Describes the procedures that a community college used in instituting an exit examination for a developmental writing course. Discusses reasons for the policies that were set up and tells what has been learned as a result of using the exit examination. (RL)

More than half of the colleges and universities in the U.S. require entering freshmen to present scores on the American College Test (ACT) as a condition of admission. Within recent years, colleges and universities have been asked to determine procedures whereby prior educational achievement and life experiences could be evaluated and college…

Since credit-by-examination is an intrinsically sound educational device, those who administer it might well take steps to protect it from abuse. Colleges should insist that both content specialists and measurement experts participate in evaluating the tests and the College Entrance Examination Board should revise its procedures so that…

A description is given of the system developed by the College Board during the past three decades through which, on the basis of examination, more than 1,500 colleges award degree credit for prior learning. Over 140,000 individuals take the examinations each year. (Author/MSE)

Regents External Degrees make it possible for an individual to earn a college degree without the constraints of time or locale, and without necessarily attending college. He or she need only demonstrate college-level competency in a Regents External Degree Program. Credit is granted for a variety of educational experiences--from military training,…

Credit by examination is essentially the awarding of credit for theoretical knowledge gained outside traditional classroom situations. The examination provides the basis for the kinds and numbers of credits awarded. Programs in credit by examination are innovative because they recognize that people do indeed learn, either purposefully or…

External degree programs in effect abroad and ways to implement similar programs in this country, as adapted from speech delivered at October 1970 meeting of the College Board. (Editor)

The sequential stages of this model are: (1) select occupational fields for assessment; (2) identify competencies in each occupation; (3) verify that the student has had work experience; (4) related student competency to the curriculum and his goals; (5) measure occupational competency; (6) evaluate measurement results; and (7) determine credit…

A discussion of the awarding of college credit for experiential or prior learning looks at two approaches (credit exchange and developmental), proposes a continuum linking them, and examines theoretical and practical problems in their application in higher education. It is concluded that while credits for prior/experiential learning can be…

This report begins with an overview of placement and proficiency testing, with emphasis on the benefits to students and instructors of such testing. Various ways in which proficiency credit may be earned at the University of Illinois are discussed. In particular, the freshmen Placement and Proficiency System is described in detail. Some data are…

Recognizing adults' prior college-level learning requires a substantial investment of faculty time to identify learning outcomes and standards of performance, but the benefits are great for students and faculty alike. (Author)

An outline is given of the system developed by the American Council on Education through which more than 2,000 colleges have awarded hundreds of thousands of credits toward degrees for prior learning outside colleges, either in military service or employment. (Author/MSE)

Procedures and related issues involved in the application of trait-treatment interaction (TTI) to institutional research, in general, and to placement and proficiency testing, in particular, are discussed and illustrated. Traditional methods for choosing cut-off scores are compared and proposals for evaluating the results in the TTI framework are…

Five contributors identify essential means for the college to assure high standards, quality control, and consistency in assessing the prior learning of adults. Types of learning include work or military experience and life experience; assessment methods include examination, portfolio examination, and competence-based programs. (Author/MSE)

Admission policies and academic standards are seen as two problem areas. The changes in admission policies and educational standards are examined and their impact upon each other is discussed along with the meaning of standards, adaptive instruction, academic placement and exemption, testing and grading practices, program assessment, etc. (MLW)