Can I earn credit for my professional experiences?
You don't have to attend a class to earn college credit. In fact, you may already have some credit earned that can count toward a degree.
By Sean-Michael Green, 8/17/09
Millions of Americans who have never attended college are already on their way to earning college degrees.
And they might not even realize it.
With a bit of forethought and planning, working adults can earn college credits in a variety of ways without setting foot on campus. As a result, you can reduce the time and expense of a college education.
The American Council on Education (ACE) evaluates nontraditional educational experiences, such as apprenticeships and professional training courses, and determines a value in college credits for each experiences. They can issue a transcript that includes their credit recommendations. You can present your ACE transcript to colleges for possible credit.
Many working adults have encountered programs, workshops and courses that may come with credit recommendations from ACE. For example, every enlisted member of the military has training that ACE has evaluated. Even training you may have received as an intern at Walt Disney World, an employee of The Home Depot or as a volunteer firefighter could put you closer to your degree.
ACE evaluates a wide range of opportunities, including courses and training offered by businesses such as Delta Air Lines, IBM and McDonald’s Corporation; federal government agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Emergency Management Administration and the Transportation Security Administration; associations such as the American Bankers Association and the American Management Association; training providers such as Berlitz, Dale Carnegie & Associates, Learning Tree International and NETg; and many others. For a list and more information, visit acenet.edu.
A person who has completed a course requests a transcript through ACE. The transcript is then sent to the college that he or she wants to attend. Approximately 1,200 colleges and universities have agreed to accept ACE credit recommendations when appropriate.
It is important to note, however, that ACE does not issue college credits, and you cannot earn a degree directly from ACE. The organization issues recommendations, and it is up to your college or university to accept or reject those recommendations.
Once you determine which college you want to attend, speak with an academic adviser immediately to get an estimate of if and how many credits will be granted for your training experiences.
Sean-Michael Green is a former enlisted Marine; a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University; and the author of Marching to College: Turning Military Experience into College Admissions (Random House 2004).
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