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

ByAlex Morgan

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

Key takeaway: The DSST Computing and Information Technology exam is a 100-question, 2-hour credit-by-exam test that lets you earn three college credits without taking the course. It covers hardware, software, networks, data management, AI, and computing law, and a score of 400 out of 500 earns credit at participating colleges.

If you already know your way around computers, networks, and software, you may not need to sit through an introductory computing course. The DSST Computing and Information Technology exam is a standardized credit-by-exam test: pass it once, and many colleges award you the same three credits you’d get from the class. Here’s exactly what it covers, how it’s scored, and how to prepare.

What Is the DSST Computing and Information Technology Exam?

DSST (formerly DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) is a series of credit-by-exam tests administered by Prometric for college students, adult learners, and military members. The Computing and Information Technology exam tests knowledge equivalent to a college-level introductory computing course. You take it at an approved testing center, and the exam is computer-based — you get your results as soon as you finish.

What the DSST Computing and Information Technology Exam Covers

According to the official DSST exam outline, the test spans ten topic areas:

  • Hardware — computer organization, components, and how systems fit together.
  • Software licensing and development tools — types of software and how it’s built.
  • Development life cycles — how software moves from idea to deployment.
  • Data management — databases, data organization, and information systems.
  • Connectivity — networks, data communication, and the internet.
  • Privacy concerns — data protection and personal information security.
  • Intellectual property — copyright, licensing, and software ownership.
  • Telecommunications law — the legal rules around digital communication.
  • Network etiquette — accepted behavior and standards online.
  • Artificial intelligence and globalization — how AI and global connectivity shape computing.

The American Council on Education (ACE), which reviews the exam for credit recommendation, groups the measured skills into six areas: computer organization and hardware, systems software, application software, data communication and networks, software development, and the social impact and history of computing. The format is roughly 100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours, per both the ACE exam summary and DSST’s official materials.

How Scoring and College Credit Work

DSST exams are scored on a scale, and ACE recommends credit for scores of 400 and above. ACE’s credit recommendation for this exam is 3 semester hours of lower-division baccalaureate credit in “Introduction to Computing and Technology” (ACE ID DANT-0028). In practice, the amount of credit and the course it replaces vary by school — some institutions, like City Colleges of Chicago, map it to a 3-credit operating systems course. Always confirm with your college’s registrar or advising office before you register.

How to Prepare for the Exam

The breadth of topics means preparation should be systematic rather than casual:

  1. Work from the official topic outline. DSST publishes the content list above — treat it as a checklist and study any area you’re weak on first.
  2. Take an official practice exam. DSST offers online practice exams, including one specifically for Computing and Information Technology, which show you the real question style and difficulty.
  3. Review computing fundamentals textbooks. An introductory “computers and society” or IT fundamentals textbook covers the hardware, software, networking, and social-impact sections well.
  4. Don’t skip the law and ethics topics. Privacy, intellectual property, telecommunications law, and network etiquette are easy to overlook — but they’re on the outline, so they’ll be on the test.
  5. Pace yourself. With about 100 questions in 2 hours, you have roughly a minute per question — mark uncertain ones and move on rather than getting stuck.

Analysis: Is This Exam Worth Taking?

Analysis — our assessment, not a verified claim. The value here is mostly about money and time. One exam sitting can replace a full semester course, which is a strong trade if you’re already comfortable with computing basics. The risk is the opposite: if the law, ethics, and AI-and-society sections are new to you, they’re the likeliest place to lose points, so budget real study time for them rather than assuming general tech fluency is enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The exam contains approximately 100 multiple-choice questions, and you have 2 hours to complete them, according to the ACE National Guide and DSST’s official exam materials.

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

ACE recommends credit for scores of 400 and above on the DSST scoring scale. However, each college sets its own passing and credit policies, so check with your school before registering.

How many college credits is the DSST Computing and Information Technology exam worth?

ACE recommends 3 semester hours of lower-division baccalaureate credit in “Introduction to Computing and Technology.” The exact credit and the course it substitutes for depend on your college’s transfer policy.

Is the DSST Computing and Information Technology exam hard?

That depends on your background. Peterson’s, a major test-prep publisher, cites an 85 percent pass rate for this exam — suggesting most prepared test-takers pass. The trickiest sections for typical test-takers tend to be the law and ethics topics (privacy, intellectual property, telecommunications law), so focus study time there if computing hardware and software are already familiar to you.

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