Brooke Smith
Military and veteran students now can get college credit for career experience and knowledge through DSST® prior learning assessments (PLAs), due to a policy expansion by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) earlier this month.
This change in policy provides Colorado citizens, including the over 400,000 military veterans who reside there, with opportunities to translate on-the-job training into college credit through PLAs such as the DSST Credit-by-Exam program.
Through the DSST program, non-traditional students can demonstrate their knowledge of a subject area by taking an exam for college credit. Created and delivered by Prometric, a trusted provider of market-leading test development and delivery solutions, the DSST program includes more than 30 titles—all of which are recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE). These exams can be taken at university, college and military base test centers and applied to any DSST credit-accepting degree program. In Colorado alone, there are more than 50 institutions in the DSST partner network.
“By incorporating PLAs into their college degree path, Colorado veterans and adult students have the opportunity to save both time and money on their undergraduate education,” stated Steve Williams, senior vice president, Prometric. “The DSST Exam program offers active duty and veteran service members the opportunity to get back time they have given during their enlistments or officer appointments with an easier route to their post-military careers.”
According to the Council for Adult and Experiential Education, students with PLA credit are more likely to reduce the amount of time it takes to earn their degree than students who do not receive PLA credits. Because the cost of an exam is significantly lower than a college course, students with PLA credits save money on their education, too.
Learn more about the Colorado Department of Higher Education policy change: https://highered.colorado.gov/Publications/Press/Releases/2018/20180504CCHEmilitarycredit.pdf
Visit www.getcollegecredit.com for more information about the DSST Exam program.
About Prometric
Prometric is the trusted leader in global testing and assessment solutions for academic, corporate, financial services, government, healthcare, professional associations and technology markets. It offers a comprehensive approach to advise, develop, manage and deliver programs in the industry’s most integrated technology-enabled environment across the world’s most secure testing network or through the conveniences of online testing services. The company is committed to service quality and a set of values that supports test takers worldwide who take more than seven million tests each year in more than 180 countries. For more information, please visit www.prometric.com.