The Utah Board of Higher Education has implemented a strategic plan to increase access to higher education and facilitate students' pathways to meaningful careers. A key initiative of the plan allows students to earn college credit for knowledge and skills acquired outside traditional college settings, such as through rigorous academic study…

This brief is part of a broad landscape analysis focused on policy and practice issues related to the recognition of prior learning. The landscape analysis focuses on issues arising in the practice of the recognition of prior learning, policies that encourage or limit its adoption, and key research needs and future directions for the field. This…

Technological advances and changes to America's workforce have created a need for adult workers to upskill their abilities. Many of these adults address this need by pursuing a college degree. While adult learners tend to excel in their coursework their graduation rates lag behind those of traditional undergraduates. Credit for prior learning or…

Advising is a critical component of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA). Students may have a range of learning experiences that advisors can help translate into academic credit. Redesigning advising systems is a key part of the work that NASPA -- Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and core partner organizations are leading as part of…

This 50-State Comparison provides a national overview of state policies to award college students with academic credit for military experience. This resource provides a link to the data table that answers the question, "Does the state have a policy to award academic credit for military experience?" Key findings are also listed.

This brief is part of a broad landscape analysis focused on policy and practice issues related to the recognition of prior learning. The landscape analysis focuses on issues arising in the practice of the recognition of prior learning, policies that encourage or limit its adoption, and key research needs and future directions for the field. The…

The majority of students enrolled in college today work at least part-time. Although the benefits of working have been noted for years, institutions of higher education tend to operate under the assumption that students should prioritize their academic careers over their employment. First we review literature examining why students work, the…

Supporting adult learners as they complete their postsecondary certificates and degrees is essential to meeting Washington state's educational attainment goals and meeting the employment needs of students and Washington employers. Academic Credit for Prior Learning (ACPL) is awarded when a student's prior learning is assessed and found to be the…

Community college students often hold knowledge from various professional and academic experiences. A challenge for these students, and for their institutions and employers, is how to formally bridge these competencies to support students' efforts to reach their academic and career goals. This issue brief looks at the practice of awarding credit…

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) surveyed member institutions to better understand institutional policies and practices related to prior learning assessment (PLA) and fielded a student survey to understand student perspectives on PLA. This brief shares findings and recommendations from this…

While nontraditional students are a growing population in colleges and universities today, their presence can also be seen throughout history. National policies and practices throughout United States history enabled a more diverse population of students to enter higher education, thus increasing the nontraditional student population. In this…

Many students -- as well as potential students -- have acquired a great deal of learning through their day-to-day lives outside of academia: knowledge acquired from work experience, on-the-job training, formal corporate training, military training, volunteer work, self-study, and a myriad of other extra-institutional learning opportunities…

College enrollment has increased over the past 10 years and is projected to continue growing over the next 10 for both full- and part-time students. At the same time, institutions face low retention and graduation rates. One policy that shows promise in increasing completion rates, especially for adult learners and those who served in the…

This 50-State Comparison focuses on Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) policies, which refer to a process to award academic credit for prior learning. This process involves assessing the learning and workforce skills a student has acquired through life and employment experience. Assessments can be performed using a variety of tools such as a…

In the discourse on diversity in colleges and universities in the United States, an often-neglected population is nontraditional adult learners. This article explores this invisible aspect of undergraduate diversity, and addresses how competence-based education, which focuses on demonstrating the actual ability "to do," is an innovative…