by Vicky Phillips, CEO GetEducated.com, LLC

College isn't just for kids.
 The majority of college kids are 24 years old or older. In online undergraduate programs the average "college kid" is 36 years old.

Older learners present special challenges. Colleges were created to edify young, naïve students. Older students have extensive life knowledge. They have operated businesses and excelled at careers. Many have acquired vast specialized knowledge on-the-job.

 As more adults have returned to college, colleges have re-engineered themselves. Most colleges now teach new knowledge AND they assess those subjects that adults have mastered on their own. Once assessed, this knowledge may be placed on a college transcript. Credit is given where credit is due. 

By seeking credit for experience many adults can earn a college degree quicker and at considerable cost savings. At some colleges as much as half an undergraduate degree can be earned this way. The savings can amount to thousands to dollars. 

	Editor's Choice

Five Ways to Earn College Credit for Life Experience 

1.  Challenge Exams 
Challenge exams have been developed to "test" what a learner already knows about college-level subjects ranging from business to foreign languages to nursing. For a modest fee learners 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 29, single-subject college exams, and 5 general exams. Single subject exams cover the 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 5 general CLEP exams cover freshman-level knowledge in English composition, humanities, college mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences. If all 5 general exams are passed, up to 30 college credits may be awarded - the equivalent of an entire year of college. Contact: The College Board, 800-257-9558, http://www.collegeboard.com.
• Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) 
  DANTES exams, originally designed to test military learners, are now available to the public. DANTES cover business, social science, and physical science. Contact: DANTES Program Office, 877-471-9860, http://www.getcollegecredit.com.
• Thomas Edison College Exam Program (TECEP) 
  Thomas Edison State is New Jersey's adult education and distance learning college. Most who register for the TECEP program are also working toward a distance undergraduate degree with Edison, but other colleges also accept these exams. TECEPs cover the humanities, social science/history, science and math, business, and professional areas such as counseling. Contact: Thomas Edison State College, 609-984-1140, http://www.tesc.edu.
• Excelsior College Exams 
  Excelsior is New York'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. Exams are available in the liberal arts, business, and professional areas such as nursing and education. Contact: Excelsior College, 888-647-2388, http://www.excelsior.edu.
• Ohio University Exams 
  Most who register for these exams are earning a distance undergraduate degree from Ohio University but these exams may also be accepted by other accredited degree programs. In addition, learners can sometimes request that special tests be created in subject areas outside normal test offerings. Contact: Ohio University, Independent and Distance Learning Services, 800-444-2910, http://www.ohio.edu/independent.

2.  The Academic Portfolio Option
 Some people express themselves better in written form, via papers and essays, than they do on multiple choice timed 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: 

• You are not a good test-taker. 
• 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, that 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. Learners in the distance learning program at Ohio University, for example, must complete the course, Life and Career Experiences Analysis 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. 

3.  College Credit for Corporate Training
Colleges are not the major providers of adult education. Corporations spend more time, money, and more effort teaching adults than all the colleges in America combined. Many large corporations operate their own corporate universities, which specialize in teaching employees everything from time management to UNIX programming. Educational fervor among corporations is good news for adult learners. Non-collegiate training programs can often be converted to college credit through a portfolio process. Some larger 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). ACE/PONSI 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/PONSI 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. 

4.  College Credit for Professional Licenses and Credentials
The American Council on Education (ACE) has also reviewed professional certifications offered by non-collegiate agencies and made credit award recommendations in their official National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs. A few of these credentials are highlighted below: Certified Public Accountant Certified Computer Programmer Certified Novell Administrator Certified Novell Engineer Certified Professional Secretary Certified Purchasing Manager Chartered Financial Consultant FAA Pilot, Engineer, Mechanic Licenses Respiratory Therapy Technician In addition to ACE/PONSI 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. 

5.  College Credit for Military Training
The military is a huge provider of specialized training. ACE publishes an annual, whopping 4-volume set on how military training and occupational specialties translate into college degree credits through the ACE process. If you've been in the military in the last decade, you probably have ACE military credits that can be applied to a college degree. Boot Camp or Basic Training alone is usually worth several free elective credits in first aid, personal hygiene, physical education, and marksmanship. 

Caution: Limits on Credit for Experience 
Is it possible to earn an entire degree based solely on credit for life experience? The answer is yes, but rarely. Most regionally accredited colleges limit the number of exam credits they will accept to thirty credits (one year of college) likewise for portfolio or ACE credits. Typically, the last 30 semester credits (senior year) of any regionally accredited bachelor's degree must be taken directly from your degree-granting college.

Distance Learning Assessment Colleges 
Two 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, in reality, most learners who attend these two colleges also complete some formal college courses to earn their degrees. 

Life experience Credits and Online Graduate Degrees 
Most credit for experience programs apply only to undergraduate degrees - associate degrees or bachelor degrees. It is rare for an accredited graduate degree program to award credit for experience. Among the few that do the limit is 9 credits or 3 courses of a 12 to 15 course master's degree.If you encounter an online graduate school that advertises master 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 paying course tuition. On the other hand, credit for experience programs are rarely free. Every exam carries an exam fee. For example, CLEPs cost $50 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 $500 or upwards of $5,000.