Prior Learning Counts. Three Myths for Adults Returning to College. How does prior learning outside the classroom count for college credit and where can you go to learn more?
Prior learning counts! Assess your skills, aptitudes, interests and knowledge through a portfolio process. Then select a major and career based upon your interests and ability to succeed. Prior learning counts, but you have to apply for it and be assertive.
Adults returning to college who have work and life experience can apply for PLA Credit, which is treated very much like course credit transfered from another institution.
Myth 1: At least four years studying full-time are required to earn an undergraduate degree.
For some reason, we have bought the concept that we need to spend four or more years full-time to earn a fully accredited undergraduate college degree in the US learning things in the present tense. This simply is not true. Prior learning can count for college credit. The fact that it is not true is one of the best kept secrets in US education today.
If you can spend two hours a day reading, studying and testing, then you can have a college degree in one or two years from today because if you claimed credit for the things you have already learned, you could skip the courses you already know. This is without giving up your current job and without going to class full-time.
Myth 2: A college classroom is the only place to learn.
Prior learning also includes learning outside of the classroom. The world is our campus and life experiences, when compiled and assessed, can count toward college level courses. If you already know college level material, you do not have to go through classes to learn it again if you find the right school willing to assess your knowledge, skill or talent. You can show that you know the material and get full credit for it.
More and more, we are hearing about degrees through distance learning, people getting an online college degree and having these degrees fully accepted by graduate schools and licensing offices throughout the US and the world. Colleges and universities all over the country are moving their courses online as the competition heats up for developing flexible and convenient programs for the 21st century learner. In doing so, they are documenting the learning outcomes expected by course. This allows several things: first, we can compare courses across institutions; second, we can compare life experiences and the knowledge gained to college level courses. As a result, you can see and pursue the opportunity to demonstrate what you know or what you can do through acceptable and accredited testing processes.
Many people that we work with know as much as people with a college degree, yet they never took the time to get a degree or they gave up trying. They have learned how to speak and write well, often on the job. They have special skills they picked up at work, through volunteering, in their hobbies or raising a family. They can earn a college degree, but they do not know how to convert what they know into college level credits which would count toward a college level credential. Learning outside a classroom is no less valuable than learning done inside a classroom. It is still learning.
Myth 3: Institutions and programs that will count work and life experience for college level learning are hard to find.
Prior learning counts requires a documenting and validation process. This article will introduce the concept and help you explore the options available to get credit for what you know and the talent you can demonstrate with evidence. The advantage to using this method is that it is much faster, cheaper and more flexible than taking courses, even if you take the courses online. You can earn a Regionally Accredited Bachelors Degree in much less time committing yourself to 2 hours a day and focusing on building a portfolio of your experiences. Yes, you need to be of reasonable intelligence, have a High School diploma or equivalent and read and write English at the level expected of someone who has graduated High School with an academic diploma.
Next, we are going to look at the four ways to get credit for what you already know:
CAELis the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning. For over thirty years, CAEL has developed the methodology and trained college faculty all over the country on the principals of assessing prior learning (PLA).They have developed many good books and hold a national conference each year attended by hundreds of well known colleges and universities.
AP, CLEP, IB, DSST and EXCELSIOR are exams and tests prepared by leading organizations that have compiled them by bringing together faculty from a range of institutions. These tests are administered through test centers and the course credit is placed on the transcript for each student.
SOC is a program designed for Military Learners. Over 1,800 colleges and universities have pledged to accept credit for recommendations prepared by ACE and managed under the SOC program. Military training courses have been assessed by a strict and thorough faculty review process to determine the credit recommendations. SOC and the DOD Branches of the Military transcribe the training courses on transcripts that the colleges will accept and map to their college level courses generally following the credit recommendations.
ACE is for the American Council on Education. It performs the same credit recommendation process for corporation training and courses that they perform for the Military training courses. Over 1,000 major corporations, from McDonalds to the Federal Government, have had their catalog of courses (not all) reviewed and assessed for College level credit by faculty panels. Many colleges will accept ACE credit recommendations. ACE has a listing of all the credit recommendations they have performed on their National Guide. But, it is somewhat obscure because most schools don't publish they will accept ACE credit recommendations. You need to ask. ACE maintains a student transcript system for corporate training and colleges and universities all over the country will accept their credit recommendations if you ask. CollegeTransfer.Net is exploring how we can incorporate the ACE Military and Corporate credit recommendations integrated with the National Course Atlas to help learners find and self-assess their opporitunities using the Student Passport. Stay tuned.
You are likely asking which colleges and universities accept these methods of attaining credit without requiring that you attend any classes (not even online) at that school. The difference between the thousands of two- and four-year colleges that accept AP, CLEP, IB, DSST or EXCELSIOR exams, Prior Learning Assessment, ACE reviewed courses and Military Service for credit is what level the colleges require that you complete courses at their school as well. Most require that you complete 30, 60 or 90 credits with them. This is known as a residency requirement. A few require less. Often these credits can be completed entirely online. Note that neither the tests and exams, nor the prior learning assessment credits earned, count toward the residency requirement.
Click here for a list of institutions we have compiled, reviewed and recommend.