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Reducing the cost of your education can provide you with the flexibility to pursue your education while living within your means. Of course, earning scholarships can be very helpful toward this goal, but they’re not the only way to reduce the cost of your education. See how to get credit for your life and work experience to reduce your college costs.

Can you reduce college cost with life and work experience?

Think of it this way: What if, instead of seeking to reduce the cost of college, you could start college getting credit for some of your life and work experience? You not only would pay less in tuition, but you’d also spend less time in school.

Leveraging your education and work experience can be a straightforward way to earn college credit. A number of schools accept this type of experience, as it can be demonstrated and verified through objective, credible sources, like prior employers and certification assessments.

Many colleges and universities also take life experience and experiential learning into account when awarding students with college credits. This learning might come from paid work, a personal passion or even volunteering.

There are two main ways to earn credits this way: a prior learning assessment and taking exams. 

A prior learning assessment (PLA) for a college or university generally takes into account both your educational and work experience. Schools generally expect some or all of the following as part of a PLA:

• Education history
• Certifications
• Training history
• Licensure

These can help a college or university develop a more complete picture of what kind of student you are. In fact, a PLA can set you up for an easier and speedier college experience. According to a , students who use PLA credits graduate at higher rates than those who don’t use PLA, particularly at two-year institutions.  

Along with work experience, colleges and universities may take life experience and experiential learning into account when awarding students with college credits. This learning might come from paid work, a personal passion or even volunteering.

Though methods vary from school to school, assessment of life experience can be conducted through two ways: The life-experience journal and submitting a portfolio of documented training, licenses and third-party certifications.

How does a life experience journal work?

A first-person journal chronicling what your life experience has taught you about a specific topic can relate to a general education requirement for your degree.

Experiential journals can cover a wide range of topics. A journal should drill down to a number of subtopics. For example, a person with experience in American Sign Language (ASL) could write about the similarities and differences between ASL and English, as well as related topics. Along with letters of reference that confirm the student has mastered the knowledge and skills required by a course, the satisfactory completion of this journal could result in lower-level credits toward a communication arts requirement, which a student would otherwise earn by completing a class. It’s also important to note that different topics can have different documentation requirements. 

How does a portfolio assessment work?

A portfolio assessment is ideal for students who do not yet have work experience, but have completed a structured learning program and have a specific credential or documents that attest to that earned experience and knowledge.

For example, industry licenses like a real estate or a CPA license, or formal training with an employer, may lead to the necessary credentials for college credit. Another pathway might be sitting for an industry exam offered by Amazon Web Services™, Google™ or CISCO^®.

Students need to provide proof of completion, along with some supporting documentation, to potentially earn credit. 

What kinds of topics can be included in a journal or portfolio?

What are some topics to include in a journal or portfolio?

Depending on the school and program, general educational categories can include:

1.      Communication arts

2.      Humanities

3.      Physical/biological science

4.      Physical education

5.      Science/technology

6.      Social science

7.      An interdisciplinary category

These categories break down to hundreds of approved topics, so chances are you’ll find topics you’re familiar with. 

Examinations for life and work experience credits

Besides a prior learning assessment, many colleges and universities accept certain exams as a pathway toward credit for life and work experience. Generally, the number of credits earned this way are more limited as compared to what can be earned with a prior learning assessment, but exams can still be effective for reducing the cost and time to earn a degree.

Why go through an examination process instead of a prior learning assessment? Well, many students may not have the on-paper prerequisites, such as third-party certifications and licensure, required for a prior learning assessment.

An examination, on the other hand, strictly tests your knowledge on a certain subject. You’ll be assessed on your ability to pass or not pass the exam, opening the opportunity to earn credits without specific qualifications.

If you’re looking to get college credit this way, you will most commonly see exams offered through CLEP, or the . More than 30 examination options are available to students through CLEP, such as:

• American government
• Human growth and development
• Psychology
• Literary analysis
• Spanish
• Chemistry

While the number of credits you can earn this way is generally limited, exams are a great option for anyone with the know-how to pass. When researching your college or university, make sure to explore which exam credits it accepts, and how many credits you can achieve through this method of life and work assessment. 

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