Get credit for what you know!
Use Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) to save time and money - get credit for what you know and earn your degree quicker. If your learning matches a college course, you can earn credit for it.
Charter Oak, like many colleges across the U.S., is adopting the new, more user-friendly term of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) to encourage more students to participate in the programs. Use of the term "assessment" can be off-putting, serve as a deterrent, and will no longer be used. Credit for Prior Learning, or CPL, is meant to be inclusive and available to all of our students who’ve acquired learning outside of Charter Oak, such as through self-study, upskilling, work-related training, professional credentials, certifications, and licenses, all of which may be eligible for college credit.
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- Read about Credit For Prior Learning in the College Catalog.
- Consult with your Academic Counselor to make sure any CPL credit will be acceptable and fit into your degree plan.
- We can't award credit twice for the same learning - CPL credit cannot duplicate other credit you already have.
- Get Credit for Exams you take.
- Get Credit for Professional Licenses, Certifications, and Credentials you've earned.
- Get Credit for Portfolios you prepare.
- Get Credit for Training that's been reviewed.
- Get Credit for Courses you have taken.
- Do you have extensive work or volunteer experience?
- Have you earned a professional license, certification, or credential?
- Were you ever in the United States military?
- Have you successfully completed workplace or other training programs?
- Do you have learning that corresponds to college courses?
- Can you document your college-level learning?
If "yes" for any of the above, then consider CPL.
- Save time!
- Save money!
- Earn credit!
- Faster time to degree!
- The earlier in your educational planning, the better.
- Avoid taking classes that you could earn CPL credit for.
Current fees are posted in the online College Catalog:
- Log in to MyCharterOak, the online student portal.
- Navigate to Student Self Service.
- Click on Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) to access the CPL forms and manuals.
We’re joining the national trend to call these programs Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) instead of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) to help overcome equity gaps in participation. We recognize that the term “assessment” can be off-putting to students, especially those from marginalized groups who’ve been made to feel that they don’t “have what it takes” and may not belong in college. Studies show that adult students who earn credit for their prior learning (CPL) tend to persist to graduation at higher rates than those who do not, even helping overcome the equity gap known to occur in graduation rates – students from marginalized groups who earn CPL have significantly higher graduation rates than their peers who did not earn any CPL. Unfortunately, those same students tend to pursue CPL at lower rates so we’re working to change that. We’re paying close attention to our messaging, outreach, advising, and supports to help ensure that we’re reaching everyone with the message about the value that CPL holds for students and work to overcome the equity gap in CPL participation. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, suggestions, etc. – you can contact our office at cpl@charteroak.edu.