Credit for Pre-College Learning
Wayne County Community College District recognizes that many of our students come to us with a wealth of learning which was achieved through experiences outside a college classroom. The College sponsors several programs which are designed to help students convert those learning experiences into college credit that may be applied toward a certificate or degree. These include the Articulation Program, Credit by Examination, the College Level Examination, Credit for Experiential Learning and Credit for Specialized Experience. Contact the Campus Admissions Office or the Campus Academic Officer for additional Information on the programs listed below.

Credit by Examination
Upon the recommendation of the academic officer, program director or a program committee, credit may be earned for some courses in the current catalog through special examination. Credit earned in this manner will satisfy degree and certificate requirements.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
The CLEP test is based on the premise that individuals acquire knowledge informally throughout their lives. The test allows them to convert this knowledge into college credit. This opportunity may be particularly useful to the occupational career student, adult student, and the student who did not graduate from high school but who has acquired some special expertise. There are two types of CLEP tests available: the General Examinations, which measure knowledge in basic liberal arts areas (English composition, humanities, mathematics, and social science — history), and the Subject Examinations which measure achievement in 37 specific college courses. When prior college credit has been earned on a formal basis in the subject area, no CLEP credit will be allowed. Credit is granted for tests with scores which rank at the 50th percentile or higher based on sophomore norms presented in tables of percentile ranks provided by the College Entrance Examination Board, which developed and standardized the CLEP test.

A maximum of one year of credit (30 semester hours) may be allowed for pre-college learning. This credit will apply toward WCCCD degrees and certificates. Most examinations are given once each month and may be taken by WCCCD students at the Counseling and Testing Bureau of Wayne State University. Descriptive brochures and applications are available at Wayne State University, 5050 Cass Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48202.

Credit for Experiential Learning
If you wish to receive credit for learning you have achieved through experience but do not wish to use the CLEP or Credit by Examination programs, you may take advantage of our experiential learning program. To do this you must prepare a portfolio which includes the following information:

1. Courses you wish credit for
2. Learning goals that you have achieved
3. Documentation of the achievement of the learning goals

This portfolio is then reviewed by our faculty to determine if credit may be awarded. Several things about  experiential learning are important to understand as you consider using this opportunity to earn credit. First, credit is granted for learning achieved from experience, not for the experience itself. In developing your portfolio, you will need to demonstrate that your experiences have helped you gain both theoretical and practical knowledge at the same level as you would have achieved by taking the course. Second, the process of developing a successful portfolio is as time consuming as taking a course. Therefore, we recommend that you consider this option only if you wish to receive credit for a group of courses. Credit for a single course is earned more efficiently through credit by examination or the CLEP program.

There is a $10 processing fee for credit for experiential learning. In addition the fee for this service is an amount equal to half the normal tuition for the courses you are seeking credit for. The campus academic officer or program director can provide you with the directions and the forms necessary to receive credit for experiential learning.