Sources of Credit

Overview
The following are frequently cited as sources of credit for the Big 3 schools.

The following are frequently cited as sources of credit for the Big 3 schools. Because of the number of credit options available and the frequency at which credit-recommendations change or are updated, it is impossible to make this an exhaustive list of every option available, but these are some very common options we frequently discuss on the forum.

Please also see: Several Sources Of Cheap Credit and Free Sources of Credit

Note: Each school has its own academic transfer policies and you should confirm any choice of alternate credit with an advisor at your school.

Credit by Exam

 * AP Exams (ACE-approved; available for high school students only; accepted by all of the Big 3 )
 * CLEP (College Level Examination Program; accepted by all of the Big 3 )
 * DSST (DANTES Standardized Subject Test; accepted by all of the Big 3)
 * NYU Foreign Language Proficiency Testing (up to 16 credits transfer to all of the Big 3)
 * TECEP (Thomas Edison Examination Program; accepted by all of the Big 3)
 * UExcel (Excelsior College's exam program; accepted by all of the Big 3)
 * CSU Global (CSU Global's Self-Study Assessments program; accepted by all of the Big 3. Only available to CSU Global students and not to the general public.)

Online Courses

 * Coopersmith (NCCRS-approved courses that test out with one exam, no textbooks needed)
 * The CSM Course (ACE approved. Accepted at a number of colleges for credit. Satisfies the Quantitative Reasoning general elective credit at TESU.)
 * Davar Academy (NCCRS-approved courses that test out with one exam, $70 per course, $99 for two business courses)
 * OnlineDegree.com - (NCCRS-approved courses. One exam that costs $9, no textbooks needed. US residents/citizens only.)
 * FEMA (Accepted by EC with great hassle. Not accepted by TESU or by COSC.)
 * Lost Tribes of Israel - (a single UL NCCRS-recommended offered by TRIO (Theological Research Institute Online) that is recommended for UL history credit - cost is currently $300)
 * Penn Foster College (a nationally accredited school with some transferable credits to the Big 3, as long as .they are ACE-approved; courses are usually $389 which includes textbooks and materials. See this page for Penn Foster-TESC course equivalencies)
 * Propero (ACE-approved courses with a format like that of Straighterline; cost is $330 each as of April, 2020)
 * Rechtschaffen Institute of Judaic Studies (NCCRS-approved courses with a few counted as UL in history, religion, ethics, and political science)
 * Saylor Foundation (ACE and NCCRS-approved courses that only cost $25 for proctored final exam
 * Sophia Learning (ACE-approved courses that cost $79 per month for unlimited courses)
 * Straighterline (ACE-approved courses with proctored final exams that transfer to many partner colleges, including all of the Big 3)
 * Study.com (ACE-approved, short videos with quizzes leading to a final exam, $200/month for 2 exams a month; $70 for additional exams. Also offer study videos for other exam options such as CLEP and DSST).
 * TEL Learning - (Middleman institution that offers 3-credit courses for $200 and 1-credit courses for $67; courses are transcribed at a regionally accredited university that is chosen by you from a very small list)
 * Texas A&M Engineering Extension (TEEX) (free ACE-approved online courses in cybersecurity, see Free Sources of Credit for more info; also a good source of cheap credits for a Criminal Justice degree at TESU)
 * Distance Learning: Community Colleges (take a class at your local or online CC, transfer it to the Big 3, as long as the CC is regionally accredited and the course is applicable to your degree plan)
 * Distance Learning: 4-Year Colleges (any regionally accredited college course will transfer, as long as it is applicable to your degree plan)
 * Other courses that are reviewed and approved by ACE or NCCRS.

Military Service, Professional Licenses & Misc. Training

 * LearningCounts (Prior Learning Assessments allow you to obtain college credit for knowledge, experience or non-credit training courses you've taken. Learning Counts self-paced course costs $149 and then each portfolio costs $125 each.  LearningCounts partners with many colleges, but also uses NCCRS for credit recommendations.  See this discussion for more (although some of the information from the external link is outdated).
 * Military service and training can be worth ACE-approved college credit at many schools, including the Big 3 .  Click each branch's name for the link to where you'll be able to obtain your service transcript to submit to your school:  Air Force & Air National Guard, Army & Army National Guard, Coast Guard, Navy & Marine Corps.
 * Professional licenses and certifications can be worth college credit at some schools.  Always check with your school's policies to see if they are accepted and how they will transfer in.  For Excelsior College download this PDF; for Charter Oak State College click here; for Thomas Edison State University see this page.

Examples of Colleges Offering Distance Learning Courses
The following are commonly used for coursework credit that is then transferred into the Big 3.
 * Brigham Young University Independent Study - $212/credit hr.; no state residency requirement. Upper and lower-level courses available.
 * CalCampus - Cost varies depending on course; no state residency requirement.  Upper-Level credit. Accredited as a postsecondary institution but does not offer or hold accreditation to offer degrees, which might limit transferability.
 * Clovis Community College - $44/credit in-district residents; $54/credit out of district residents; $111/credit non-resident. Additional per-course and per-credit fees may apply. Lower Level courses only.
 * Diné College - $55/credit, as of June 2020. No residency requirements. Mostly lower-level courses.
 * University of Idaho Independent Study - $160/credit hr flat + $30 fee/course. Upper Level & credits available.
 * Kentucky Community & Technical College System - DegreeForum.net member ternzer recently "guinea pigged" this school and developed a full guide (click here ) on how to get the most out of KCTCS courses in the shortest time possible. Approx. $182 per credit hour as of April 2020.
 * Louisiana State University Online Distance Learning - $279 per credit hour. Upper-level credit.
 * Luna Community College - $38/credit for out-of-state residents for 6 credits per semester. Lower-level courses only.
 * New Mexico Junior College - $89/credit for out-of-state residents.  Lower Level courses only.
 * Bellevue College Distance Learners - $113/credit lower level WA residents, $291/credit non-residents 1-10 credits and $220/credit upper level WA residents, $620/non-residents 1-10 credits. Other various fees apply. See tuition page for details.

The following are less-frequently cited as sources:


 * Arizona State University Earned Admissions - Courses are FREE to take for no credit. If you want to attempt to take the course for credit, you may upgrade for $25. If you like the grade, it costs $400 per course or $133/credit hour to register the course for credit. 20+ LL classes available on a rotating basis.
 * Colorado State University-Pueblo Independent Study - $205/credit hour; no state residency requirement; UL & LL courses available.
 * East Tennesse State - Free courses with letter of competition. Univ credit option $300/course.
 * Mississippi State University Distance learning - $345/credit hour; no state residency requirement. Upper & lower level courses available.
 * Navajo Technical Institute - Limited number of online courses available. Approximately $142.50/credit hour + $35 online fee per course.
 * Quincy College - Mostly $229/credit, but check varying rates for different programs. No state residency requirement. Lower-level courses only.
 * Rio Salado College - $250/credit (as of August 2020) for both AZ residents & non-residents online. 48 times per year to register for courses. Lower-level courses only.
 * University of Alaska - Fairbanks Center for Distance Education - $234/credit at 100/200 level; $282/credit at 300/400 level; $513/credit at 500/600 level; No residency requirement and courses may be taken for a semester or through a whole year.
 * University of Arkansas Self-paced - $135 tuition per credit hour + $30 fees per credit hour. Upper and lower-level courses available.
 * University of Mississippi Independent Study - $1089.75/course (3 credits); no residency requirement. Upper & lower level courses available.
 * University of North Dakota Online- 355.85 per credit plus fees for non-residents; lower tuition may apply. Upper & lower level courses available.
 * University of Oklahoma Independent Study - Approx. $342/credit; no state residency requirement. Upper & lower level courses available.
 * Upper Iowa University - Online instructor-led courses $488/credit, self-paced courses $330/credit. See tuition & costs for details.
 * Western New Mexico University - $352/credit for out-of-state residents for 6 credits per semester. $274/credit for NM residents.  Lower Level and Upper-Level courses available.  FAFSA eligible.
 * Washtenaw Community College - $95 or $164/credit for in-state residents, $224/credit for out-of-state residents & $268/credit for international students. LL credits.
 * York College - $350/credit Lower Level and Upper-Level courses available.

What it is:

 * PLA is accredited college credit for college-level knowledge gained independently outside of the accredited academic environment that has not been specifically pre-evaluated by an acceptable credit review organization such as Ace, NCCRS, or your own institution.
 * Examples would include: On-the-job-training/experience(OJT), courses taken from non-accredited sources whether it be a non-accredited academic institution, open courseware (OCW or MOOC), continuing education, or independent study from tutors, mentors, and/or textbooks.
 * PLA can be documented through a narration summary of what you know, how you know it, and back-up evidence that it was you who gained the knowledge.
 * PLA credits are generally tied directly to a similar, by title and/or syllabi, accredited college course outcomes.
 * You demonstrate your knowledge by crafting a portfolio of documentation that is assessed by a subject matter competent reviewer that determines whether you have met the minimum proficiency level (grade C or better knowledge) of a specific college-level course.

What it is not:

 * You cannot earn PLA credit based on any length of time experience. E.g: You were secretary to a lawyer for over 5 years and experienced many legal issues.  The time is not important.  What academic legal knowledge that fulfills the outcomes of college-level courses can you demonstrate by documentation?
 * Because time experience alone has no theory/principles component of learning, you generally cannot earn PLA solely for general life experience or internships or practicums. (even though these might have an equivalent college course number, credit hours, and be required at some accredited institutions for certain majors).
 * PLAs are not graded credits and won't count in your overall GPA  So if you have GPA requirements over a certain number of hours credit, PLA won't fulfill your academic requirements.
 * PLA may not help you get into graduate school, earn a teacher's license, or qualify for another professional license except under certain circumstances. E.g: A portfolio/departmental test/audition (such as for studio and performing arts majors) or standardized tests (such as GRE, LSAT, Praxis, etc.) are the established practice for entry into your professional school or employment.
 * PLA is probably not the simplest nor easiest way to earn credit.  You can expect to spend as much as 35 hours with 10-30 pages for your portfolio narration,  You may spend weeks gaining evidence such as letters of recommendation, old photos, performance videos, etc

Who should consider PLA?

 * You want to complete your degree offline and there are no other options for certain required courses, or
 * Your college degree is a terminating event. I.e. you are sure that the degree you are pursuing is the last in your career plans, or
 * Earning your PLA will be faster/cheaper than other methods; e.g: credit-by-exam, online courses, etc, E.g: You have a lot of credits needed and you have a lot of potential PLA credit possibilities.
 * And you know for certain that your institution will accept specific PLAs into your degree plan - this is the root cause of most disappointing PLA experiences.  Verify with your enrolled advisor before spending any time and/or money on what you personally believe to be acceptable prior non-accredited learning

PLA FAQs

 * Does the college-level knowledge for a PLA have to be only in the past?
 * No, there is no reason you could not build your portfolio for your "prior learning" in parallel with your actual acquisition of it. In fact, this is the way to get the credits you need when there are no other options for you. Just be sure you complete the learning in the same time span as you get for taking the PLA course, which varies by the institution, or that you start the learning before registering for the PLA course. Never, never, use this method for critical degree requirements without first clearing your plan with your enrolled advisor!

FEMA Independent Study (limited utility)
Thomas Edison State University and Charter Oak State College no longer accept FEMA credits.

With some hassle and great expense, Excelsior College will take FEMA IS courses, but doing so is potentially cost-prohibitive.

Frederick Community College grants credits for some combinations of FEMA IS courses. The fees are around $88/credit, paid to transfer the courses to Federick Community College from FEMA.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency operates an online Independent Study program offering approximately 120 courses online for free.

See Federal Emergency Management Agency Independent Study Program for more information

Courses That Are NOT Accepted
Any course that is not from a regionally accredited school, or in the case of either ACE or NCCRS reviewed, limitations on the amount and/or type of credit accepted will probably be imposed. This includes any course that provides "Continuing Education Units" (CEUs) for completion. There are occasional exceptions, however, so it can't hurt to ask a school adviser if you have a specific course that you feel strongly about because they will be greatly difficult or time-consuming to replace. For example, credit may be granted for some certifications. Also, there are limitations for the total number of credits accepted from Community Colleges; In the final analysis, the acceptance for credit by a receiving accredited institution is completely at their policy discretion