What Is Prior Learning Assessment?
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a process that evaluates knowledge and skills you've gained outside of a traditional classroom and converts it into college credit. This includes work experience, military training, professional certifications, volunteer work, and self-directed learning.
The concept is simple: if you can demonstrate that you already know the material a course teaches, you shouldn't have to sit through the course and pay for it again.
Three Main PLA Methods
Who Benefits Most
PLA works best for people who have been living, working, and learning — even if they didn't realize it was "college-level" learning at the time.
5+ Years Work Experience
Managers, supervisors, project leads — your daily work maps to business, management, and communication courses.
Military Veterans
Military training is often ACE-evaluated for credit. Leadership, logistics, technical training, and security clearance coursework all count.
Licensed Professionals
Real estate agents, EMTs, CPR instructors, IT professionals — your certifications and licensure training often have ACE credit recommendations.
Self-Taught Experts
Programmers, artists, writers, entrepreneurs — if you taught yourself a skill and can demonstrate mastery, that's PLA-eligible learning.
How Many Credits You Could Get
The number varies by individual, but the range is significant. Most adult learners who go through a thorough PLA process earn between 15 and 45 credits. Some earn 60 or more — that's half a bachelor's degree.
Typical PLA Credit Ranges
At an average cost of $500-$1,500 per course, 30 PLA credits could save you $15,000-$45,000 and cut a full year off your degree timeline.
Types of PLA
Portfolio Assessment
The most flexible PLA method. You create a portfolio documenting your learning with evidence, then a faculty evaluator reviews it against specific course learning outcomes.
Cost: $100-$500 per portfolio (varies by school) | Timeline: 4-8 weeks for evaluation | Credits: Varies widely — some earn 3, others earn 30+
DSST Exams (Formerly DANTES)
Standardized exams similar to CLEP but covering more advanced and specialized topics like Ethics in America, Organizational Behavior, and Human Resource Management.
Cost: $100 per exam | Timeline: Results in days | Credits: 3 credits per passed exam | Military: Free for active duty through DANTES
ACE Credit Recommendations
The American Council on Education evaluates corporate training, military training, and professional certifications, then recommends college credit equivalencies. Your employer's training program or your professional certification may already be ACE-evaluated.
Cost: Free (already evaluated) | Timeline: Transcript request takes 1-2 weeks | Credits: Depends on training — military members often get 15-30 credits
Preparing Your Portfolio
A strong PLA portfolio isn't a resume — it's a structured argument that your real-world learning meets the same outcomes as a college course. Here's what to include:
Job descriptions and performance reviews
Show the scope and complexity of your responsibilities over time
Professional certifications and licenses
PMP, CPA, real estate license, IT certs — these demonstrate verified competency
Training records and completion certificates
Corporate training, workshops, seminars, and professional development
Work samples and project documentation
Reports, presentations, project plans, budgets — tangible proof of applied knowledge
Letters from supervisors or clients
Third-party validation of your skills and expertise
Self-assessment essays
Map your experience to specific course learning outcomes — this is the connective tissue
PLA-Friendly Schools
Not every college values PLA equally. Look for schools that are members of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) — they've committed to recognizing prior learning. Key signals that a school takes PLA seriously:
Schools like Western Governors University, Thomas Edison State, Charter Oak State, and Excelsior University are known for robust PLA programs that adult learners love.
The Outcomes Data
PLA isn't just a shortcut — it fundamentally changes your odds of finishing your degree. CAEL's landmark research tells a compelling story:
The graduation rate difference is the most important number. Adult learners who receive PLA credit feel validated — their experience counts — and they start closer to the finish line. Both factors dramatically reduce dropout risk.
How College Decoded Helps
College Decoded already has tools designed to help you maximize credit from prior learning:
Credit Lab
Track AP, CLEP, and prior learning credits in one place. See exactly how many credits you've banked and how many you still need.
Military ACE Credit Lookup
Veterans can look up ACE credit recommendations for their military training and see which schools accept those credits.
CLEP Strategy Guide
CLEP exams are a form of PLA — and College Decoded helps you identify which exams match your existing knowledge and which schools accept them.
Your Experience Is Worth Credits
Don't start from zero when you've been learning for years. Use College Decoded to map your credits, find PLA-friendly schools, and build the fastest path to your degree.
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