The purpose of the review reported here is to identify what has been and is being done in formally recognizing the educational and career relevance of the skills and competencies which women learn from their life experiences. Methodology noted includes survey of published literature and interviews with organizations, projects, and individuals to determine approaches and techniques for accrediting experience. Focus is on the kinds of learning that take place outside the usual formal instruction offered in school or college--prior learning as opposed to school-sponsored experiential learning. Topics under which findings are presented include accredited prior classroom and experiential learning, noncredit prior classroom learning, colleges' recognition of nonclassroom prior learning, and transferability of nonclassroom prior experience learning into paid employment. Conclusions presented are as follows: the main approaches used by educational institutions to assess prior experience learning are (1) course or program evaluation, (2) credit by examination, and (3) portfolio development. Portfolio development is considered the optimum because of its flexibility, but because of its individualization it involves more time and higher costs. Credit by examination works best when there is good correspondence between content of exam and scope of experience. Course/program evaluation is possible only for prior learning involving formal instruction. The main approach used to relate women's prior learning to employment involves matching individual competencies with job competencies. (JT)