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Credit for Prior Learning
Get Credit for What You Already Know!
Have you gained skills or knowledge outside of a traditional classroom—through work, military service, certifications, self-study, or life experience—that might be similar to what you'd learn in a college course?"
Credit for Prior Learning Predictor
Credit for prior learning offers huge benefits to your educational journey. Aside from saving money on classes you don't need to take, adults who earn credit for prior learning are 17% more likely to graduate than adults who do not. The best part? Up to 75% of degree credits can be earned through prior learning!
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How to Request Credit for Prior Learning:
York Technical College provides several pathways for students to receive credit for prior learning (CPL). Below are the steps students should follow to inquire about CPL.
Step 1: Complete the admissions process to the College at https://www.yorktech.edu/apply/
Step 2: Connect with an admissions counselor, an advisor, or the Registrar's Office to discuss CPL Pathways that best fit your experience. Read about each pathway below:
You may already qualify for credit if you’ve completed:
- Advanced Placement (AP) exams
- International Baccalaureate (IB) exams
Click the dropdowns below for more information.
To receive college credit at YTC for your AP test scores, you will need to have your AP scores sent from the College Board to YTC. Here is where you make that request: Submit Your AP Scores
To review a list of courses and required AP scores for college credit at YTC, click here.
To receive YTC college credit for your IB test scores, you will need to have your IB scores sent from the College Board to YTC. Here is where you make that request: Submit Your IB Transcript
To review a list of courses and required AP scores for college credit at YTC, click here.
Complete steps 1-4 below when taking either test.
- Register for a CLEP Exemption Test
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- CLEP stands for College-Level Examination Program. It’s a set of standardized exams
developed by the College Board that allows students to earn college credit for knowledge
they already have, bypassing certain introductory college courses.
- Click the blue button below to register any time prior to taking the exam, search
for test centers, select your score recipient institution, and purchase study materials.
- Please Note: All exam and study material purchases are non-refundable. Once you register, make sure to print your registration ticket to present it to the test center on test day.
- CLEP stands for College-Level Examination Program. It’s a set of standardized exams
developed by the College Board that allows students to earn college credit for knowledge
they already have, bypassing certain introductory college courses.
- Register for a DSST Exemption Test
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- Click the blue button below to register any time prior to taking the exam, search
for test centers, select your score recipient institution, and purchase study materials.
- Please Note: All exam and study material purchases are non-refundable. Once you register, make sure to print your registration ticket to present it to the test center on test day.
- Click the blue button below to register any time prior to taking the exam, search
for test centers, select your score recipient institution, and purchase study materials.
- Schedule a time to take the CLEP or DSST Test
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- Registering for an exam with CLEP or DSST provides you with a payment receipt and
a Ticket ID, but you must contact the YTC Assessment Center or other testing center
to schedule the date and time you wish to take the test. Print the CLEP or DSST exam voucher and bring it with you to your appointment.
- Registering for an exam with CLEP or DSST provides you with a payment receipt and
a Ticket ID, but you must contact the YTC Assessment Center or other testing center
to schedule the date and time you wish to take the test. Print the CLEP or DSST exam voucher and bring it with you to your appointment.
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- All tests are by appointment only. Schedule your appointment with the Assessment Center in A Building room 203, by phone 981-7176, or email: assessmentcenter@yorktech.edu. Pay the CLEP or DSST proctor fee by calling the Cashier’s Office at (803) 327-8027. Bring your receipt and voucher to the Assessment Center for your appointment.
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- Note: If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, please reach out to Counseling, Accessibility, and Support Services at 803-327-8007 or CASS@yorktech.edu prior to your scheduled testing date.
- Take the CLEP or DSST exam on the day that you are scheduled
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- Be prepared to bring the following to the Assessment Center:
- Voucher Ticker from your CLEP (College Board) or DSST
- Voucher Ticker from your CLEP (College Board) or DSST
- Be prepared to bring the following to the Assessment Center:
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- Driver’s License, passport, military ID, or other state issued identification.
- Driver’s License, passport, military ID, or other state issued identification.
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- If you do not have a government issued photo ID and are under the age of 18, a parent
or guardian may verify your identity.
- If you do not have a government issued photo ID and are under the age of 18, a parent
or guardian may verify your identity.
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- Confirm your course credit for a passed exam.
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- Exam results will be posted in your YTC Navigate account. Please allow 2 weeks for any credit earned to be posted on your transcript.
Unsure Which Exam to Take? Read About Their Differences Here:
CLEP and DSST are both types of exemption tests which allow students to earn college credit for knowledge they already have—without taking the course.
CLEP
- Typically taken by civilian college students.
- Accepted at over 2900 colleges and universities nationally.
- Cost: Around $95 (not including test center fees).
- Mostly multiple choice with some tests including essays.
DSST
- Originally for military, but available to civilians too.
- Accepted at over 1900 colleges and universities nationally.
- Cost: Around $100 per exam (free for eligible service members).
- Mostly multiple-choice questions.
- Courses that can be exempted by taking a YTC Department’s exemption exam: Departmental Exemption Exams
- Departmental administered exam based exemption - Complete the interest form and select “I have work/life experience and could complete a local exam or skill demonstration to verify my knowledge.”
- The applicable YTC Department will reach out to you to schedule the proficiency exam.
- Cost per exemption exam: $0
Have you gained knowledge and skills through military service? Both courses you completed and military occupations you held during service may earn you credit. Visit one of the JST links below and request your information sent to York Technical College.
- Sign in to your JST account
- Register for a JST account
- Learn more about sending your official JST transcript
Additional ways to earn college credit for prior learning can be through microcredentials and work experiences.
You may be able to earn college credit for your existing professional certifications or licenses, including ones you have earned through York Technical College's Workforce and Economic Development courses or other providers.
These certifications can include, but are not limited to: Contractor's License, Electrical License, CNA, CDL, HVAC, Microsoft, OSHA, CISCO, Google, etc.
Click here to view a list of currently accepted YTC microcredentials.
More credentials can be considered. If your credential is not listed, you can request that it be considered.
You may be able to earn college credit for your work/life experience. This process includes Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) to "show what you know."
- Portfolios: Receive credit for work/life experience by documenting the work with resumes, letters from employers and other methods that are collected into one place, called a portfolio. Portfolios are used to:
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- Portfolio based exemption - Complete the interest form and select “I have work/life experience and could complete a local exam, skill demonstration, or portfolio to verify my knowledge.
- Gain college credit while you gain work experience through York Technical College and it’s partner employers
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- Work Based Learning (WBL) is working while you are attending York Technical College. Types of WBL are
externships, internships, apprenticeships and co-ops. Some of these include pay to
the worker from various sources. Some do not. Be sure to ask your York Technical College
WBL coordinator.
- Work Based Learning (WBL) is working while you are attending York Technical College. Types of WBL are
externships, internships, apprenticeships and co-ops. Some of these include pay to
the worker from various sources. Some do not. Be sure to ask your York Technical College
WBL coordinator.
- Cost per exempted course: $0
Step 3: Be sure you have completed the “Credit for Prior Learning Interest” form: Click here to fill out the CPL interest form
Step 4: A CPL Evaluator will contact you regarding your CPL interest and to schedule an appointment.
Step 5: Provide the requested documentation to the CPL Evaluator.
Step 6: A CPL Evaluator will assess the credit for prior learning documents to determine eligibility.
Step 7: Notification of final evaluation results will be sent to your student York Technical College (yorktech.edu) email address.
If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact us at cpl@yorktech.edu