Academic Credit for Prior Learning

Get Credit for What You Already Know!

Your knowledge plus experience can equal college credit. Through Academic Credit for Prior Learning (ACPL) you may be able to:

Use work and life experience to receive credit towards your degree or certificate,
Save money by not repeating classes,
Complete your degree faster!

There are several ways to get credit for work and life experience:

College Equivalency Exams

AP (Advanced Placement)
Peninsula College awards Advanced Placement (AP) credits based on the Washington State Board equivalencies recommendations, any courses that we do not offer will be given discipline or elective credit.
SBCTC Equivalency Guide

For more information, please visit AP Central.

CI (Cambridge International)
Peninsula College will grant a minimum elective credit for each Cambridge International Examination for A-level exam with a passing grade or above for approved examinations. Credit will be awarded on the basis of official Cambridge International Examination results, not transcript notation. Duplicate credit for the same subject taken on different exams will not be granted. No grades are posted for A-level exams.
SBCTC Equivalency Guide

CLEP (College-level Subject Exams)
Acceptance of credit through the College Board for College-level Subject Exams (CLEP). Students must achieve a score in the 50th percentile or higher to receive “pass” credit at Peninsula College. Peninsula College is not a testing site for CLEP and credit must be transferred in. There will not be a transcription fee for these credits. For more information, please visit CLEP's website.

DSST (Subject Standardized Test)
Acceptance of credit through the DSST examination program offered by Educational Testing Services. There are 50 subject-standardized tests covering a wide range of college level academic, business, and technical subjects. Peninsula College is a testing site for DSST. There will be a transcription fee for these credits. For more information, please contact Student Services.

International Baccalaureate Credit
Peninsula College will grant a minimum elective credit for an International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level (HL) exam score of 5 or higher. Credit will be awarded on the basis of official IB results. Peninsula College awards International Baccalaureate(IB) credits based on the Washington State Board equivalencies recommendations, any courses that we do not offer will be given discipline or elective credit.
SBCTC Equivalency Guide

Military Education and Experience
When military courses are directly related to a student’s course of study or program at Peninsula College, it is possible for credit to be awarded for use toward a specific degree or certificate, click here for our military crosswalk. It should be noted, however, that many such courses may not be applicable and, therefore, no credit can be awarded. Official documentation needs to be submitted to the Student Services office.

Steps for ACPL through College Equivalency Exams:

Student requests official copy of CLEP/DSST/CI/IB test scores be sent to Peninsula College Assessment and Placement Center (ACP). Once received, APC staff determines course equivalencies.
Appropriate course credits are added to the student’s record.
CLEP credits will be awarded at the time of certificate or degree awards as per Academic Credit for Prior Learning Guidelines from the State Board.

*Please note – there is no application or transcription fee required for Credit by Testing.

Certifications & Licenses: Under construction. Ask our PLC if this option is right for you.

Work & Life Experience

Option 1: Take a Challenge Exam issued by Peninsula College. Generally created by the faculty of record, a cumulative course exam shows your understanding of the course material meets the course objectives. *Exams are not available for all courses.

Option 2: Create a Portfolio of your prior work that shows your level of understanding of the course material meets the course objectives.

Steps for either options:

Student meets with Prior Learning Coordinator (PLC) to discuss options for receiving credit for prior learning.
PLC confers with appropriate instructional dean and/or faculty member to determine eligibility for ACPL and whether the course challenge or portfolio is the best option.
The student will be notified which path is best fit to measure course objectives and provided with cost based on the Cost Comparison Chart (see below).
If the student moves forward with ACPL, the student and PLC will go over fees and process to prepare for and complete the proof of meeting the objectives of the course.
The student submits application to Prior Learning Coordinator (PLC) and pays $50.00 application fee* at Business Services or ctcLink.
Next steps for either options:
1. Option 1: Challenge Exam
  1. The student will be charged for the course credits and will pay $75/credit* for the prior learning credits through the Business Office or ctcLink.
  2. The instructor will provide student with an expectation and agreement form, and will prepare, administer, and grade the examination.
  3. After the examination has been graded the instructor will complete the Challenge Exam form and will forward it to the PLC.
  4. The student will be notified of the results.
  5. Credit will be transcribed in the academic quarter equivalency credit is approved (some limitations apply).
2. Option 2: Portfolio
  1. The student will be enrolled in HUMDV 100 for 1 or 2 credits* and pay $75/credit* for the prior learning credits being attempted.
  2. Guidelines for the portfolio will be provided by the subject area faculty member. Guidelines will include the outcomes to be demonstrated and the range of artifacts that can be used to demonstrate the achievement of those outcomes.
  3. The finished portfolio is submitted by the student to the faculty member who assesses whether the evidence provided demonstrates completion of the course outcomes.
  4. If the student’s completed portfolio demonstrates successful achievement of the course outcomes, the faculty sends a recommendation to award credit to the Assessment Coordinator.
  5. Credit will be transcribed in the academic quarter equivalency credit is approved (some limitations apply).

*All fees are non-refundable

Example Cost Comparison

Example cost comparison for one five-credit course:

	Course Tuition	Challenge Exam	Portfolio
Application Fee*	0	$50	$50
Per Credit Fee*	$127.59	$75	$75
Credit Multiplier	5	5	5
HUMDV 100 (1cr)*	0	0	$152.34
TOTAL	$637.95	$425	$577.34

*All fees are non-refundable

Important Policies & Considerations

ACPL credits can only be awarded for classes that Peninsula College offers.
Grading for ACPL is determined by the faculty.
Approval for ACPL (completed application form and payment) does not guarantee that you will receive a passing grade.
It is important to submit all assessments and documentation to your instructor prior to the deadline, which is usually at the end of the quarter.
Credits awarded are identified as such on the student’s transcript and are not calculated into the GPA.
No more than 15 credits of portfolio-style ACPL can transfer to universities in Washington at the discretion of transfer institutions.
Most universities in Washington have indicated that they will accept ACPL classes, especially when it is part of a completed Associate in Arts, Direct Transfer Agreement (AA-DTA) degree. Students intending to transfer to a four-year college for further study are encouraged to work closely with their transfer institution to explore the requirements of the college they wish to attend after Peninsula College.
Transferability of these credits to other colleges will be subject to the policies of the receiving institution.
Credits for prior learning do not count toward the minimum 30 credits in residency requirement for graduation.

For more info about ACPL, please contact Prior Learning Coordinator Leigh Jewett at ejewett@pencol.edu or book an appointment.

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