One of the most common questions that adult students have is whether there is a way for them to earn credits based on their “life experience.” College-level learning, acquired through life experience, can be assessed by Charter Oak State College in two ways.

Standardized Exams
The first option is to identify a nationally recognized standardized exam in the area of your experience. Study guides are available for the exams and they help adult students fill in any academic gaps associated with their experience. All students should consult at least one or two of the texts recommended in the study guide before taking an exam. A complete list of standardized exams that Charter Oak accepts for credit, along with links to the exam program websites, can be found in the Acquiring Credit section of the website.

Portfolio
The second option for having college-level learning acquired through life experience assessed is the portfolio process. This is essentially a three-step process. The first step is to identify college courses that it would be redundant for you to take based upon your experience. The second step is to write a narrative explaining how your experience demonstrates that you have the knowledge that you would have gained from the course and discussing how you have applied that knowledge. The third step is to provide supporting documentation. Students work with our Assessment Coordinator throughout this process, and more detailed information is available in the Acquiring Credit section of the website.

Once you have matriculated at Charter Oak, feel free to speak with your Academic Counselor about these options for assessing college-level learning acquired through life experience. Your Academic Counselor will be happy to offer feedback and make some recommendations to help you get started.

Charter Oak Portfolio Website