DSST Computing and IT Study Guide: What's Inside

The DSST Computing and IT study guide is a 36-page printable PDF built to match this exam’s official content areas and weights. If you want to see exactly what comes with the guide before you spend anything, start with the $5 study guide.

You get one chapter per official content area, ordered from the heaviest section to the lightest, plus 184 key terms with examples, 42 practice questions with full explanations, common exam traps, a 2-page cram sheet, and 2-, 4-, and 8-week study plans. You can also try 10 sample questions on the guide page before you buy. That makes this guide easy to judge on its own, not from guesses.

What you get in the $5 guide

The DSST Computing and IT study guide keeps the format simple. It is a one-time $5 download, and you get the file right away. The PDF is 36 pages, printable, and built from the official units and weights for this exam. That matters because this DSST test is not evenly balanced. Some topics take a much bigger share of your score than others, so your study time should follow that same pattern.

The table above shows the guide’s parts. The main point is not just the item count. It is how the parts work together. The chapters give you the full review by content area. The 184 key terms help you lock down the words you are likely to see in questions. The 42 practice questions check whether you can apply the ideas, not just recognize them. Every answer is explained, so you can see why a choice is right or wrong.

The guide also flags common exam traps. That is useful on a computing exam, where answers can look close if you mix up software types, network terms, or hardware functions. The 2-page cram sheet is there for your last review, not for learning from scratch. If you want to preview the style first, the $5 study guide includes 10 free sample questions. That makes it easy to check if this format fits the way you study.

How the chapters match the exam weights

This exam is built around six official content areas. The guide follows those same areas, with one chapter per area, and it starts with the heaviest sections first. That order is smart for a short review window. If you only have a few days, you can hit the biggest score drivers first instead of reading the test from front to back like every topic counts the same.

The table above tells you where the exam puts the most weight. Application Software is the biggest area at 22%. Software Development is close behind at 21%. Data Communications and Networks is 19%. Computer Organization and Hardware is 17%. Social Impact and History is 11%, and Systems Software is 10%.

That split should shape how you use the guide. If you are rusty on common application tools, file types, databases, spreadsheets, or presentation ideas, the biggest section gives you a lot to gain. The same is true for software development basics and networking ideas, because together those two areas make up a large part of the exam. The lighter areas still matter, but they should not crowd out the bigger ones.

This is where the DSST Computing and IT study guide does its best work. It gives you a review order based on the official exam weights, not a random chapter list. If you want more detail on the test itself, the existing exam overview post can help, but the guide is the product built for actual study time.

How the terms, questions, and cram sheet help

A lot of students do not need a huge course first. They need a tight review that helps them remember the right words, spot common mistakes, and test themselves before exam day. That is exactly the role of the guide’s middle pieces.

Start with the 184 key terms. Each term comes with an example, which is important on a computing test. Definitions alone can feel easy until the exam asks you to pick the best use, the right software type, or the right network idea in context. The examples help move a term from recognition to real use.

Then use the 42 practice questions. Because every answer is explained, you are not left with just a score. You can see where your thinking broke down. That is often the fastest way to clean up weak spots, especially in areas like systems software versus application software, or hardware parts versus what the operating system does with them.

The flagged exam traps are another strong part of this guide. They point out the kinds of mix-ups this subject invites, which can save you from losing points on questions that look simple at first glance.

Last, the 2-page cram sheet is for the night before. It is not a replacement for the full chapters. It is a short reset of the high-value facts after you have already studied. If you want a printable review you can mark up, the DSST Computing and Information Technology study guide is built well for that use.

Who should use the guide alone, and who should add the course

The guide alone makes sense for a few kinds of students. It fits you well if you already know some computer basics, want a fast review, like studying from a printable PDF, and want to keep your cost low. At $5, it is also an easy first step if you are still deciding whether this exam is the right fit. Since the exam itself costs $100, plus any fee the test center charges, some students want a quick way to preview the scope before spending more on prep.

If that sounds like you, pair the guide with the free practice test. It has 25 original questions that follow the official exam outline, and each answer is explained. Between those 25 questions and the guide page’s 10 free sample questions, you can get a feel for the material before or after buying the PDF.

You should add the $19 prep course if you want more step-by-step teaching. The course is paid once and includes 13 chapters, 122 lessons, and 39 quizzes, with a quiz after every subchapter, plus lifetime access. That is a better pick if you are starting from scratch, have been away from computer topics for a while, or learn better by working through smaller lesson blocks instead of reading a short guide.

A simple way to think about it is price and depth: guide only is $5, course only is $19, and both together are $24.

When a DSST plan is the better buy

If this is the only DSST exam you plan to take, the guide or the guide plus course is usually the simpler buy. But a plan starts to make more sense if you expect to study for more than one DSST subject, or if you want broader access without buying each item one by one.

The table gives the side-by-side view. For this exam alone, the math is easy: the guide is $5, the course is $19, and both together are $24. Compare that with the plans. DSST Monthly is $29 a month and includes all 8 DSST prep courses and all 38 DSST study guides. DSST Semester is $69 for 4 months with the same DSST coverage. If you also want CLEP, CLEP + DSST Lifetime is $149 once and includes 23 CLEP and 8 DSST prep courses plus all 72 CLEP and DSST study guides, for life.

If you are comparing options across subjects, start from the DSST prep hub page or the plans and pricing page. Every plan covers prep only. Exam fees are separate when you register. DSST exams are given year-round, you can retest after a 30-day wait, and on an internet-based DSST exam you see your result right after the exam. Credit, if any, is always up to your college, even though 1,900+ colleges accept DSST.

Frequently Asked Questions about DSST IT Prep

Final Thoughts on DSST IT Prep

If you want a short, printable review that follows the actual exam weights, start with the $5 study guide. It is the best fit for a focused review, especially if you already know some of the material. If you want more teaching, more checkpoints, and lifetime access, add the $19 prep course. If your school awards credit, that decision is up to the college, not the prep. Your next step is simple: try the 10 sample questions on the guide listing, then decide if you need the guide alone or the guide plus course.