Credit for Prior Learning

CPL can help you save time and money on your educational path. Students can now get credit for a course instead of just waiving a prerequisite. There is no cost in applying for CPL.

Students may demonstrate proficiency in a course eligible for Credit for Prior Learning and receive college credit through one of the following methods listed below:

• Achievement of a satisfactory score on an Advanced Placement (AP) examination.
• Achievement of a satisfactory score on the College Level Examination Program (CLEP).
• Achievement of a satisfactory score on a high-level International Baccalaureate (IB) examination.
• Evaluation of military service Joint Service Transcripts (JST)
• Satisfactory completion of an institutional examination, known as Credit by Examination
• Evaluation of student-created portfolios through experience (consists of knowledge and skills obtained through experiences such as military training, industry training, government training, internships, apprenticeships, work-based learning, other industry-based experiential learning or certification, validated volunteer and civic activities, and/or other courses).

Credits acquired by the above methods shall not be counted in determining the 12 semester units of credit in residence required for an Associate degree. Except for the college residency requirement, there is no maximum cap for units earned through Credit for Prior Learning. Noncredit students who are submitting a transcript evaluation request must be registered for credit level coursework or have an approved education plan on file for a credit level major. Students should consult with a counselor regarding the transferability of credit earned through prior learning.

• The student must be in good standing at the college
• The student must have previously earned credit or noncredit from the District or be currently registered in the District
• The course is listed in the current College Catalog
• The student is not currently enrolled in the course to be challenged
• The student must have an education plan on file. Student education plans are created with our counseling faculty – please schedule an appointment to discuss CPL and update your educational plan.
• Credit by Examination: The student is registered in the District and not currently enrolled in nor received credit for a more advanced course in the same subject

Courses Eligible for Credit by Examination

External Examination (AP, IB, CLEP) Information

We recommend that you meet with a counselor to discuss your external experiences to better determine if they may be eligible for CPL. In discussing this further with a counselor, it is important to ensure that your experience aligns with the specific course’s objectives. To better understand what is taught in our courses and what objectives each course aims to meet, please review the Course Outline of Record (COR) on our curriculum management database: https://westvalley.elumenapp.com/public/

1. Meet with a counselor to discuss parameters and create an educational plan
2. Complete the Credit for Prior Learning Request Form

If you have not received a response about your request in over 1 week, please contact our counseling team at %20askcounselingFREEWEST_VALLEY