Prior learning credit
is nontraditional in nature and is granted for knowledge already gained. It is
awarded by the school and may not be honored at another institution. Not all
schools award it, and it is often not advertised on schools' websites.
The most obvious type of prior
learning credit for service members is granted through your Joint Services
Transcript (JST) or your Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript. Many
schools award JST/CCAF credit, but the amount that is awarded and where the
credit goes (which type of credit, general education or elective) will change
per institution. For example, there are 23 California State University (CSU) campuses
and each one has its own policy toward JST and CCAF credit.
Can this difference of credit
awarded affect you? Yes. If you transfer schools there is no guarantee that the
JST/CCAF credit that your first school awarded you will be honored at the
second school. Ultimately, everything is up to the school you are transferring
in to.
Prior learning credit also
includes CLEP/DSST credit, life experience (usually requires a portfolio), departmental
challenge exams, and Advanced Placement (AP) exams.
Now, just like each CSU has its
own JST/CCAF policy, they have also developed their own policies toward CLEP
and DSST. It is a giant pain to keep track of, and, hopefully, you will not
need to track policies at multiple schools.
Prior learning credit is valuable
because it can potentially help you fast-track your degree and save GI Bill
benefits. Fast-tracking your degree gets you back into the workforce faster.
This is especially important for those of you who have families. Prior learning
credit can help you retain GI Bill benefits for a master's degree. You have 36
months of benefits. Whatever you don't need to use for your undergrad, you can
retain for grad school. This gives you better bang for your benefit! It may
also help you build a buffer into your schedule each semester. For example, on
a 4 month semester, you need to take 4 classes (12 semester hours) to be considered full time.
Full time status is important if you want to receive full-time housing stipend.
If you don't have any college credit, but your school (hypothetical) awards you
6 JST credits and you passed 2 CLEP tests (see posting on CLEP) that your
school is going to give you 6 credits for, you have either built a buffer into
your first 4 semesters or you may be able to graduate early.
To break it down further, or as
my hubby would state "break it down Barney-style for me," most
degrees require 120 semester hours to graduate (if you are on quarter units it
would be 180 units, and, P.S., I hate your school b/c quarter units make my
head hurt when I convert them!). This requires you to take 15 semester hours
(SH) each semester to total 30 SHs at the end of each year and 120 SHs at the
end of 4 years (15 SH + 15 SH=30 SH/per year, then year 1=30, year 2=60, year
3=90, year 4=120 and you should graduate). So, if you have 12 extra credits,
awarded through prior learning credit, you could take 12 SHs for your first 4
semesters and still have earned 60 SHs by the end of two years. This may help
you if you need to work while attending school. Of course, you could still take
a full load (15 SHs) each semester and graduate early...just saying...
Comments
Post a Comment