Prior Learning Assessment

College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB): College Level Examination Programs (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP)

Credits may be awarded for AP and CLEP exams. The specific credit you are granted depends on the exam and score you receive. Please visit our factsheets for Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams for more information on credits awarded for AP and CLEP exams.

To receive credit(s) as outlined on our factsheets, official AP and CLEP exam results must be sent from College Board to Kapi‘olani CC (KapCC) and a completed Transcript Evaluation Request form must be submitted. We will not grant credit(s) for AP scores reported on high school or other college transcripts.

• To have your AP and/or CLEP scores sent to Kapiʻolani CC, please contact College Board at (888) CALL-4-AP or go to www.collegeboard.org. Kapiʻolani CC’s College Board code is 4377
• Paper or electronic copies of scores submitted by institutions or persons other than College Board will not be accepted
• It is recommended to have your scores evaluated when you start Kapiʻolani CC

Letter grades are not granted. Instead, “CR” (credit) is used and will not be calculated into your grade point average. Check with your program counselor to see how these credits may be used toward degree requirements.

Military Service or Schooling

Coursework taken through military schools may be considered for credit with the consent of the appropriate Kapiʻolani CC department. Academic credit may be awarded for coursework taken at one of the regionally accredited US military academies upon receipt of official transcript and submission of a Transcript Evaluation Request Form. It is the student’s responsibility to provide an official Joint Services Transcript (JST), Army ACE Registry Transcript System (AARTS) and/or Sailor Marine ACE Registry Transcript (SMART) to have their courses evaluated. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs mandates that all transcripts be evaluated by Kapiʻolani CC for prior credit within two semesters, including transcripts for military training, even if credit may not be granted.

Military Service Transcripts. To request official military transcripts, please visit the following websites.

• Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard transcripts can all be requested through Joint Services Transcripts (JST)
• Air Force or Community College of the Air Force or Air University Transcripts:  Officers may have to contact the Office of the Academic Dean at the University at (334) 953-4543.
• Paper or electronic copies of coursework submitted by institutions or persons other than the Military organization will not be accepted

American Council on Education (ACE). The ACE program is a way to assess previous learning outside the traditional college setting to determine if it provides college-level competency. A student may earn credit for a course, test, certificate, licensure or training in an academic subject area when a review demonstrates that the competency requirements of a Kapiʻolani CC course have been met.

• Each Kapiʻolani CC department makes its own decision regarding the awarding of ACE credit for its courses. Please check with your program counselor for eligibility.
• These credits may not be used to meet the 12-credit residency requirement for the major, unless the requirement is waived by the departmental dean.
• Letter grades are not granted for credits awarded through ACE. Instead, “CR” will be used and will not be calculated into your grade point average.
• There is no charge for ACE.
• Credits enrolled or earned through ACE are not counted in determining full- or part-time status.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

For information on credit(s) awarded for International Baccalaureate exams, please visit our International Baccalaureate factsheet.
To receive credit(s) as outlined in our factsheet, official exam results must be sent from the International Baccalaureate organization to Kapiʻolani CC along with a completed Transcript Evaluation Request form.

• To have your IB scores sent to Kapiʻolani CC, please visit the International Baccalaureate organization website at https://www.ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/assessment-and-exams/requesting-transcripts/.
• Paper or electronic copies of scores submitted by institutions or persons other than the International Baccalaureate organization will not be accepted
• Kapiʻolani CC will not grant credit for IB scores reported on high school or other college transcripts.

Letter grades are not granted. Instead, “CR” (credit) is used and will not be calculated into your grade point average. Check with your program counselor to see how these credits may be used toward degree requirements.

Portfolio-Based Assessment

For Portfolio Based Assessment the student will most likely need to submit the following:

• Resume
• Self reflection
• Academic plan
• Area of study which identifies specific Student Learning Outcomes
  • Write short narrative on how SLOs are met
  • Match SLOs with evidence
• Primary evidence (letters for supervisors)
• Secondary evidence (current industry valid certificates, official transcripts)

Requirements may be different so please fill out the form via the link below and someone will be in contact.

If you answer this Prior Learning Assistance survey, you will be contacted if you qualify to earn college credit for your life experiences

If you have questions, contact Flo Abara.

Credit by Examination

Credit by Examination assesses previous learning. Credits earned through this process are equivalent to passing a cumulative, end-of-the semester exam. Examinations vary depending on the course being challenged and may only be challenged once. Credit by Examination is not an option for courses in which a person is currently enrolled as a regular student. Tuition and fees for these classes are the same as for other classes.

Eligibility

• Students may apply for Credit by Examination if they can present evidence of having attained, through experience or training, the equivalent competencies of a course offered at Kapiʻolani CC.
• Each department will decide if a course is eligible. For specific course information, contact the instructional department offering the course.
• Application and registration must be completed within the first six weeks of the semester or within the first two weeks of special term or summer classes. Registration must be completed at the Kekaulike Information and Service Center. The instructor administering the examination will arrange the test date and time.

Hawaiian/Second Language Back Credits & Requirement Waivers

Language Back Credits

All students (including native speakers of a language) with experience in another language other than English may earn “back credits.” These students may take any Kapi‘olani CC language course that is appropriate to their level. A language’s “appropriate level” will be determined by a language placement test or instructor consent. Upon completion of this course, students may receive between 3 to 16 language back credits if they earn a letter grade of C or better.

For example, a student can earn credit for JPN 101 after completing JPN 102 with a C or better. If a student places in HAW 202 and completes HAW 202 with a C grade or better, that student can also earn credit for HAW 201, 102, and 101.

Note: Most tests cover reading and writing skills and grammar knowledge. American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language with its own grammatical rules and semantics covered by the ASL test. Contact the LLL Department for information about ASL placement tests.

Important! Back credits will not be awarded automatically. Students interested in obtaining back credits must initiate the process. Restrictions apply. Students must access the online Kapi‘olani CC Petition for Hawaiian or Second Language Back Credits form, read the details about language back credit, and then complete and submit the form.

Hawaiian/Second Language Requirement Waiver

Hawaiian/Second Language requirements may be waived for students who are native speakers of a language other than English or who can demonstrate language proficiency beyond the level that their degree requires. One method of demonstrating proficiency is to take a language placement test at the Testing Center in the Library. Contact your program advisor or an academic advisor for further information.

For information on language placement tests, visit the Language Placement Test webpage.

Note: American Sign Language (ASL) as a visual language has its own grammatical rules and semantics, which are covered by the ASL test. Contact the Languages, Linguistics, and Literature (LLL) Department for information about ASL placement tests.