Starting college as an adult can seem scary. The time it can take to earn a degree as a working adult can seem long, but there are ways to get to your goal faster, and save money while you are at it.
You have learned a lot over your career. You may have had training through your job in things like Six Sigma or earned a professional certification like a Google AdWords certificate. How can you get credit for all that experience and shorten the time it will take you to earn your degree?
Here are some ideas to explore:
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA): A prior learning assessment is a process that many colleges offer where a professional at the college you are interested in evaluates your experience to determine the credit you have earned and apply them to your college transcript. You will document your prior learning and may be required to take an assessment or provide a portfolio. Visit MyExperienceCounts.com to get started!
Credit by Examination: You may have heard the phrase “testing out” in the past, that is what we call Credit by Examination. If you are confident in the subject matter of a particular course, you can take a test to prove your knowledge. Some colleges offer credit for passing standardized exams like CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) or DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests), which assess your knowledge in specific subject areas. CLEP and DSST test areas cover a wide range of topics, such as accounting, math, sciences, and history.
Portfolio Development: Some colleges allow you to create portfolios demonstrating your proficiency in certain subjects. These portfolios are reviewed for college credit. Portfolios could include design work, written pieces like articles and press releases, or digital work like videos or photography.
Professional Certifications and Licenses: Many certifications and licenses can be converted into college credits, depending upon the college’s policies. These could include CNA or EMT certification, or information technology certifications.
Workplace Training Programs: Some employers provide training that aligns with college coursework. You can inquire whether these programs are recognized for college credit. Some examples would be quality management training, LEAN or Six Sigma, or leadership training.
Online Courses and MOOCs: Completing online courses or Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) from reputable platforms like Coursera, edX, or Khan Academy can sometimes be transferred as college credits, depending on the college’s policies.
College Credit for Work Experience: Some colleges offer programs that assess your professional experience and grant credits accordingly.
You must check with your advisor to understand the specific policies regarding prior learning and work experience credits.