Credit for Prior Learning

culinary arts students in LTCC's commercial kitchen
 

Lake Tahoe Community College believes in the power of knowledge acquired in different ways – including outside the classroom. Real-world experiences and on-the-job learning can be just as valuable in shaping skills and expertise as in-class education. LTCC proudly offers Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) to students whose demonstrated knowledge and skillsets may make them eligible for earned college credits.

Some students have significant knowledge acquired through various experiences, such as work, volunteerism, military service, or self-directed learning. Through LTCC’s CPL program, you may be able to earn college credits (or advanced standing toward a degree) for your talents and abilities, saving you time and money on your education. 

LTCC counselors and faculty will guide you through assessment and evaluation of your prior learning experiences, helping you to maximize the CPL credits you can earn.  

Explore all of the types of CPL available at LTCC – there are several! Whichever path you choose, begin by making an appointment or chatting live online with an LTCC counselor. Or call them at (530) 541-4660 x211, or send an email to counselor@ltcc.edu.

 

What can CPL do for me?

Recognition of Your Achievements: CPL acknowledges the wealth of knowledge you have gained outside of the traditional classroom setting. It gives you credit for your hard work, dedication, and expertise, providing validation and appreciation for your accomplishments. 

By earning credits through CPL, you can accelerate your progress toward obtaining a degree. This means spending less time in the classroom and more time applying your knowledge in the real world, entering the job market earlier, or pursuing advanced studies. 

CPL can significantly reduce the financial burden associated with pursuing a degree. By recognizing your prior learning, you can avoid redundant coursework and focus on areas that truly require your attention. This translates into substantial cost savings in terms of tuition fees, textbooks, and other educational expenses. 

Employers highly value practical experience and skills. CPL helps you highlight and leverage your real-world expertise, making you a more competitive candidate in the job market. It demonstrates your ability to apply theory to practice, giving you a distinct advantage when pursuing career opportunities. 

Have a question?

We’re just a call or email away:

Lake Tahoe Community College
One College Drive
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
enrollmentservices@ltcc.edu
(530) 541-4660 x 211

 

What types of CPL are available to me at LTCC?

LTCC grants credit to students who participate in the AP examinations offered by the College Board. Students will receive credit (not a letter grade) with scores of 3 or higher for purposes of general education requirements, graduation, and/or advanced placement into LTCC courses.  
 
Next Steps 
  1. Submit your request to have an official copy of the College Board test scores forwarded to the Enrollment Services Office. 
    1. Visit the AP Students website to get started. 
  2. See a list of AP tests and the credit you can earn at LTCC. 
LTCC grants credit to students who earn a satisfactory score on an approved IB exam.  
 
Next Steps 
  1. Submit your request to have an official copy of your IB transcripts forwarded to the Enrollment Services Office. 
    1. Visit the International Baccalaureate website to get started. 
  2. See a list of IB exams and the credit you can earn at LTCC. 
LTCC grants credit to students who earn a satisfactory score on an approved CLEP exam.  
 
Next Steps 
  1. Submit your request to have an official copy of your CLEP transcripts forwarded to the Enrollment Services Office. 
    1. Visit the CLEP website to get started.  
  2. See a list of IB exams and the credit you can earn at LTCC. 
Students can transfer credits they completed at another accredited institution to fulfill prerequisite, general education, major, and/or elective unit requirements for the associate degree or certificate programs offered at LTCC. 
 
Next Steps 
  1. Obtain transcript from prior college. This should be requested from your prior institution. 
  2. Complete the Request for Credit Evaluation form with an LTCC counselor after official transcripts have been received. 

Students can transfer upper-division coursework credits they completed at another accredited institution to fulfill LTCC requirements. The following circumstances apply: 

  • The course must be deemed comparable to LTCC course by the faculty in the discipline, or an appropriate designee, or through an articulation agreement. Upper-division courses or more advanced courses may be used in lieu of lower-division course competencies.  
  • The upper-division course may be used to satisfy an LTCC major requirement, an associate degree general education requirement, or a prerequisite.  
  • Courses will be accepted for subject credit only. Upper-division courses will not be used to certify CSU GE or IGETC requirements. Students will still need 90 lower division transfer quarter units to be eligible for transfer admission to the CSU or UC.  
  • Grades earned will be calculated in the same manner as those transferred from another college or university. 

Next Steps 

  1. Obtain transcript from prior college. This should be requested from your prior institution. 
  2. Complete the Request for Credit Evaluation form with an LTCC counselor after official transcripts have been received. 
  3. Questions? Reach out to a counselor online. 
Students can earn credit in a course by demonstrating their knowledge on a comprehensive exam administered by the college.  
 
Eligibility 
  • Must be registered for classes at LTCC in the quarter in which the credit by exam is attempted. 
  • Must be in good academic standing with a 2.0 GPA or higher.  
  • Students may only petition one course per quarter, and that course must be in the current quarter’s schedule of classes. Students may only attempt an exam once. 
  • Students who have taken the class and received a grade in the course previously may not petition to take earn credit by exam. 
Courses Available for Credit By Exam 
Not all courses are available for credit by exam. Faculty in the department and the dean over the area make the final determination for which courses are available for credit by exam. To see if you can get credit for a course by taking an exam, review the college catalog. Courses available for credit by exam are listed under each subject heading. 
 
Next Steps 
  1. Meet with a counselor to discuss your Credit by Exam plans.   
  2. Complete a Credit by Examination petition at least five (5) business days prior to the assigned date when the exam will be administered.  
     
    Check the schedule to get the petition deadline and exam dates. If you missed the petition deadline, reach out to the instruction office at instruction@ltcc.edu.
  3. For additional details about credit by examination, see the LTCC catalog.  

Students can receive course credit for their industry recognized credentials as recommended by the appropriate department chair or faculty designee.  

See the list of approved industry-recognized credentials. 

Next Steps if you have an approved industry-recognized credential: 

  • Submit this form with a certified record of your industry certificate or credential. You will receive course credit for the courses that align with your certificate or credential.  

Next Steps if your industry-recognized credential is not on the list: 

  • If your certificate or credential is not listed, but you’d like to see if you can earn college credit for it, reach out to LTCC's Instruction Office by email at instruction@ltcc.edu. 

Students can receive credit for their military training. 

Next Steps: 

  1. Set up a meeting with a counselor to discuss courses you are interested in. 

Students can receive credit for their prior learning by creating a portfolio for review by the appropriate faculty chair or designee. Portfolios must be thorough and should directly align with the student learning outcomes associated with the course the students is seeking credit in. Portfolio's will be evaluated by faculty in the appropriate field based on a standardized rubric.

Next Steps: 

  1. Review the LTCC catalog to see which classes you are interested in receiving credit for prior learning (CPL).
  2. Meet with a counselor to review your experience and discuss the CPL process. The counselor will connect you with the appropriate faculty member.
  3. Meet with the faculty member to review the rubric and Student Learning Outcomes of the class in which you wish to receive credit and set up a 2nd meeting for the future to review the portfolio.
    1. The faculty member may refer you to additional resources or tools to help determine how your experience meets the standards of a class
  4. Create a portfolio using the rubric (examples can include an essay, certificates and trainings, pieces of work, etc).
  5. Meet with the faculty member to review the portfolio. The faculty will score the portfolio and submit it to the student and VP of Instruction for final review. Once approved by the VP of Instruction, it will be transcribed by the end of the current term.