WHAT IS THE ASSESSMENT OF PRIOR LEARNING PROGRAM?

The Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) Program at Three Rivers Community College is a process, which recognizes prior life/work experience by having the knowledge you have gained assessed for college credit. It is a process by which a student may receive college credit for the learning derived as a result of that life/work experience.

Many adults are not aware of just how the APL Program works or if it is right for them. Whether you are a retired military person, a secretary, a day care provider, a homemaker, or a volunteer fund-raiser for a civic organization, chances are that your college-level learning is a result of that work or volunteer experience. This learning is called non-traditional or experiential learning, and oftentimes it translates into college-level learning.

An easy way to ascertain if the learning you have gained outside of traditional college classrooms is similar is to think of your learning in the following terms:

- Is the learning in a subject area taught at a college?

- Can the learning be applied to situations other than the one in which it was acquired?

- Can the learning be verified by an expert in the field?

- Can the learning be related to other learning from similar areas of study?

If your answers to the above questions were yes, then the APL Program is probably worth exploring. Another way to tell is to read the course descriptions in the back of the Three Rivers Community College catalogue or on our website www.trcc.commnet.edu under Academic Programs and match your non-traditional learning with the courses described there. If your response is positive, then it would appear that this is an appropriate program, and one, which would be of benefit to you.

The College offers a course, which teaches you the process of developing a portfolio based on your learning. The pre-requisite for the course is ENG* K100 Reading/Writing Connection (formerly ENG K108 Reading/Writing Connection) with a "C" grade or higher, or ENG* K101 (formerly ENG K111 College Composition) eligibility. Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite is recommended. At the end of the course the portfolio is submitted to a board of College evaluators to determine the number of credits you will receive. You can receive up to 30 credits to be applied toward a program of study at Three Rivers Community College. The credits gained through this evaluation process are applicable towards an associate degree at Three Rivers. A minimum of 25% (15 credits for career programs and 17 credits for technology programs) must be granted in residence by Three Rivers.

To enter the APL program it is mandatory to attend an information session. There will be a series of sessions offered in preparation for the new semester. There is no charge for this information session. Each session lasts approximately an hour and a half. You do not have to register to attend. However, it is recommended that students attend one of the earliest information sessions as this course fills early. All "new student" processing should be taken care of as quickly as possible (submit an application and high school verification, and take the Placement Test).

Thursday	March 6, 2008	6:00-7:30 p.m.	Mohegan Campus	Room 315
Monday	April 7, 2008	6:00-7:30 p.m.	Grasso Tech	TBA
Monday	May 12, 2008	6:00-7:30 p.m.	Grasso Tech	TBA
Monday	June 9, 2008	6:00-7:30 p.m.	Mohegan Campus	Room 312
Tuesday	July 8, 2008	6:00-7:30 p.m.	Mohegan Campus	Room 315