Dantes MIS vs. CLEP Info Sys and Computer Appl.

I'll be taking the Dantes MIS test in a couple weeks and was hoping to get some input on how it compared the the CLEP Info Sys test. From things I'd read I thought the CLEP test was going to be a complete no-brainer (esp. form looking at the practice exam). However, I only ended up scoring a 58, which certainly isn't that impressive. I know more about computers than the average Joe, but I'm not really an expert. Should I expect the Dantes test to be the same level of difficulty and same topics as the CLEP? If not, what is different between the two exams?

 

I took CLEP exam and found that there were a lot of expert/decission support system related questions. Some questions I found them to be very tricky and lengthy if not difficult and ran out of time ultimately. I think I scored 68 on this one.

I did not take DANTES test but I believe it would be similar. There is a syllabus on DANTES website and I would compare the two. If you think you know the topic, then go for it. if too many unknowns are there then study a bit on those topics. I may be wrong but I think there is no time limit so you may end up doing better.

I have one question, if you have taken CLEP IS test wouldnt DANTES MIS be a course repeat in terms of getting credit ?

 

I found the same thing to be true on the CLEP exam (which I took just a few weeks ago). I scored a 76 on the exam, but then again, I've been in the IT industry for 15 years. I wouldn't say its a no-brainer for someone with average computer knowledge, as many of the questions related to MIS-related issues, such as the software development lifecycle, decision support systems (DSS), etc.

I am scheduled to take the DANTES exam soon - and from what I gather, it focuses more on the aforementioned areas than the CLEP.

I believe the Dantes-MIS course is considered upper-division credit, due to more focus on the management/systems aspects of MIS. The CLEP is considered lower division.

Cheers.

 

unixman/Randy, let me know how you find DANTES MIS test and what material are you using to prepare for it. for CLEP I did not use anything but for this it may be different since its UL course, hence I expect this to be difficult.

 

Randy, I took both of these not quite three years ago and would pretty much agree with the comments offered thus far. I sat the CLEP cold and scored a 75 (pencil & paper version). For the DSST, I spent a small amount of time reviewing life-cycles, expert systems, & management related issues in a book I picked up on sale locally titled Using Information Technology, ISBN 0256261466.

The IS CLEP is the only one of six CLEPs I've taken that I finished well before the time limit. The MIS test wasn't timed, but my recollection is that I finished it just as the proctor signaled time for others that were taking CLEPs.

If I had to put a figure to it, I'd say the MIS test was possibly 20%-25% more challenging than the CLEP, but no more than that. My score on this one was 68.

One difference, at the time anyway, between these tests was the structure of the answer choices. The DSST tests seem to have a significant number of responses of the type where two or three possible choices are distinct answers, followed by two or three choices of the type "Both A & B" and "Both A & C". To me, these seem to take a little more time as you're forced to do re-reading.