Associate Degrees Based On Life Experience

Normally an associate degree is a 2 year academic course often taken thru community colleges. However if you are an individual with goals and aspirations to get ahead and you work long hours, taking extra evening classes after work may become a dilemma. Here’s a solution. Why not get a life experience associate degree instead?

Find a credited degree granting institution

Call your nearby or local colleges and universities. Inquire if they do offer life experience degree accreditations. Check a couple of websites as well while you are at it. It helps to have a basis of comparison and additional sources of information too. Then determine the courses they offer. Do they offer the type of degree you are looking for? Gather as much information as you can like essential requirements, the right people to talk with and of course the right office to apply to.

Reevaluate your work experience

Ask yourself - do you have the experience required in order to be recognized by this degree granting institution? Can your experience back you up? Is it enough? Reflect on your years of employment. Can you say you have grown in your industry? Have you progressively learned more this year than last year or is your growth just a year’s worth repeated yearly? Try to list down your accomplishments for all the years you have worked. This exercise will also build your self confidence.

List down all your credentials and prior learning

So what do you list down? Start with your college transcript or maybe your high school transcript; your prior education counts. Then list down other awards you have earned. Maybe you have won a gold medal in debate competition in the past or you were part of a team that was recognized for excellence. If you have military service experience, list it down as well. Did you take online courses? Maybe you’ve earned certificates for desktop publishing and word processing? Those can become useful as well. Have you done some traveling? You could have had extended stays in other countries or culture that maybe useful to add and mention.

Submit your credentials and have them evaluated

After you have gathered your credentials; now its time to submit them to the proper evaluators. Sometimes it takes 1 to 2 months to get evaluated so be patient and give them time. Also be prepared for interviews. Be prepared for possible exams they might give you to further validate your knowledge and experience. You may also want to refer people who can speak highly of you and verify your work accomplishments.

Be ready to settle the fee

Since you are applying for a life experience degree, fees are usually much cheaper than traditional schooling tuition fees.