Today, the majority of "college kids" are 24 years old or older. In online bachelor's degree programs, the average “college kid” is 36 years old. The average online master’s degree student is 40 years old.
If you’re an older “college kid,” chances are you’ve acquired specialized knowledge on the job—or even through independent reading or hobbies.
"Credit for life experience" programs are available at most colleges today. Using them can help you earn your online college degree more quickly—and at considerable cost savings. Here are five ways to turn what you've learned in life into college credit.
No. 1 - Challenge ExamsChallenge exams have been developed to test what older students already know about college-level subjects ranging from accounting to foreign languages to nursing. For a modest fee, anyone can take these exams at local testing sites. Most exams are multiple choice, feature an average of one hundred questions, and can be completed in an hour or less.
College Level Exam Program (CLEP)CLEP, the College Level Exam Program, is the most widely accepted challenge exam program. More than 2,900 accredited colleges accept CLEP for undergraduate degree credit. The CLEP program features 32 single-subject college exams and five general exams.
Single-subject exams cover material that is covered in a single college course. For example, the College Algebra CLEP covers the material commonly taught during an introductory course in college algebra.
The cost for each CLEP is $70—a fraction of the cost of tuition for a single college course.
The five general CLEP exams cover freshman-level knowledge in English composition, humanities, college mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences. If all five general exams are passed, up to 30 college credits may be awarded—
the equivalent of an entire year of college. For more information about CLEP exams, contact:
The College Board, 800-257-9558.
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Originally designed to test military learners, DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-traditional Educational Support) tests are now available to the public. Thirty-seven subject-specific exams cover business, social science, humanities, math and the physical sciences. Cost: $80 per exam.
Contact:
DANTES Program Office, 877-471-9860.
Excelsior College ExamsExcelsior is New York State’s adult education and distance learning college. Most who register for these exams are also working toward a distance undergraduate degree with Excelsior, but other colleges also accept these exams. Choose from 51 exams in the arts and sciences, business, nursing and education.
The cost is higher for these exams than for most other types of challenge exams: $235 or more per exam. But,
if you're active-duty military, you can take Excelsior College exams for free.Contact:
Excelsior College, 888-647-2388.
No. 2 - The Academic Portfolio OptionSome people express themselves better in written form, via papers and essays, than they do on multiple-choice tests. If this sounds like you, consider earning credits for experience by putting together a written academic portfolio.
You might be a good candidate for credits through the academic portfolio process if:
- Challenge exams are not offered in your area(s) of expertise
- You enjoy writing papers and reports
- What you know represents applied knowledge, rather than textbook theory
- You have products—such as artwork, certificates, business plans, articles, software, videos or written reports—which attest to your competency in selected subject areas.
Colleges that accept portfolios for review often require learners to enroll in a course to learn how to put together an academic portfolio.
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Learners in the distance learning program at
Ohio University, for example, must complete the Life and Career Experiences Analysis course to learn how to compile a portfolio. The homework for this course involves working with an advisor to identify and document college-level knowledge for degree credit.
No. 3 - Corporate Training ProgramsCorporations spend more time, money and effort teaching adults than do all the colleges in America combined. Many large corporations operate their own “corporate universities,” which specialize in teaching employees everything from technical management to C++ programming.
Non-collegiate training programs can often be converted to college credit through a portfolio process. But many large corporations, such as AT&T, have subjected their training courses to a special review process sponsored by the American Council on Education's Program on Non-Collegiate Sponsored Instruction (ACE/PONSI), known today as the
CREDIT program.
CREDIT is a program that allows non-college educators, such as AT&T, to have their in-house training courses reviewed by college assessors. These assessors review course content, textbooks and classroom procedures. If they find that individual courses are "college level," they recommend that a certain number of college credits be routinely awarded for successful course completion.
About half of all regionally accredited colleges accept ACE recommendations for degree credit. The other half may not accept them, or may severely restrict the number and kinds of ACE credits they will accept in transfer.
Check for training courses offered by your employer that may be pre-approved for college credit at ACE’s free
National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training.
No. 4 - Professional Licenses and CredentialsThe American Council on Education (ACE) has also reviewed professional certifications offered by non-collegiate agencies and made credit award recommendations in its free
National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training.A few of these credentials are highlighted below:
- Certified Public Accountant
- Certified Computer Programmer
- Certified Novell Engineer
- Certified Professional Secretary
- Certified Purchasing Manager
- Chartered Financial Consultant
- FAA Pilot, Engineer, Mechanic Licenses
- Respiratory Therapy Technician
In addition to ACE-approved professional designations, colleges often accept nationally recognized or state licenses. Aviation licenses, real estate licenses and professional health certifications, such as nursing diploma training, are all commonly accepted for college degree credits.
No. 5 - Military Training ProgramsIf you've been in the military in the last decade, you probably have ACE (American Council on Education) military credits that can be applied toward a college degree. Did you know that boot camp or basic training alone is worth several free elective college credits in first aid, personal hygiene, physical education and marksmanship?
ACE publishes a whopping four-volume set on how military training and occupational specialties translate into college degree credits through the ACE process.
The Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services can be accessed free online.
The guide contains ACE college credit recommendations for all formal courses and occupational specialties offered by the services.
Additional Points to Consider•
Limits on Credit for Career ExperienceMost regionally accredited online colleges limit the number of challenge exam credits they will accept to
30 credits (one year of college). The same is true for portfolio or ACE credits. In addition, typically the last 30 semester credits (senior year) of any regionally accredited bachelor’s degree must be taken directly from your degree-granting college.
•
Special Distance Learning Assessment CollegesTwo regionally accredited distance-learning colleges in the United States—
Thomas Edison State College of New Jersey and
Excelsior College of New York—operate primarily as assessment colleges. These two special colleges allow students to earn
entire undergraduate degrees through credit for experience options.
However, most learners who attend these two colleges also complete some formal college courses to earn their degrees.
•
Experience Credits and Graduate Degrees Most credit-for-experience programs apply only to undergraduate degrees—associate degrees or bachelor's degrees. It is rare for an accredited graduate degree program to award credit for experience.
If you encounter an online graduate school that advertises master's or doctorate degrees based solely on life experience, check accreditation carefully.
You are almost certainly dealing with an online degree mill. Degree mills are fake colleges that “mill” or crank out worthless paper degrees to thousands of unsuspecting students each year.
•
Caution: Check Fees Experience programs typically cost less than regular courses that charge you tuition. On the other hand, "credit for experience" programs are rarely free. Every exam carries an exam fee. For example, CLEPs cost $70 each and local test centers may charge an additional fee for each CLEP exam they proctor.
Colleges themselves typically charge “assessment fees” per course or per credit to transcript exams and evaluate portfolio credits.
Compare college fee structures carefully before enrolling.
A few online colleges charge as much per credit to use assessment services as they charge in regular course tuition.
Because prices and procedures vary among colleges, a year of degree credit earned through alternative means could cost you $600 or upwards of $6,000.
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