Key Takeaways
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)
Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is a process through which colleges and universities award academic credit for knowledge and skills you've already gained — outside a traditional classroom. This includes professional work experience, military training, industry certifications, and self-directed study. Instead of repeating what you already know, CPL allows you to demonstrate that knowledge and have it count toward your degree requirements.
CPL is sometimes called Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Assessment methods vary by institution and may include standardized exams, portfolio reviews, or faculty evaluations of documented competencies.
Why Prior Learning Credit Matters for Adult Learners
Returning to college as a working adult means carrying something most traditional students don't: years of real-world experience. Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) exists precisely to recognize that experience as academically meaningful — not just personally valuable.
Research from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) has found that adult students who earn prior learning credit are more likely to complete their degrees than peers who don't. The reasons are practical: CPL can reduce the number of courses required, lower tuition costs, and shorten the overall time to graduation. For a busy professional, fewer semesters enrolled can make the difference between finishing a degree and abandoning it.
CPL is part of a broader commitment in higher education to treat adult learners as the capable, experienced individuals they are — rather than asking them to start from zero.
56%
CPL students more likely to graduate
According to CAEL research, adult learners who earn prior learning credit are 56% more likely to complete their bachelor's degree than those who do not.
11 months
Average time saved toward degree
CAEL's research suggests that CPL credit can reduce a degree timeline by roughly 11 months on average for adult learners who use it.
~2,900
Colleges accepting CLEP exams
The College Board reports that approximately 2,900 U.S. colleges and universities accept CLEP examination scores for college credit.
How Institutions Assess Prior Learning
There's no single method for evaluating prior learning credit — institutions use several approaches, and many programs offer more than one option depending on the subject matter and the learner's background.
Standardized Examinations
Programs like the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DSST (formerly known as DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) allow learners to take exams that demonstrate college-level knowledge in specific subjects. Passing scores can earn credit at thousands of participating institutions. These are particularly useful for subjects where your learning has been broad and self-directed.
Portfolio Assessment
A portfolio is a structured collection of evidence — work samples, job descriptions, training records, professional certifications, and written narratives — compiled to show that you've mastered specific learning outcomes. A faculty member then evaluates the portfolio against course-level standards. This method is more time-intensive but well-suited to complex, career-specific competencies.
Departmental or Faculty Challenge Exams
Some departments allow students to take a locally developed exam or demonstrate a skill directly to a faculty evaluator. Passing shows mastery equivalent to completing the course.
Evaluated Training and Military Credits
Organizations like the American Council on Education (ACE) evaluate non-college training programs — including military occupational specialties — and recommend equivalent college credit. Many institutions accept these recommendations directly.
Start With a Course Catalog Comparison
Before meeting with an adviser, download your institution's course catalog and compare course learning outcomes against your own experience. Arriving with a specific list of courses you believe you can challenge — rather than a general question — makes the advising conversation far more productive and speeds up the assessment process.
What to Expect From the Process
If you're considering CPL, the process generally follows a predictable path, though timelines and requirements differ by school.
- Contact your institution's CPL or advising office to learn which methods are available and which courses can be substituted.
- Identify your qualifying experience — review course descriptions to match your knowledge to specific learning outcomes.
- Choose your assessment method — exam, portfolio, or faculty evaluation — based on the subject and your institution's options.
- Pay any assessment fees and submit your materials or sit for the exam.
- Receive a credit determination — if approved, credits are posted to your transcript and applied toward your degree requirements.
The process can take anywhere from a few weeks (for standardized exams) to several months (for portfolio reviews). Starting early — ideally before or shortly after enrollment — gives you the most flexibility in planning your course load.
It's also worth checking whether your employer offers education benefits that could offset CPL-related fees. Employer-sponsored education benefits are more common than many workers realize and can apply to degree-related costs beyond tuition.
Important Limitations to Understand
CPL is a valuable tool, but it comes with real constraints that adult learners should understand before building it into their degree plan.
CPL Is Not the Same as Waiving Requirements
Earning credit through prior learning assessment means the credit appears on your transcript and counts toward your degree, much like credit earned in a classroom. It is not simply a waiver or exemption. This distinction matters because it affects how your degree is evaluated by employers and graduate programs reviewing your academic record.
Credits may not transfer. A CPL credit earned at one institution doesn't automatically follow you to another. If you change schools, confirm whether those credits will be honored in your new program.
Not all programs accept CPL. Highly regulated fields — such as nursing, education licensure, or engineering — may restrict how prior learning credit can substitute for required coursework, particularly in clinical or lab-intensive courses.
Institutional accreditation matters. CPL credits only hold value when earned at an accredited institution. Understanding accreditation in online education is an essential first step before enrolling anywhere and pursuing CPL.
Assessment quality varies. Not every school's CPL process is equally rigorous or well-supported. Ask prospective institutions how many students use CPL annually and whether dedicated advisers guide the process.
For a complete picture of navigating a degree as an adult learner — from enrollment through graduation — see Adult Learning From Enrolment to Graduation.
“Prior learning assessment recognizes that learning happens everywhere — not just in classrooms. When institutions acknowledge this, adult learners can move forward without being held back by what they already know.”
— Pamela Tate, Former President and CEO, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)