Computing and Information Technology DSST: What the Exam Covers and How to Prepare

Key takeaway: The Computing and Information Technology DSST is a 100-question, multiple-choice credit-by-exam test that can earn you 3 lower-division college credits in information technology. It takes 2 hours, requires a scaled score of 400 to pass, and covers topics from software and networks to hardware, databases, privacy, and the social impact of technology.

If you already know your way around computers, you may not need a full semester of “Intro to Computing” to prove it. The Computing and Information Technology DSST (also called the DANTES Subject Standardized Test) lets you earn college credit by passing a single two-hour exam instead of sitting through a class.

What the Computing and Information Technology DSST is

DSST exams are credit-by-exam tests administered by Prometric, originally developed for U.S. military service members through DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support) and now open to civilians. Colleges use them to award credit to students who can demonstrate knowledge equivalent to a course.

The Computing and Information Technology exam (ACE ID: DANT-0028) tests college-level understanding of computing fundamentals. The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends it for 3 lower-division baccalaureate semester hours in Information Technology or Computer Information Systems — roughly equivalent to an introductory computing course. A failed attempt does not appear on your transcript, and a pass typically lands as credit with no letter grade, so the GPA risk is low. Whether your school accepts it — and which requirement it fills — is entirely up to your institution, so confirm with your academic advisor before you book.

Exam format and the six content areas

The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and a 120-minute time limit, giving you just over a minute per question. A non-programmable calculator is permitted. The content breaks into six areas, weighted roughly as follows:

• Application Software (22%) — everyday productivity tools, how software is licensed, and how software fits into organizations.
• Software Development (21%) — programming concepts and the software development life cycle.
• Data Communications and Networks (19%) — how networks are built, data moves, and systems connect.
• Computer Organization and Hardware (17%) — processors, memory, storage units, and how the machine is put together.
• Social Impact and History (11%) — privacy, intellectual property, network etiquette, telecommunications law, AI, and computing’s broader effects on society and globalization.
• Systems Software (10%) — operating systems, utilities, and data management including database types.

Notice the split: nearly two-thirds of the exam is software, development, and networking. Hardware and history fill out the rest. It is a terminology- and concept-heavy test, not a hands-on lab.

What score you need to pass

DSST exams are scored on a scaled scale, and a score of 400 is the standard ACE-recommended passing threshold — most institutions use it. That said, each school sets its own cut score, and some set it higher. Because the credit recommendation comes from ACE rather than a mandate, always check your college’s testing-out policy first: a 400 that earns credit at one school might not at another.

How to prepare: practical study tips

The good news is that many students already know a big portion of this material from everyday computer use. The tricky parts are the precise terminology and the areas people rarely touch. A few high-yield moves:

• Learn the data units cold. Bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes — and the conversion relationships between them. Expect at least a question or two, and the same goes for megahertz and gigahertz as measures of processor speed.
• Drill the easy-to-confuse pairs. Database types (relational, hierarchical, object) and network protocols (HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SSH, TCP) come up repeatedly and are easy to mix up.
• Use the official free practice questions. DSST publishes a free exam fact sheet with sample questions for each test — start there to calibrate.
• Don’t skip the “soft” topics. The 11% covering social impact and history — privacy, intellectual property, telecom law, AI — is often the least familiar to tech-comfortable students and therefore the easiest place to lose cheap points.
• Study with flashcards in sections. Since the exam is concept-based, working through one content area at a time and then quizzing yourself maps well to the test’s structure.

Analysis: is the DSST worth it for you?

Verified fact: one passing exam can replace a full intro-to-computing course at schools that accept DSST credit. Analysis: for self-taught students, IT workers, or anyone already comfortable with computers, testing out saves a semester of tuition and study time on material you largely know. For students with almost no computing background, the exam is passable with focused study, but a full course may teach more durably — the exam rewards recall, not deep understanding. Either way, the decisive step is checking with your school first; studying for a credit your college won’t accept is wasted effort.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the Computing and Information Technology DSST?

The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and a 120-minute time limit. That works out to just over a minute per question, so time management matters — flag hard questions and move on rather than getting stuck.

What score do you need to pass the DSST Computing and Information Technology exam?

A scaled score of 400 is the standard passing threshold recommended by ACE and used by most institutions. Individual colleges can set higher cut scores, so confirm your school’s policy before registering.

How much college credit does the Computing and Information Technology DSST earn?

ACE recommends the exam for 3 lower-division baccalaureate semester hours in Information Technology or Computer Information Systems, roughly equivalent to an introductory computing course. Actual credit depends on your school’s transfer and testing-out policies.

Can you take the Computing and Information Technology DSST online?

Many testing centers offer DSST exams through remote proctoring, but availability varies by center and institution policy. Check with Prometric and your school to confirm online testing is an option for you.

Are there prerequisites for the DSST Computing and Information Technology exam?

No formal prerequisites exist — anyone can register. The exam tests college-level knowledge of computing fundamentals, so some study is wise even if you use computers daily, especially on terminology, network protocols, and the social-impact topics.

Sources

• ACE National Guide — Computing and Information Technology (DSST, ACE ID DANT-0028)
• InstantCert — Computing & Info Tech DSST Study Guide (content-area breakdown, format, and study guidance)