for you.
To help you get started, take a look at the exams with the highest military student pass rates for fiscal 2023, according to the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support:
| Rank | Test Type | Test Title | Pass Rate |
| 1 | CLEP | Spanish With Writing | 93% |
| 2 | CLEP | Spanish Language | 88% |
| 3 | DSST | Business Ethics and Society | 87% |
| 4 | CLEP | French Language | 82% |
| 5 | CLEP | Introduction to Business | 81% |
| 6 | DSST | Technical Writing | 79% |
| 7 | DSST | Ethics in Technology | 78% |
| 8 | DSST | Health & Human Development | 78% |
| 9 | CLEP | College Composition | 77% |
| 10 | DSST | Criminal Justice | 77% |
| 11 | DSST | Introduction to Law Enforcement | 77% |
| 12 | CLEP | Introductory Sociology | 76% |
| 13 | DSST | Computing and Information Technology | 75% |
| 14 | CLEP | Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 73% |
| 15 | DSST | Environmental Science | 71% |
| 16 | DSST | Money & Banking | 67% |
| 17 | DSST | Personal Finance | 70% |
| 18 | DSST | Substance Abuse | 70% |
| 19 | DSST | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 69% |
| 20 | CLEP | German Language | 68% |
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