DANTES & ACE: College Credit for Military Experience!

Ready to advance your education, preparing for a civilian career and potentially earning military promotion points (and more pay)? Good news! You may earn college credit for your military experience, thanks to the military's Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) and the American Council on Education (ACE). These programs help active-duty, reserve or veteran military service men and women get a leg up on their degrees, saving them both time and money.

Earn College Credit by Exam through DANTES

The DANTES Examination Program offers exams that allow you to earn college credits without enrolling in classes, and at absolutely no charge to you. The program is entirely self-paced, helping you prepare with videos, audio tapes, textbooks and study guides. These tests cover virtually all major college subjects, such as: history, economics, math, literature and more.

DANTES Exams: CLEF, DSST, ECE and Beyond…

If you're considering taking advantage of the DANTES Credit by Exam Program, you won't be disappointed with your options. There are a number of different tests to choose from, including:

• The College Level Examination Program (CLEF)
• The DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST)
• The Excelsior College Exam (ECE)
• Non-military standardized tests, such as the LSAT, GED, GRE and GMAT

Active-duty and reserve servicemembers should contact their Education Service Office to learn more. Veterans can often take these DANTES exams through local colleges or national test centers.

Earn College Credit for Military Experience with ACE!

The American Council on Education helps you transform your military training, experience and specialty into college credit, saving you both time and money as you pursue a degree. The result is similar to the DANTES credit by exam program, but without the testing.

ACE biennially publishes a "Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services." This guide gives evaluations, learning outcomes, course descriptions and recommendations for the type and amount of credit it believes should be awarded for military education and training. The ACE Guide is the standard reference tool used by the majority of U.S. colleges and universities to award credit for military learning.

Maximize Your ACE Benefit with Military-Friendly Schools

The ACE has a number of member schools that participate in this unique program. While the ACE guide may serve as a guide, each individual school determines the number of credits they will accept and how they will apply them toward your college degree. Unfortunately, not all schools will grant credit, so shop around for the most military-friendly school you can find.