As upper level credit, the History of the Vietnam War DSST fit perfectly into my Liberal Arts degree plan at TESC.
There were about 100 questions to be completed in 120 minutes, more than enough time. I scored a 64. For me, it was slightly easier than the Civil War Exam (62), yet more difficult than the Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union (72).
I thought Russian names were hard to keep straight in my head, but they were nothing like Viet Nam names:
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Nhu
Nguyen Khanh
Pham Van Dong
Vo Nguyen Giap
Duong Van Minh
Le Duan
Le Duc Tho
Really, the test wasn’t difficult. I wouldn’t suggest it for “filler” credits, though. There are much easier exams for that. It wasn’t bad, not if you like history. This war is mentioned so often, it’s worth knowing more about. And think about all those Vietnam War movies you’ll be better to appreciate.
To study, I used the IC cards, always my primary source. This is another exam I think that can be passed with the IC cards only. Remember to not fill in the blanks, but read them with the answers. Go through the deck multiple times. I did 5-6 times. Tedious work, but it’s the best use you can make of your time. You could probably go through the cards 3 times the first day and then 3 times the second day, immediately drive to the testing center and pass. I’ll admit, doing so wouldn’t leave me with much confidence, not for this one. My nerves would be on edge. That’s why I used Netflix.
My second resource was “The Vietnam War,” a Ken Burns documentary. It’s an 18 and a half hour film series. Pretty long, right? But his documentaries are good. You’ll forget you’re learning. 18 and a half easy study hours.
That’s it, plus some excellent notes I’m going to drop a link to, that’s how I studied and scored a 64—plenty over the passing score of 50 for credit at TESC. And to think some people sit in a classroom and pay $300+ to earn those three credits.
Here are some more resources History of the Vietnam War test-passers have vouched for:
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Vietnam War — Many testers refer to this series for other exams as well.
Vietnam: A history by Stanley Karnow
Free-Clep-Prep’s practice test
Snazzlefrag’s notes — Get these, print them out, carry them with you. Review them before walking into your testing center.
To access more notes and read feedback of others who have already taken the test, visit degreeforum.net. You can learn from others and ask specific questions. The “specific exam feedback” section is available to paying members only, but it includes the IC cards — the most reliable resource.
A lot of names and places to remember, but don’t be deterred., you only have to recognize the right answer. Multiple choice exams are the best.
Leave a Reply