Eliminating Barriers to Credit for Prior Learning

Many individuals enter college with military training, industry credentials, and/or other noncredit training. To recognize the knowledge and skills from these previous experiences, many colleges offer college credit for prior learning. Credit for prior learning (CPL) saves students time and money on a college degree and communicates to individuals that their incoming knowledge and skills are valuable. States and college systems are also getting involved in scaling credit for prior learning to standardize the process for students across colleges.

But students continue to face major barriers to accessing credit for prior learning at some colleges. Navigating the college enrollment process can be challenging, and students may not be aware of existing CPL policies. Colleges may also have administrative processes and charge fees that deter students from pursuing these opportunities. College outreach efforts and intake practices play an important role in determining whether eligible students learn about and receive the credit they deserve.

We highlight seven promising outreach and intake practices that colleges should consider to improve student access to credit for prior learning. We explored these practices in Ohio community colleges and found that some practices were more common (e.g., clear websites, one-on-one advising) while others were less common (e.g., screening through applications, using data to inform practices).

1. Offer a clear website that provides basic information on CPL opportunities and a way for a student to take action to initiate the process. College websites (PDF) are an important informational resource for prospective and current students. Admissions and/or academic services pages should clearly describe credit for prior learning opportunities in simple language. Websites should be actionable, meaning that students should be able to directly reach out to an individual or complete a form to start the process of applying for credit for prior learning.
2. Provide training to frontline staff. Some students may not seek out credit for prior learning opportunities, so they may never make it to the website or office. Colleges must cast a wider net with their outreach approaches. Frontline staff such as faculty, enrollment offices, and registrars should all be familiar (PDF) with the college's credit for prior learning opportunities and where to send students who might be eligible. College academic and student services offices should consider staff professional development at least annually to ensure frontline staff are aware of updated policies and can give input into further streamlining processes across departments.
3. Connect with industry partners to spread the word about credit for prior learning.There are many individuals who could benefit from upskilling but may not actively be searching college websites and pursuing enrollment. In addition to college websites, individuals tend to get information on education and training opportunities from other sources such as advisers, employers, peers, and family members. By partnering with industry credential providers, employers, and other outreach partners, colleges may be able to amplify awareness of CPL. Colleges can utilize already existing employer engagement channels to ensure employers are aware of credit for prior learning opportunities for their current and future workers.

4. Systematically screen students for eligibility.One potential way to find students who may be eligible for credit for prior learning is to put a simple question on the college application or other standard form or survey given to students early in the enrollment process. Advisers and/or coordinators can then provide targeted follow-up to eligible students. Follow-up conversations to assess prior learning and complete administrative requirements are often necessary, but screening can help colleges to proactively identify eligible students.
5. Engage in one-on-one advising sessions. Colleges should ensure that students learn about opportunities for credit for prior learning from enrollment advisers, academic advisers, or other college navigators (PDF), ideally before students register for classes or shortly thereafter. While advising conversations often have to cover a lot of ground, advisers should have a mandatory checklist of topics that includes credit for prior learning to potentially catch students who may be eligible for such benefits.
6. Ensure that credit is transcripted early with minimal fees. Students need to receive CPL early, because otherwise they may end up taking duplicative courses. Early credit momentum can also be motivating and support college persistence. In areas where states and systems have established crosswalks (e.g., military credit, industry credentials), the process should be simple and should not require additional student fees. More complex, individualized credit for prior learning opportunities such as portfolio analysis require substantial faculty time and may require fees.
7. Leverage data to measure progress and identify areas for improvement. Colleges should track (PDF) how many students receive credit for prior learning and what type of credit they receive. Such data can then be used in program reviews, accreditation processes or in other annual reports to assess whether students are using these credit options, which types seem most useful, and how to close gaps among different groups or students enrolled in different programs.

Colleges are under pressure to demonstrate they offer value to students. In addition, many colleges are also focused on attracting adult learners who need to upskill or reskill for jobs. Credit for prior learning can help to improve college efficiency and provide attractive on-ramps for adult learners. But if the onus is on the individual to find out about and apply for this credit, few students will benefit. Colleges must take a more proactive role in making sure that eligible students can easily access credit for prior learning opportunities.