If you have taken classes for a job, for military advancement, or for another purpose, you may be eligible to receive credit for experience. This is sometimes known as life experience or work experience. If you’ve ever wondered whether your life experiences could offer you credit toward a college degree, perhaps it’s time to find out.

Let’s face it, whether you are planning to attend a traditional college degree program, or attend an online university degree program, college tuition is expensive. No one wants to take unnecessary courses or spend more money than is necessary to earn a college degree. Credit for life or work experience is a valid way to meet requirements for some basic or core courses.

Sometimes, universities allow students to test out of basic or intermediate level classes. For example, if you are fluent in more than one language, you may be about to test out of a foreign language. This can be particularly helpful in fulfilling humanities or language requirements for most university degree programs.

Another option is available for students who took advanced placement courses in math, science, or English at the high school level. Sometimes colleges allow students to test out of core classes, often saving the expense of 12 or more credit hours. These tests are referred to variably as CLEP tests or placement tests.

If you have taken course work for another purpose without being enrolled in a traditional or distance learning university, contact an evaluator to determine whether you are able to receive credit for this work. You may find that you are much closer to a Bachelor Degree in a related field than you could have imagined! Wouldn’t it be great to complete your degree in half the time that it otherwise would require?

If you are wondering whether Oscar Mayer has suddenly taken an interest in postsecondary education, don’t be alarmed. The Bologna Process has nothing to do with sandwiches, and everything to do with universities degree programs in foreign countries. Although this concept is primarily associated with European countries, many other nations have expressed interest or accord.

The Bologna Process is an attempt to standardize Bachelor Degree Programs and Master Degree Programs among European nations. If this becomes reality, this could open the door for other leading countries, including the United States, to follow suit. Evaluation of foreign degrees would become a very simple process, because everyone would have the same amount of education to get their degrees.

Currently, many European students attend high school for 13 years, instead of 12 years as American students do. They, however, are eligible to receive a Bachelor Degree after attending a postsecondary institution for only three years. Degrees from certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, and Spain, are recognized by the USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) as equivalent to a U.S. Bachelor Degree.

Other countries, however, have 3-year university degree programs that are not always recognized by the U.S. as equal. Countries in this category include India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Even though students who attend universities in these countries do not automatically have the equivalency of a U.S. Bachelor Degree, they may be awarded the U.S. equivalency of their degree in some cases.

Foreign degree programs are complex and often confusing. Finding a foreign credential evaluation agency that can give a good professional evaluation of your degree can be difficult. Do your research, and choose an agency that offers free pre-evaluations, and be sure to shop around for the lowest price. Make sure the agency is experienced, as well. Hint: If they have never heard of the Bologna Process, move on quickly to the next agency!

for more information about foreign credential evaluations and the bologna project, see www.thedegreepeople.com

After finishing a Bachelor Degree program, most people are ready to leave college for a while and start the rest of their lives. Many find entry-level positions in their fields, get married, and purchase a home. Children arrive, and they settle into a routine of work, school activities, and family nights.

What happens when that entry-level job becomes stifling? When you feel you just have to get out and try something new? Suddenly your education isn’t enough, and you find that you need a Master Degree to advance to the next level in your profession, or to try something new and challenging. Are you ready to leave your family behind and return to a traditional university campus to get a graduate degree?

Before you give up your daily routine, take a moment to consider the benefits of online degree schools. Earn an online management degree, or get an advanced degree in nursing, computer technology, accounting, or education. With distance degree programs, you can study in your spare time, after everyone has gone to bed, or during weekends.

Don’t decide that you have to put your career to sleep while you’re raising your family. Grow in your profession while your family is growing, and take advantage of the excellent opportunities offered by distance learning degree programs. Today is never to late to start your future!