- DTP Success Team
Top 5 Test Tips For Preparing For Your DSST Exam.
Updated: Sep 1
Preparation is key to passing your DSST test.
The DSST is a difficult exam to prepare for.
Please dedicate significant time and energy to preparing for the test.
These five test tips should help you start your journey toward scoring higher on your DSST exam!
Table of Contents
1) Choose a subject that you're already familiar with.
If you're already familiar with the subject matter, this should help boost your confidence.
For example, if you're enrolled in a nursing program (RN, BSN) and need lower-division units, ask your counselor if the DSST Substance Abuse exam will satisfy your remaining credits.
Many nurses have reported success with these exams.
Healthcare professionals should also consider the DSST Health and Wellness exam.
This exam tests your knowledge of nutrition and physical fitness.
It's a great way to keep up with the latest health and wellness trends and can help you advance your career.
If you need help deciding which exam to take, try taking a practice test in each subject area to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
If you score fairly well without studying, take a preparation course to help secure your success.
When you study a few items, it's more than likely that you'll learn some new concepts.
When you don't know any better, getting a failing grade on even one question puts you at risk of missing out on passing by a couple of points.
It would help if you also chose a subject that is one of your strengths or something that falls within your area of interest.
If you're not as knowledgeable about a particular topic, that's okay!
You can use it to your advantage and use those gaps in your knowledge as motivation for studying more.
2) Take practice tests.
The more you know what the exam will look like, the better prepared you'll be for it when test day rolls around.
Take practice exams and keep track of your scores.
Then use this information to focus on these topics during your study time.
Taking practice tests will also help you become comfortable with the environment of taking an actual DSST exam, which can be nerve-wracking if it's your first time!
During the test, take your time and double-check that you're answering questions correctly before moving on to another one.
For example, if a question asks which of five objects is blue and four of them are green, make sure to read all the answers carefully!
It's easy to get flustered during high-stakes tests like this.
If you complete the examination within two hours, you can review and alter your responses.
Remember to take breaks as needed, but don't leave the room until you're done!
3) Time yourself when testing.
You'll have two hours to complete the 100 questions DSST exam. Be sure to use this time wisely.
After all, you don't want to rush through the exam and miss essential questions!
On average, it takes most test-takers about two minutes per question.
Please be sure to pace yourself accordingly to complete all 100 questions in your allotted time.
4) Answer each question.
You are not penalized for wrong answers on the DSST exams, so answer every question.
The more questions you answer, the better your score might be!
5) When in doubt, choose "B or C” consistently.
The best strategy is first to answer all the questions you already know.
Please keep track of the questions you don't know so you can review them later.
If the examination time limit expires and you have not completed all 100 questions, pick "B or C" consistently to maximize your chances of getting at least one correct answer.
Remember, choose one or the other, not both.
You can always go back through your exam to change your responses, but only if time permits!
Make sure you're ready before starting the test so there are no surprises on test day.
Conclusion
You'll save years off your life by avoiding traditional college courses, not to mention the money you'll save on tuition, textbooks, and miscellaneous expenses.
There are plenty of DSST practice tests available; however, we recommend trying our free practice exams if you want the most realistic exam experience possible.
We've made it so that anyone can get a feel for what testing day will be like and how they should prepare themselves by practicing these sample exams before investing in their education.