Universities across the United States are grappling with both funding and enrollment pressures and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Decreasing state funding coupled with lower birth rates of the recent past (Grawe, 2018) are forcing colleges and universities to rethink enrollment and retention strategies. Amid the push to increase educational attainment nationally, there is a growing focus on more efficient pathways to graduation for both traditional and nontraditional learners. Consequently, prior learning assessment (PLA) is gaining broader acceptance in more traditionally focused colleges and universities. The PLA process acknowledges and honors college-level knowledge that is accrued outside the confines of the college walls. It can facilitate deeper learning outcomes for adults that are returning to a formal academic setting that didn't previously meet their needs as traditional-aged learners by guiding returning students through a self-reflective writing process to examine their evolution in the workforce. Groups such as the Prior Learning Assessment Network (PLAN) who are committed to rigorous PLA practices have engaged in a concerted effort to standardize the approach to assessing prior learning. This effort is ongoing and open to any institution that is seeking methods to begin, grow, or improve their PLA policy and practice.