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How InstantCert's study guides can help you pass your CLEP* and DSST exams
You already know that CLEP* and DSST exams are a great way to save time and money, but what is the best way to prepare for the exams?
As covered in our article, "How do I study for CLEP?", there are a lot of ways to prepare for your CLEP* and DSST exams. In this article, we are going to look specifically at InstantCert's approach to exam prep and how it can take a lot of the stress and uncertainty out of preparing for your CLEP* or DSST exam.
The InstantCert Flashcard System
InstantCert's study guides are actually a collection of resources for each exam, but the main piece (and all you will likely need), is the interactive study flashcards.
The flashcards are designed to take the guesswork out of preparing for one of these exams, whether it be a CLEP, DSST, or UExcel exam. You are not expected to know anything about the subject. Just by going through our flashcards and attempting to answer the questions, you will gradually learn enough of the subject to be able to go in and achieve a passing score.
TIP: Our flashcards are designed to get you the ACE-recommended passing score on your exams (a 50 out of 80 for CLEP; 400 out of 500 for DSST). If your school has set a higher passing score requirement, see our article, "When are the InstantCert Flashcards NOT enough?"
Where do the Flashcards come from?
The flashcards are developed using the textbooks recommended by the exam publisher (Collegeboard for CLEP, Prometric for DSST, and Excelsior College for UExcel exams). Our subject matter experts go through the textbooks distilling the most important concepts into bite-sized chunks. By studying the questions AND detailed explanations contained in our flashcards, you gradually develop a "big picture" understanding of the subject.
TIP: The actual exams are multiple-choice, so you just need to be able to *recognize* the correct answers. That means with proper, strategic studying, you do NOT need to learn every single concept and detail contained in the textbook. Our flashcards take advantage of this fact to streamline the study process.
Are these actual exam questions?
A common question from new students is whether the flashcards are actual exam questions. The answer is "No, we are not handing you a copy of the test." What the flashcards are designed to do is teach you the fundamentals of a subject, just like you would learn in any traditional college class. Based on the way the exams are designed, that knowledge will allow you to recognize enough correct answers so that you can pass the test.
Above: A sample question from Introductory Psychology CLEP
For example, for the Principles of Statistics DSST exam, you will learn how to calculate standard deviations, statistical significance, and perform other calculations you will be expected to know how to do on the exam. For Introductory Psychology, you will learn different psychological perspectives, the contributions of famous psychologists, and important vocabulary and theories that will allow you to eliminate obviously wrong distractors on the exam and identify correct answers.
TIP: The advantage to this approach is that even when the exam publisher revises the exams (which they generally do every few years), our flashcards are still completely relevant. You do not have to worry about getting a different version of the exam from someone else. Our flashcards work for EVERY version of the exam.
How to use InstantCert's Flashcards
The beauty of our flashcards is we have done all of the legwork for you. All you have to do is log into our website (or our app) and go through the flashcards. As you go through the flashcards, the software will keep track of your performance. If you get a flashcard right, your mastery of that flashcard will go up. Once you have mastered all of the flashcards for that subject, the software will let you know that you are ready to take the exam!
Above: This student achieved mastery on Introductory Sociology
TIP: When you complete a flashcard set, based on your score, the software will present you with study recommendations and tips. Also, don't forget that you have access to the Specific Exam Feedback section of the discussion forum at DegreeForum.net where other students have posted their study tips for your particular exam subject!
Ready to start studying?
InstantCert has been successfully used by hundreds of thousands of students over the years and that's why we have the confidence to offer our Unconditional 30-Day Money Back Guarantee! Why wait? Sign up and start studying for your exam now!
Steven Gloer
InstantCert Co-Founder
Steven is one of the co-founders of InstantCert and is constantly looking for new ways to leverage technology to make learning more efficient and productive. Reach out to him with your ideas, stories, and questions by sending an email to webmaster@instantcert.com.
* CLEP is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.
